Nick Mutt asked:


Insomnia or sleeplessness is the difficulty experienced in falling asleep. There are several reasons that may cause this condition. Knowing the different type of insomnia will help you to better understand the responsible factors.

Types of Insomnia

1. Sleep Onset Insomnia – It is also called delayed sleep phase syndrome. In this case, the patient feels sleeplessness because he delays the major sleep episode and this delay causes sleeplessness and difficulty in getting up at the desired time.

2. Psycho-Physiological Insomnia – It is caused due to anxiety or psychological problem which creates physical symptoms and prevents sleep.

3. Childhood Insomnia – This type of insomnia is further divided into two types – limit- setting sleep disorder and sleep-onset association disorder.

4. Altitude Insomnia – This type of insomnia is an acute version of insomnia, short-lived but intense, accompanied by symptoms of headache, fatigue, and loss of appetite, all occurring when you move to high altitudes.

5. Stimulant-Dependent Sleep Disorder – This type of insomnia is caused by using drugs that stimulate the nervous system. The person becomes addicted to their use and fails to get sleep when abstinence from the drug is practiced.

6. Food Allergy Insomnia – This type of insomnia results as an allergic response to certain foods.

7. Idiopathic Insomnia – In this type of insomnia the nervous system becomes incapable of controlling the sleeping and waking mechanism of the body. The result is a lifelong failure to get proper sleep. It usually starts in early childhood.

8. Toxin-Induced Sleep Disorder – This type of insomnia is caused by the presence of certain environmental factors in the surrounding e.g. noise, smell, smoke etc.

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

Copyright © Nick Mutt, All Rights Reserved. If you want to use this article on your website or in your ezine, make all the urls (links) active.

Here is an excellent Anti stress herbal supplement that will give you stress free life you were longing for. Also read Home remedies for insomnia at Natural cures website – a health guide to make you and your family fit and healthy.

Juliet Cohen asked:


Insomnia is a sleep disorder. Sleep is a state of consciousnesses, which gives your body time to rest and build up your strength. It is characterized by an inability to sleep and/or inability to remain asleep for a reasonable period. Insomnia affects all age groups. Among older adults, insomnia affects women more often than men. The incidence increases with age. Insomnia can be a symptom of physical disorders, although for most of us it’s the result of tension, stress and anxiety — and of course the more anxious we get about our insomnia, the worse it gets. It is often caused by fear, stress, anxiety, medications, herbs, caffeine, depression, bipolar disorder or sometimes for no apparent reason. An overactive mind or physical pain may also be causes. Insomnia may be classified by how long the symptoms are present. Transient insomnia usually is due to situational changes such as travel and stressful events. It lasts for less than a week or until the stressful event is resolved. Short-term insomnia lasts for 1-3 weeks, and long-term insomnia (chronic insomnia) continues for more than 3 weeks. Chronic insomnia often results from depression or substance abuse. It is important to know that nearly everyone has problems sleeping at some time or other and it is thought that a third of people in the UK have bouts of insomnia. Newborn babies can sleep for 16 hours a day, while children of school age need an average of 10 hours. Adults usually need, on average, 7 to 9 hours sleep a night. As we get older, it’s normal to need less sleep. Most people over 70 need less than 6 hours sleep per night; and they tend to be light sleepers.

Three types of insomnia first is transient insomnia second is acute insomnia and last is chronic insomnia. It is not defined by the number of hours you sleep every night. Poor sleep quality can occur as a result of sleep apnea or major depression. Transient insomnia lasts from one night to a few weeks. Most people occasionally suffer from transient insomnia due to such causes as jet lag or short-term anxiety. Acute insomnia is the inability to consistently sleep well for a period of between three weeks to six months. Chronic insomnia is regarded as the most serious; persists almost nightly for at least a month. Chronic insomnia can lead to mental health problems such as depression, or misuse of alcohol or other medicines in order to gain sleep. Sleep apnea is a condition that occurs when a sleeping person’s breathing is interrupted, thus interrupting the normal sleep cycle. With the obstructive form of the condition, some part of the sleeper’s respiratory tract loses muscle tone and partially collapses. People with obstructive sleep apnea often do not remember any of this, but they complain of excessive sleepiness during the day. Central sleep apnea interrupts the normal breathing stimulus of the central nervous system, and the individual must actually wake up to resume breathing. Sometimes perimenopausal (the time leading up to menopause) women have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep; hot flashes and night sweats often can disturb sleep. Pregnancy also can affect how well a woman sleeps.

