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.

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.

The Content Group asked:

Insomnia is a fairly common medical condition, and doctors are just beginning to get the hang of treating it. The key to treating insomnia in most cases is to determine the cause of the insomnia. Oftentimes, this is more difficult than it sounds. Yet, being aware of the risk factors and potential causes of insomnia could help you to treat your own case of the disorder.

Risk Factors Add to the Causes of Insomnia

There are certain characteristics that make a person more likely to experience insomnia. For example, females, the elderly, and people who suffer from depression are all much more likely to get insomnia than other groups. When conditions such as anxiety, stress, use of medications, or a medical problem occur, then these might cause someone to become more susceptible to the disorder as well.

Different Causes of Insomnia – Different Lengths of Time

One of the ways to classify insomnia is by how long it lasts. Transient insomnia is short term, intermittent insomnia occurs on and off, and chronic insomnia is long term. Each of these variations is caused by different factors. Transient and intermittent insomnia are frequently caused by one or more of the following factors: extreme temperatures, stress, change in surrounding environment, noise, jet lag or other schedule disruptions, and medication side effects.

Causes of chronic insomnia are different and are usually more difficult to pinpoint. Typically, chronic insomnia is caused by an underlying mental, emotional, or physical disorder. Depression, kidney disease, arthritis, sleep apnea, heart conditions, asthma, restless leg syndrome, hyperthyroidism, Parkinson’s Disease, and narcolepsy are all potential underlying causes of chronic insomnia.

However, chronic insomnia can also be caused by behavioral factors. For example, substance abuse, such as the misuse of caffeine or alcohol, can lead to chronic insomnia. Other behavioral factors include: excessive napping, smoking cigarettes, disrupted sleeping habits, and prolonged anxiety over lack of sleep.

Going to the Source

Looking at the causes of insomnia can help to determine what the best method of treatment might be. Frequently, you can solve your insomnia problems simply by removing the cause. This typically means ending a behavior that might be causing the condition.

Getting Help

Nobody expects you to determine the cause of your insomnia on your own. Your doctor can be a major help in finding out what causes your insomnia; so make sure to consult him or her before you give up hope.

Veronika Namesse asked:


The debate and controversy about insomnia have shown no signs of letting up. Common sense would tell you though that regardless of the true nature of insomnia, it pays to pay attention to your insomnia symptom.

Primary Insomnia

Experts are still debating the issue but some hold the opinion that insomnia may be a condition all on its own. This means that a person may be manifesting an insomnia symptom simply because he has insomnia.

Supporters of this theory contest that in some cases, looking at an insomnia symptom as a primary condition is essential to avoid relegating it to another theoretical condition. Subordinating an insomnia symptom may be a way of trivializing the condition. In such a case, primary insomniacs run the risk of not receiving proper care and attention. If you are certain that you do not suffer from any other medical condition, find a doctor who respects the possibility of insomnia as a primary condition.

Secondary Insomnia

The more common notion about the cause of an insomnia symptom is that a person is suffering from one because of a much serious underlying medical condition. This view has perhaps grown in popularity simply because it offers an explanation for insomnia whereas the causes of primary insomnia cannot be completely determined.

In secondary insomnia, you could be suffering from a major physical or psychological condition that could be causing the insomnia. A person for example with an anxiety disorder will normally manifest an insomnia symptom simply because of his worries and anxieties. Physical illnesses such as breathing disorders, sciatica, fibromyalgia and other painful conditions also cause insomnia because of the pain or discomfort that accompany such illnesses. Even a sleeping disorder like sleep apnea may naturally lead to an insomnia symptom.

Medication for Secondary Insomnia

A secondary insomnia symptom may be more difficult to treat than primary insomnia. Medication for a secondary insomnia symptom should be chosen carefully. Otherwise, an individual could end up suffering even more. The usual over the counter antihistamine for a simple insomnia symptom for example may not be safe medication for people with breathing disorders. Depressed individuals under medication may also end up more depressed after taking over the counter insomnia medication.

There have been many medical cases showing the alleviation of insomnia once the primary condition has been treated. Other individuals however may need insomnia medication together with the treatment for the primary condition. A doctor’s opinion in this case should always be sought if an individual feels that there is a need for insomnia medication.

A Good Night’s Sleep

Sleeping eight hours a night should not lead you into concluding that you are sleeping well and that you are free from insomnia. Some people sleep for eight hours or more and still wake up exhausted. This may be a sign that you are suffering from some form of insomnia. The best indication that you have had a good night’s sleep is if you wake up energized, can stay up for most of the day and can function properly.

John mathew asked:

Insomnia is a condition in which you have trouble falling or staying asleep. Some people with insomnia may fall asleep easily but wake up too soon. Other people may have the opposite problem, or they have trouble with both falling asleep and staying asleep. The end result is poor-quality sleep that doesn’t leave you feeling refreshed when you wake up.

Insomnia can affect any person, of any age, at any time in their life. While insomnia is often a fleeting or “transient” condition, many people experience chronic insomnia. When left untreated, insomnia can have many dramatic effects on the body, including physical, psychological and emotional.

Types of Insomnia

There are different classifications of insomnia: transient, intermittent, and chronic. Transient insomnia is short term insomnia. It can last from a single night to a few weeks. Intermittent Insomnia is insomnia that occurs on and off. Chronic insomnia is insomnia that occurs constantly, usually most nights and lasts for a month or more.

Symptoms

Insomnia symptoms can vary and may be different from person to person. Insomnia is a medical condition characterized by the inability to sleep. People who suffer from insomnia typically have a hard time falling asleep; they lie in bed for hours in frustration, tossing and turning. Because of the poor quality of sleep they are getting, insomniacs are tired for most of the day.

The following symptoms indicate possible insomnia:

•    difficulty falling asleep at night

•    inability to get adequate sleep at night

•    feeling tired after sleep

•    waking up at early hours

•    waking up through the night.

Causes

You might be surprised at the vast range of factors that can cause sleep problems. Health and lifestyle issues such as stress, illness, or sleep environment might be at play. Or you might have a sleep disorder that interferes with the quality of your sleep. Whatever the cause or causes of your insomnia, there are effective solutions.

Insomnia stems from 4 main causes:

1.    Psychological

2.    Lifestyle

3.    Environmental

4.    Insomnia as a secondary illness

Treatment

Treatment of insomnia often depends on the cause. If insomnia is a secondary condition or symptom to another problem, healthcare professionals prefer to treat the primary condition whether it be depression, long term anxiety, or a medical condition that is leaving the patient awake at night. Some antidepressants, such as SSRI’s, can cause insomnia, however, others have a sedating effect. These include: Elavil, mirtazapine, trazodone and doxepin.

The antidepressant trazodone (Desyrel) also may help with insomnia. Over-the-counter sleep aids contain antihistamines that can induce drowsiness. They’re OK for occasional sleepless nights, but they, too, often lose their effectiveness the more you take them. Many sleeping pills contain diphenhydramine, which can cause difficulty ********* and a drowsy feeling in the daytime.