Fighting with Insomnia
Insomnia is a common sleep disorder, also known as sleeplessness in which you have trouble falling asleep. This disorder can make it hard to fall asleep, stay asleep, or get good quality sleep.
This happens even if you have the time and the right environment to sleep well. People with insomnia struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep. Insomnia can drain your energy level and affect your mood. It also can affect your health, work performance and quality of life. Types of Insomnia Acute Insomnia: Acute insomnia is the most common type of insomnia. It is short-term and lasts for a few days up to a month. It is also commonly called adjustment insomnia because it is usually caused by a change in environment or stressful events.
Chronic Insomnia: Insomnia is said to be chronic if the patient experiences difficulties in sleeping at least three days a week for at least a month. Chronic insomnia may be primary or secondary.
Primary chronic insomnia is also called idiopathic insomnia because there is no specific cause. Secondary chronic insomnia is also called comorbid insomnia. Comorbid insomnia is more common than primary insomnia and occurs due to other underlying medical conditions.
Onset Insomnia: Onset insomnia includes trouble initiating sleep. It can be either short-term or chronic. Maintenance Insomnia:
Maintenance insomnia is when the patient has difficulty staying asleep or waking up too early and difficulty going back to sleep. Maintenance insomnia may be caused by chronic medical conditions or psychological conditions such as depression, anxiety, or stress.
Behavioral Insomnia: Behavioral insomnia of childhood (BIC) can usually be managed with appropriate behavioral therapy. Symptoms of Insomnia Having a hard time falling asleep at night. Waking up during the night. Waking up too early. Feeling tired or sleepy during the day time. Feeling cranky, depressed or anxious. Making more errors or having more accidents. Having ongoing worries about sleep. Irritability and mood disturbances. Fatigue and malaise. Hyperactivity, aggression, and other behavioral issues. Lack of concentration. Itching in eyes. Headache Causes of Insomnia Poor sleep habits Eating at bedtime Anxiety and depression Caffeine, Nicotine, and Alcohol Travel or work schedule Medical conditions Stress Prevention of Insomnia Make your bedroom sleep friendly. Get regular physical activity that includes walking and other low impact exercises. Avoid taking frequent naps. Limit your caffeine and alcohol Don’t eat heavy meals before bed. Learn new ways to lower stress. Treatment of Insomnia Developing and practicing good sleep habits. Mental healthcare CBT-I Therapy Natural remedies/ homeopathic treatments Relaxation techniques Lifestyle changes Prescription Medicines