Treatment of insomnia should be individualized based on the nature and severity of symptoms. Most cases of insomnia inability to sleep or inability to sleep well at night. Lormetazepam, a short-acting benzodiazepine widely used for the treatment of insomnia. Rozerem is the very first insomnia treatment medication on the market that acts as a melatonin receptor agonist. Rozerem is just one of the many insomnia medications available on the market today. It is important that you discuss with your health care provider if prescription medications are right to treat your insomnia. Benzodiazepines drugs are relatives of diazepam (Valium) marketed as sleeping aids. Other drugs such as ethchlorvynol (Placidyl) are likely to produce neurologic side effects when taken. Barbiturates were formerly the standard sleeping pills, sold under such names as Seconal and Nembutal. Nonpharmacologic treatments for insomnia are considered effective if they decrease sleep onset latency or increase total sleep time by 30 minutes. Most treatment studies use patient-reported sleep diaries to measure outcome. Criteria used include total sleep time, sleep-onset latency, and number of nocturnal awakenings. A meta-analysis of 48 individual studies of behavioral therapy found stimulus control therapy to be effective and to be superior to progressive relaxation, imagery training, and paradoxical intention. Develop a regular sleeping schedule. Avoid daytime naps and stimulating activities just before bedtime. Avoid alcohol- it is a leading cause of poor sleep. Drink a cup of warm milk.

Michael Lee asked:


Do you want to stop suffering from the torturous effects of insomnia? Do you want to sleep soundly like a baby and wake up feeling refreshed? These facts about insomnia can give you a better understanding of your sleep condition and help you find the appropriate insomnia cure for you. Should you already know some facts about insomnia, this insomnia article can teach you more than just the basics.

Basic Facts About Insomnia

Simply put, insomnia is the inability to fall asleep when you want to. It is characterized by little or poor-quality sleep.

There are three types of insomnia depending on the duration of the condition: 1) Transient or short-term insomnia, as the term implies, lasts only for one night to a few weeks; 2) Intermittent insomnia is short-term but recurring; 3) Chronic insomnia is the most serious as it happens at least three times a week for a month, year, or even a lifetime.

A main effect of insomnia is excessive sleepiness, which can be accompanied with restlessness, fatigue, lethargy, and irritability, among others. It can also cause problems in concentrating and focusing. The insomniac is there but not quite there. This is most common among chronic insomnia sufferers, who may find themselves in a constant state of limbo.

Insomniacs can be also more accident-prone. The cause of one out of every five highway accidents is the driver falling asleep momentarily.

In the long term, insomnia can affect relationships at home and work, hobbies, recreational activities, and general state of mind. More than just a sleep disorder, it can greatly affect quality of life; that’s why it is vital to know the facts about insomnia.

Insomnia Causes

Sleeplessness may be caused by any or a combination of the following:

7) Diet high in stimulants. Caffeine is the main culprit. Drinking too much coffee, tea, colas and eating too much chocolate, especially in the evening, can cause problems sleeping. Alcohol is also not recommended – a nightcap may induce sleepiness at first, but prevents you from going into deep sleep, or the REM state, and thus, lets you sleep less soundly.

Environmental factors. Noise, light, sudden weather changes, a room that is too hot or too cold, can disturb sleep, if not delay it.

9) Change in routine. Traveling often, sleeping in an unfamiliar bed, and a job with variable schedules are examples of routine interruptions that can cause insomnia, though short-term.

10) Stress or stressful life events. Work-related problems, relationship problems, anticipation of an upcoming event like a presentation or medical exam, and sudden life events like divorce and death of a loved one are only some examples. Anxiety related to stress may very well be the number one reason why you can’t catch a wink.

11) Medical conditions. Asthma, eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia, peptic ulcer, anxiety disorders, can prevent you from falling into restful slumber.

12) Hormones. A woman suffering from menopausal symptoms like hot flushes and night sweating may have trouble sleeping. Insomnia in teenagers, meanwhile, occur mostly because of the onset of puberty, where sleeping needs and sleeping patterns usually change.

Insomnia Treatment the Natural Way

There are different insomnia treatment options, ranging from the natural insomnia herbs to the medical. Medical treatment, usually through sleeping pills, have unpleasant side effects and can ironically cause further insomnia in the long run, so therapy and natural methods are safer and more effective. Below are some examples.

6) Aromatherapy. For bouts of sleeplessness from time to time, taking a bath before going to bed using a few drops of essential oils like lavender, marjoram, or ylang-ylang can help. Or you can drop these oils directly on your pillow.

7) Flower essence therapy. White chestnut particularly helps cure insomnia gradually, usually in just a few weeks. Flower remedies can be bought in some health food stores or via mail in some websites.

Herbal therapy. Valerian is known as the best herbal treatment for insomnia, as it decreases nervous system activity. Use as per dosage instructions in the pack.

9) Relaxation therapy. This involves progressive muscle relaxation training, imagery training, hypnosis among others. This can be learned alone or with the help of a qualified practitioner. These techniques can relax your body and mind and make you feel drowsy and ready for bed.

10) Reconditioning. This method involves re-associating the bedroom and bed with sleep only. In applying this technique, activities like eating, reading, and watching TV cannot be done in bed. Napping for more than 30 to 45 minutes during the day is also discouraged. A fixed wake-up time is also scheduled to train the body.

Knowing these facts about insomnia, you and your loved ones can deal with the condition better should it come.

Kevin Naidoo asked:


Many of us has had at least one restless or sleepless night.  The tossing and turning you encountered could have been caused by a multitude of factors; including stress, illness, anxiety, or perhaps, the over consumption of caffeine or alcohol.

Whatever the reason, chances are you **** not sleeping.Our ability to be productive at work and even at play is due to not having enough sleep.  We feel tired, cannot concentrate, and are far more sensitive to emotional and physical stressors.  Basically, we just aren’t ourselves.

The fact remains: sleep and relaxation are equally as important, if not more, than diet and exercise.  It’s our body’s way of recuperating.  Think of us as say… a rechargeable battery.  When we sleep our mind and body go through a replenishment process.  We can compare batteries being inserted into the charger to our climbing into bed for a long slumber.  Only when the charger is plugged in, however, do the batteries begin to recharge.  We can equate this to our sleep process.  But for some, “plugging in” to good sleep remains extremely difficult.

Your mood and performance can be severly affected due to a few nights of bad sleep.Experts state ,as well, that the longer a sleep problem persisits,it is unlikely to go away without some form of intervention by treatment.  Insomnia should not be ignored.  It is not a fact of life, as so many of us believe, and there is help. 

Do you have Insomnia?

Are you are constantly struggling with sleep quality, not getting enough sleep, and suffer from the following symptoms, you may have insomnia.  Ask yourself these questions.

Do you Have problems falling asleep?

Are you frequently waking up during the night and cannot fall back asleep?

Getting up earlier than you want in the morning?

Even after sleeping a good 7-9 hours,you awake un-refreshed.

You are not alone if you have said yes to any of these questions.According to a recent study, reports indicated 35% of all adults get the required amount of sleep,and that nearly half of all Americans have some difficulty sleeping.

Experts,however,have suggested that only 1 in 3 people suffer from a chronic disorder.  But regardless of its frequency, our emotional and physical well being is in danger as a loss of sleep wreaks havoc.Impaired concentration, diminished memory, constant headaches and the increased risk of substance abuse and motor vehicle accidents are some of the major factors of prolonged insomnia.

Signs and Symptoms:

Signs and symptoms of insomnia/lack of sleep differ from person to person.  Some individuals may suffer from anxiety approaching bedtime, while others fail to feel refreshed even after getting and abundant amount of sleep.  Other symptoms may include; not being able to sleep despite being extremely tired, daytime drowsiness, irritability, feeling of depression, and impaired ability to perform normal activities.

Types of Insomnia:

Two types of insomnia are prevalent; chronic and short term.  Chronic diagonoised insomnia, or on-going insomnia, occurs at least three nights a week over a month’s time.  There are two classifications of chronic insomnia;

Primary Insomnia: Insomnia not related to any other health or medical problems.

 

Secondary Insomnia: Insomnia caused by an underlying medical condition (physical and mental), medication, or poor sleep environment.

Short term (transient) insomnia is lack of sleep lasting for one night to a few weeks.  Intermittent insomnia is the last class of insomnia and is characterized by ’bouts’ of insomnia, or insomnia occurring from time to time

It has proven extremely difficult for treating insomnia for patients and care providers alike.Every person presents his/her own set of unique problems and circumstances.  There exists no cure-all for people suffering from chronic sleep problems; rather physicians aim to treat the condition through a multi-factorial approach. The Four of the most popular methods for treating insomnia include:

Reconditioning: Reconditioning therapy is a method which involves re-organizing the environment a person uses to nothing more than a place of rest.Reading or watching TV in bed  must be stopped, and used  only to sleep.

Sleep Restriction: Sleep Restriction is done under the guidance of a medical proffesional.  This technique is used to alter andlessen the time spent in bed by the person.  People with insomnia often spend too much time in bed trying to fall asleep.  Going to bed later or waking earlier is done until normal sleep patterns return.

Relaxation Therapy: This type of theory aims to reduce stress, tension, and anxiety in a person relaxing the muscles and diminishing ‘racing’ thoughts.

Medications: Perhaps the most controversial of all treatments, despite its success, medications are used to alleviate anxiety and treat underlying medical conditions (e.g. depression) that may be contributing to the condition.The medications used to treat insomnia (over-the-counter and prescription) carry an extreme risk of physical and psychological dependency.  In addition, there are many side effects associated with the use of these drugs; including morning grogginess, dry mouth, dizziness, and nervousness.  Lastly, the majority of these medications are recommended for a maximum of 14 days of continuous use.

 

What you need is an all natural, safe, and long-term solution for Your insomnia, or other sleep related-issues.Understanding that sleep is essential,one needs to find treatment that bridges the gap between your sleeplessness and a great night’s rest.  Trouble sleeping is often the result of naturally occurring chemicals in the brain, particularly adrenaline and non-adrenaline.  These chemicals are used by the body for alertness.  However, in insomnia these “awake” chemicals are more active than your “sedentary” chemicals.The most important of all the “sedentary” chemicals, as far as sleep is concerned, is GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid).  This chemical slows down brain activity, relaxing the body and allowing you to sleep.  In the majority of insomnia sufferers, GABA doesn’t work as it should. 

The result? Restlessness and problems falling asleep.

Antonio LeMaire asked:


Whether you’re the occasional victim of insomnia or a chronic insomniac, the effects of this annoying condition can affect your health and happiness. Insomnia involves much more than just not being able to sleep properly.

If left unchecked, insomnia can wreak havoc in many areas of your life such as job productivity, academic performance, driving, and both personal and business relationships. People who frequently suffer from sleep deprivation due to insomnia have a difficult time dealing with and adjusting to the challenges of everyday life.

Definition of Insomnia

Doctors often separate insomnia patients into two different categories, temporary and chronic insomnia.

Temporary insomnia is short-term and can sometimes flare up or recur when stressful events happen. Patients with temporary insomnia may be able to remedy the problem without the use of sleep aids or a great deal of physician intervention.

Chronic insomnia is a more serious and debilitating problem. Patients with chronic insomnia are those who have had the condition on an ongoing basis for six months or longer.

Treating and Diagnosing Insomnia

Although insomnia is often a normal, natural response to a stressful event or a short-term reaction to illness or pain, patients who have ongoing difficulty obtaining a restful nights sleep should seek a physician’s assistance. Ignoring the problem or trying to treat insomnia on your own can often aggravate or prolong it.

Self-prescribed over the counter sleep aids are a popular method for treating insomnia. Many adults rely on caffeine or other stimulants to keep them awake and alert after an all night bout with insomnia. Instead of dealing with the actual problem and trying to determine the cause, they become victim to a vicious cycle of stimulants and sleep aids.

The First Step Towards Better Sleep

While sleep aids can be beneficial when properly prescribed, the first step in treating insomnia is to determine a cause for the condition. Today’s insomnia sufferers are frequently referred to a sleep clinic where the degree and nature of the sleep condition can be determined.

Patients’ sleep patterns are carefully monitored and doctors can often pinpoint whether the condition is due to stress or a breathing disorder, which is common in both sleep apnea and narcolepsy.

Tips for Insomnia Sufferers

After assessing a patient’s individual sleep pattern, a doctor may recommend a number of self-help suggestions and/or the use of sleep aids. The following tips can be beneficial to patients experiencing temporary or long-term insomnia.

1. Avoid caffeine and other stimulants for at least three hours before bedtime.

2. Try to set a regular sleep schedule. Altering your sleep pattern by just an hour or two a night is enough to throw some people’s sleep cycle off balance.

3. Exercise on a regular basis to alleviate stress and tire your body.

4. Keep an ongoing journal of your sleep schedule. If you have more difficulty sleeping on some days than others, make a note of the foods you consumed and any stressful events that may have contributed to the insomnia.

5. If you’re a light sleeper, purchase a “white noise machine” to drown out annoying background noise and disruption. Simple ear plugs can also work wonders, once you get used to wearing them.

6. Keep bedroom lighting to a minimum and don’t leave the television on while trying to fall asleep. Better yet, remove the TV set from your bedroom and listen to music or read for relaxation instead.

Traditional Sleep Aids

For decades, doctors have been prescribing sleep aids to treat insomnia. Although sleep aids are beneficial in some instances, it is important not to overlook the harmful side effects that can sometimes occur.

One of the most common disadvantages of traditional sleep aids is they can become habit forming and addictive. Once a patient becomes reliant on the drug, his body actually becomes dependent upon it to sleep.

Other common annoying side effects are daytime drowsiness, memory problems, and a general state of confusion. While the patient may be sleeping well at night, his or her body may experience trouble adjusting to the effects of the medication during the day.

Headaches, irregular or loss of menstrual periods and lack of *** drive can also occur. Some patients may find the side effects of sleep aids to be nearly as troubling as the insomnia itself.

Cindy Heller asked:


Insomnia or sleeplessness as it is commonly known is a little understood affliction. In fact, you will find that sleep disorder is both a symptom and a malady by itself – and hence, its diagnosis is a bit troublesome. There have been so many myths and fables connecting to insomnia. If you are suffering from this condition, it is really very important to get the right information on insomnia to understand and treat your condition well. If you have been suffering from lack of sleep and do not have any idea what to do about your situation, it would be a good idea to seek information on sleep disorder from reliable sources such medical journals, your doctor or from websites of reputable organizations.

When you consult your doctor about your sleeping problems, you should ask him or her to discuss the different aspects of this disorder. When discussing information on insomnia with your doctor, you should also ask about the different options of treating the disorder. Note that natural treatments are generally preferred over the sleeping drugs available in the market. The natural treatments do not have the unwanted side effects like those of the pharmaceutical drugs. The natural treatment process is cost effective too. Another way of getting reliable information on sleep disorder is to go online and browse through some websites. When you do this, make sure that you only use websites of organizations that are authoritative on the topic.

Insomnia or lack of sleep can be of two types, i.e. (i) transient and (ii) intermittent. The former is when one experiences sleeplessness for a period of maximum 2-3 weeks; while the intermittent insomnia is when this gets repeated every now and then. This will mostly be a projection of an underlying problem, such as anxiety, depression, drug abuse, etc.

Childhood Insomnia

Sleep disorder is something that affects the old and young alike. Studies have shown that childhood insomnia has continuously risen all over the United States in the past few years. Experts attribute the increase in cases of childhood sleep disorder to many factors at home, school and the neighborhood. If you have a child who is struggling with childhood insomnia, you should try to help your child get some sleep. The first thing that you need to do to help your child get some sleep is to find out what is keeping him or her awake at night. If your child could not sleep because of some unfounded fear, you should try to be patient with him.

Children have very rich imaginations and the things which you think are so unreasonable and unreal, could be very real for them. Never for one moment belittle your child’s fear. One of the best ways to put a child to sleep is to read them some gentle and soothing bedtime stories. The soothing sound of your voice actually helps cure childhood insomnia. The human body responds well to schedules and rhythm. To help your child overcome childhood insomnia, you should set a specific time for your child to go to bed.

Hyper Insomnia

Generally speaking, there are two major types of insomnia, i.e. acute sleep disorder and chronic insomnia or hyper insomnia. You will know that you are suffering from acute insomnia when you cannot sleep because of some apparent reason like noise, bright light, too much of heat or cold, incoming illness, recovering from illness, uncomfortable bed, and so on. The other causes of acute sleep disorder are erratic sleeping schedules, i.e. working on night shifts, working late night, watching TV which interferes with the body’s normal biological clock. Normally, removing the irritants and minor home remedies would be sufficient to cure this type of insomnia.

The hyper insomnia or chronic insomnia is quite difficult to manage or cure. This is usually the result of a serious underlying problem, or a disease by itself triggered by some anxiety or serious health problem (which could be neurological, medical and/or psychiatric). Most of the times, the hyper insomnia would be connected with some psychiatric problem or other and hence would require long and careful tests for proper diagnosis. Reports show that hyper insomnia accounts for more than 45 percent of the cases.

The other major cause for hyper insomnia is drug abuse, not necessarily narcotics. There are many drugs some as innocent as decongestants and antidepressants that can cause long term insomnia. The other culprits could be coffee (and any caffeine consisting drinks), steroids (prescribed by the doctor), beta blockers, and even sleeping pills (withdrawal symptoms when they are discontinued). It is best to take medical advice and treatment for hyper insomnia.

Chronic Insomnia

Chronic sleep disorder is a complicated condition in which the patient has difficulty in sleeping or getting refreshing sleep for more than a month. Depression is a major cause of chronic insomnia. Other causes include diseases like arthritis, heart problems, kidney problems, respiratory diseases, Parkinson’s disease, hyperthyroidism, sleep apnea, and several other conditions. Constant experience of mental stress and excessive use of stimulants like caffeine (coffee, tea etc.) are also responsible for causing chronic insomnia.

Treatment of chronic sleep disorder consists of diagnosing and eliminating the underlying medical/psychological disorders. Stopping or minimizing behaviors that aggravate sleep disorder are also part of the treatment plans. Sleeping pills may be prescribed by the physician for temporary use but they are not allowed for long-term use. Different behavioral techniques are employed to treat chronic insomnia. These include techniques like relaxation therapy, sleep restriction therapy, reconditioning, and using bright light.

Colleen Lilly asked:


(c) 2008 Your Mind Body and Soul 123

Insomnia refers to a persistent inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, despite a person’s best efforts. Any sleep disturbance that lasts over three weeks may be considered insomnia. Insomnia can have many root causes, and many solutions, too. It is estimated that 64 million people suffer from insomnia. Thinking about that statistic can be enough to keep you up at night!

Chronic insomnia can be caused by many different things. Insomnia can be a symptom of an underlying medical condition, or it can be caused by stress in your life or anxiety. Insomnia treatment should target the root cause of the chronic insomnia. Some people choose to using medication for insomnia, such as Ambien; but using Ambien for insomnia can also make the problem worse, as you may begin to feel anxiety that you will not be able to sleep without your medication. It can be helpful to discuss your insomnia with your doctor, to make sure that you don’t have symptoms of another more serious medical condition, such as arthritis, migraines, prostatic hypertrophy, or menopause, all of which may cause insomnia and also require additional medical attention.

Common Causes of Insomnia

People that use nicotine, alcohol, and even some prescription drugs used for allergies and asthma, are at a higher risk for insomnia. Those who keep erratic hours, shift workers for example, also suffer from frequent insomnia as they try to keep their bodies and sleep schedules regulated. On the other hand, people who are especially sedentary or quiet may also experience insomnia as they do not have enough stimulation.

How to Treat Insomnia

Insomnia treatment often involves beginning with focusing on establishing good sleep hygiene and good sleep habits. Learning relaxation techniques and changing certain lifestyle habits can help improve insomnia dramatically. Recommendations include limiting noise and light from your sleeping area. Try using room darkening shades. Perhaps a fan will help drown out noise if you have close neighbors, a crazy work schedule, or live near a highway or an airport.

Try to establish a good bedtime routine

Unwind before bed with a good book or a television program you enjoy. Generally avoid watching television in bed, though, this can keep you up much later than you intended. Avoid things like exercise, eating, confrontation, alcohol, or smoking before you turn in for the night. However, an early-evening walk and a healthy snack may have positive effects a few hours later when you try to sleep.

Many people suffer from insomnia at some point in their lives. Those that experience chronic insomnia are all too familiar with the anxiety insomnia can causeonce you wake up in the middle of the night, you instantly start to worry that you won’t fall back asleep. Lack of sleep is listed for many as one of the biggest causes of stress, anxiety, poor job performance, and relationship issues. Understanding some of the causes, and learning about some of the non-medicinal treatments that can cure insomnia can help insomnia sufferers get a good night’s rest.

Brue Baker asked:


Sleep insomnia, or lack of sleep, is a very frustrating condition because the side effects of not getting enough rest can be very debilitating to our everyday lives. Inadequate sleep makes us tired, irritable, and depressed. Sleep insomnia afflicts over 70 million Americans, both old and young.

Americans lead very stressful lives and sleep needs to be a very important aspect of our life if we want to remain healthy. Studies have shown that people who sleep for at least eight hours a night actually live longer than those that don’t.

Sleep insomnia, in some cases, is recognizable by your difficulty falling asleep or your inability to maintain sleep. Other people who suffer from insomnia complain of waking up too early in the morning and not being able to go back to bed.

Whatever causes you to complain about sleep insomnia, recognizing the symptoms can help you to seek treatment and eventually manage the condition and get the sleep you need. I know it may seem like a fantasy, but it is possible for you to live a normal life and get the proper amount of sleep, even if you suffer from sleep insomnia. You just need to educate yourself about how to get rid of your insomnia.

Classifying Sleep Insomnia And Its Symptoms

The main symptom of sleep insomnia is the inability to initiate or maintain sleep. It is only referred to as insomnia if it does not occur because of another mental condition. A sleep disorder is not classified as insomnia if it occurs as the result of a medical condition or if you are consuming a medication or drug.

Sleep Insomnia is a disorder that has two distinct classifications, acute and chronic. Acute insomnia typically lasts for less than a month and is typically secondary, meaning that it is caused by temporary stress. Acute sleep insomnia is also treatable by reducing stress through doing things like physical activity, meditation, and breathing exercises such as Yoga.

Chronic insomnia is described as sleep deprivation that lasts for longer than a month. Chronic insomnia can be secondary, deriving from medical, physical, or psychological conditions. Chronic sleep insomnia can also be primary, meaning that it is caused by factors such as body temperature or poor sleep habits. It is crucial that patients suffering from chronic sleep insomnia seek medical treatment before it drastically impacts their quality of life.

How To Treat Sleep Insomnia

Are you ready to start getting some sleep? Insomnia has many different treatment options; the one you choose to pursue depends on what you feel is best for you and what your physician recommends for your individual circumstances.

Behavioral therapy, such as cognitive therapy, stimulus control, and relaxation training, is often used to treat insomnia. These sleep treatments are typically executed by psychologists, psychiatrists, or counselors.

Another method of treatment for insomnia is medication prescribed by your physician, commonly known as hypnotics. Many patients are reluctant to try these medications due to negative side effects of such drugs.

Don’t Lose Sleep, Manage Your Insomnia

Not only does sleep insomnia cause you to lose much needed rest, but it significantly impacts your alertness during the day. The key to managing insomnia is to stick to a standard routine. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. It is also advisable to avoid caffeine, alcohol, and not to exercise within three hours of bedtime.

Once you are able to manage your sleep insomnia and have sought treatment in the form of either behavioral therapy or medication, you are well on your way to taking control of the condition and getting the sleep you need. Only then will you be able to live a healthy, happy life.

Cindy Heller asked:

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder among all ages, especially among senior citizens. The patient should remember or write down all the insomnia symptoms he/she experiences and discuss with the physician to help in making a correct diagnosis. The most typical of all insomnia symptoms is difficulty in sleeping. Encounters with anxiety and/or depression are two main symptoms associated with insomnia. Insomnia symptoms include poor concentration and short memory. Insomniac people usually awake prematurely during sleep and have trouble falling asleep again. Insomniacs feel irritability without any obvious cause. It is especially experienced during the day. People suffering from insomnia frequently experience decreased alertness and mental sluggishness.

Insomnia symptoms may last for a little or longer time, depending on the type of insomnia. In case of Transient Insomnia, the symptoms last for a few nights. In Short-Term Insomnia, the symptoms stay for two to three weeks. If they last more than three weeks, the patient is suffering from Chronic Insomnia. Health experts also sometimes distinguish between primary and secondary insomnia. Primary insomnia is characterized by symptoms of difficulty in falling asleep, waking several times during sleep, and fatigue. These symptoms last for a month and has unknown cause. In secondary insomnia, there is a known underlying medical condition. Depression is major cause of secondary insomnia.

To diagnose the condition of sleeplessness as insomnia, the physician makes sure that the symptoms are not being caused by other sleep disorders or other disease or side effects of any medication. Along with the symptoms of insomnia, other disorders may be detected in the same patient; these include mania, depression, phobias, or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Help for Insomnia

It is often possible to fight insomnia with simple home remedies; however, when the insomnia crosses two weeks and you start feeling groggy, disoriented, acutely irritated and totally lost, it is time you go for professional insomnia help.

The treatments available for insomnia are varied and very efficient. Reaching at the right diagnosis is quite problematic, which involves a battery of tests and long-drawn assessment studies. This is why people usually avoid asking for professional insomnia help unless it becomes too much to bear otherwise. Most of the times, the homemade cures will dramatically improve your condition; however, in case you still experience this problem, it could be an indication of some serious health problem which would necessitate a doctor’s opinion. You should always keep in mind that prevention is better than cure. A timely medical intervention may save your life.

Tips for Insomnia

Insomnia tips no 1 – Do not sleep or even take a cat nap (those 10-20 minutes forty winks), if you are prone to insomnia attacks. Maintain strict timings both for sleep and for your meals.

Insomnia tips no 2 – Eat your dinner at least four hours ahead of your bed time. For example, if you normally retire at 10:30 pm, have your dinner at 6:30 – 7:00 pm latest. Often insomnia is aggravated by digestive problems, and hence, it is best to avoid the problem altogether.

Insomnia tips no 3 – Avoid any drink that influences sleep, such as coffee in any form, alcohol, and even tea (unless it is medicated). In case you must have your regular cup of coffee, at least ensure that you take it before a minimum of four hours from your bedtime.

Insomnia tips no 4 – Introduce daily exercise in your routine. In case you are not too fond of physical exercise, you can simply take a walk for about 30 minutes daily; try to gradually increase it to one hour or so for best results.

Insomnia tips no 5 – If you find that you cannot sleep, do not fight it. Sleep usually comes after your body relaxes completely. The best thing to do is get up from the bed and do something that you enjoy (reading, listing to music, writing letters to dear ones, etc) aiming to relax your mind and body.

Treatment for Insomnia

Majority of people suffering from sleep disorders turn to pills and medications. This proves to be working at first, but gradually some problems arise that need serious consideration before one starts with a particular kind of sleeping pills or medication. These days, both over the counter medications and prescriptions pills are used for insomnia treatment.

Over the counter medications for insomnia are usually ineffective in log term insomnia treatment. First of all, they do not ensure the quality of sleep enjoyed by healthy people. They give about 5 % duration of deep sleep while in healthy sleep this duration is 10 % to 25 %. Secondly, over the counter drugs for insomnia mostly work by the action of antihistamines (anti-allergic chemicals) present in them. These include chemicals like diphenhydramine citrate, diphenhydramine hydrochloride, and doxylamine succinate. While antihistamines do cast a sedating effect, they are not to be used by people with prostate problems, angina, heart problems, and urinary problems. Antihistamines can add to the intensity of these conditions. Finally, over the counter drugs have a number of side effects like: drowsiness and dizziness (that may remain for twenty four hours), memory lapses, dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision, and urinary retention.

Various types of medications, collectively called hyptonics, are prescribed for insomnia treatment. Hypnotics generally fall in three categories: benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepines, and antidepressants. Most of the health experts agree on using insomnia medications for a short period only. In all cases of using over the counter drugs or prescribed medications, it is important that the patient educate him/herself well on the possible side effects.

The Content Group asked:

Insomnia affects approximately 30 per cent of all adults, to different degrees. That’s an overwhelming amount of people who are having trouble sleeping at night! Some suffer from severe insomnia, while others are affected to a much milder extent. Yet, not much is known about this common medical condition.

Being more informed and knowing the facts about insomnia-the definition, the different types, who it affects most-can make all the difference in managing and possibly getting rid of the condition for good.

A Misconception about Insomnia

Those who don’t know the facts about insomnia might be under the misconception that the condition is only used to describe people who can’t sleep at all. However, this is not the correct definition of the disorder.

Insomnia is defined as a condition wherein a person has difficulties with regards to his or her sleep patterns. This means that the term could be used to describe difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep, or restlessness during sleep.

Who Gets Insomnia?

Though it is possible for anyone to get insomnia, the medical disorder is more common in certain groups than in others. Insomnia has been found to be more common in females than in males, especially after menopause. Additionally, one little known fact about insomnia is that the ability to sleep, not the need for sleep, decreases with age. Thus, insomnia is also more common in the elderly.

Two Types of Insomnia

Another fact about insomnia is that there are two main types, which is one reason why it affects people to various degrees. The two different categories of insomnia are primary and secondary.

The type of insomnia that is most common is secondary insomnia. Secondary insomnia is caused by other factors, such as pain, disease, environmental changes, depression, or schedule changes. Treating secondary insomnia simply involves removing the cause. For example, if the patient drinks a lot of coffee, ending this habit would be a way to end the insomnia.

When insomnia occurs and a cause cannot be determined, it is called primary insomnia. Usually, primary insomnia can be traced back to an emotional disturbance or long term illness. One of the facts about primary insomnia is that it is usually more difficult to treat than secondary insomnia. Usually, some type of therapy is involved in the treatment.

Knowledge Is Power

Knowing the facts about insomnia and more about the disorder will help you to master the condition once and for all. Going to the source of the problem might be the solution you were looking for. http://www.about-sleep-disorder.com