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:


You’ve likely seen the popular TV ad campaign for Rozerem… the insomnia guy who keeps late-night company with Abe Lincoln, a beaver, and other colorful characters from his dreams?

Insomnia is such a common problem (one in three adults report having some type of insomnia) that sleep aids such as Rozerem are more popular than ever.

In this article, we’ll look at the different types of insomnia, self help treatments you can try, and Rozerem as a sleep aid for the treatment of insomnia.

What Causes Insomnia

Insomnia happens when your sleep-wake cycle, or your internal clock, is disrupted. It can be caused by many factors: stress, illness, pain, jet lag, sleep apnea, excessive physical or emotional arousal, shift work, a sedentary lifestyle, worrying about sleep, depression, and other factors.

Certain types of drugs can cause or worsen your insomnia:

* Antidepressants

* Antihypertensives

* Antiarrhythmics

* Antibiotics

* Antihistamines

* Antivirals

* Bronchodilators

* Central nervous system stimulants

* Corticosteroids

* Decongestants

* Diuretics

* Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

Insomnia is more common in people over age 60 and especially in women over 40. It’s estimated that up to one third of the population suffers from some type of insomnia.

Types of Insomnia

Insomnia presents itself in a variety of different ways… once-in-a-while insomnia, chronic insomnia, insomnia that keeps you from falling asleep, insomnia that wakes you up frequently during the night, insomnia that wakes you up too early, and insomnia that allows you to sleep, but poorly.

There are three main types of insomnia:

1. Transient Insomnia: This is short-term insomnia that typically lasts from a few nights to a few weeks. Transient insomnia may cause next-day sleepiness, mood changes, and performance impairment.

2. Intermittent Insomnia: This is when you have periods of transient insomnia that occur on and off over months or years. It can lead to chronic insomnia.

3. Chronic Insomnia: This is long term insomnia – difficulty sleeping for more than a month. Chronic insomnia is often related to more serious problems like depression, memory impairment, accidents, missed work, and increased visits to the doctor.

Self Help for Insomnia

* Open the bedroom windows if possible. Fresh air may help you sleep.

* Don’t read or watch TV in bed… reserve the bed for sleep so the mind begins to associate lying down with sleeping

* Keep a tight schedule going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.

* Avoid daytime naps so you’re more tired at bedtime.

* Don’t eat heavy meals before going to bed. Avoid caffeine, alcohol and tobacco.

* Exercise, even 15 minutes a day, can help you relax and get a better sleep.

* Warm milk before bed really works because it causes a chemical reaction that increases serotonin in the brain, making you feel relaxed and calm.

If self help doesn’t improve your insomnia, it may be time to discuss sleep aids with your doctor.

Mitch Endick asked:


About 35% of adults claim that they have some form of insomnia occasionally and about 12% of these people claim to have severe insomnia. Insomnia complaints often increase with age and are more common in women.

Insomnia is not considered a disease but it is a condition of lack of correct, satisfying sleep. Someone with insomnia will generally have the sensation of daytime fatigue and impaired potential performance. Insomnia relates to the inability to sleep even though one is tired and can include waking up too early and having too fitful of a sleep leaving one tired upon waking. Insomnia can result in irritability, lack of energy, difficulty concentrating and tiredness.

There are two generally recognized types of insomnia, acute and chronic. Both acute and chronic insomnia have many shared characteristics and a combination of symptoms may blur the actual lines.

Acute insomnia is often caused by physical or emotional discomforts that can usually be corrected fairly easily. Acute insomnia may be caused by stress, illness or disturbing loud noise, temperatures too high or low, or unacceptable light levels. Additionally, acute insomnia may be caused by jet lag or disturbances of the daily biological rhythm, such as the night shift.

Chronic insomnia is the more difficult insomnia to deal with and often is associated with many different factors either acting alone or in combination and often includes medical problems.

Chronic insomnia is often associated with medical, neurological and or psychiatric disorders. Psychiatric disorders accounts for about 45% of the cases. Chronic insomnia can be associated with a variety of nonprescription drugs, prescription drugs and drugs of abuse.

There are many causes of insomnia and often an insomniac has more then one cause to blame for this condition. One of the main causes of insomnia are drugs. Some of the drugs associated with insomnia include stimulating antidepressants, steroids, decongestants, beta blockers, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and recreational drugs.

Anxiety and mood disorders can be the cause of insomnia, as well as medical problems such as pain, immobility, menopause, hormonal changes, and difficulty breathing.

Insomnia can be associated with specific sleep disorders such as restless legs syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder, sleep apnea and circadian rhythm sleep problems. Additional causes of insomnia include poor sleep hygiene, poor sleep surfaces such as bad mattresses, hyper arousal, and behavioral conditioning.

Restless Leg Syndrome or RLS is a condition where the sufferer feels unpleasant sensations in the legs which are temporarily alleviated by moving around. Symptoms are increased during relaxed times and sleeping times. This makes it difficult to fall asleep.

Periodic Limb Movement Disorder describes jerking, rhythmic, repeated movements in the legs and lower extremities every 15 to 90 seconds. Sufferers who have this problem report having less refreshing sleep.

Sleep Apnea which is associated with snoring can cause sleeplessness and insomnia.

Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders refer to a mis- match between when a person can sleep and when his body needs and wants to sleep.

Other causes of insomnia include poor sleep hygiene, stress, hyper arousal and negative behavioral conditioning.

Often acute insomnia (insomnia that lasts less than several weeks) may warrant some kind of medical intervention if you can not correct the problem yourself. This is important because good sleepers that suffer just a few hours of sleeplessness may become significantly sleepy during the day and be a danger to him self and others, especially during driving or operating equipment. There is also the danger that acute insomnia may develop into a learned chronic insomnia.

There are two basic approaches to the treatment of insomnia. Basically one approach is to use drugs and the other approach is behavioral.

Behavioral treatment includes correcting poor sleep habits and changing sleep beliefs and attitudes. Several of the therapies include relaxation therapy, sleep restriction therapy, stimulus control therapy, and cognitive therapy.

Pharmacological therapy includes hypnotic medications, antidepressants, antihistamines, melatonin, and other drugs like barbiturates.

In conclusion, there are effective solutions to insomnia and sleep deprivation. The patient can do much to help themselves in this matter and the physician has many tools to aid in this. Improved sleep will help in your quality of life, and health both mental and physical.

Ken Glauser asked:


Do you wake up in the morning feeling refreshed and full of energy? No? Well that could be an indication of insomnia or a sleep disorder. Insomnia comes in a few forms. Some insomniacs go to bed but can’t fall asleep. Others sleep for a brief time and then wake up and have a hard time going back to sleep, while still others may never reach REM (Rapid Eye Movement) essential to good sleep patterns.

Primary Insomnia

Primary insomnia is a condition that isn’t related to anything in the persons life. It doesn’t occur because of stress, worries, drug usage or any number of other sleep robbing conditions. It comes and goes in most cases. The average period of poor sleep is about 3 months. There is of course extreme cases that last much longer.

Secondary Insomnia

Secondary insomnia is generally brought about by another condition, be it stress, illness or chemical dependence. The actual chemicals themselves can sometimes have insomnia as one of the side effects. Any disorders can trigger secondary insomnia. Stress and worries may be so intense that they affect your sleep and even your subconscious. This may lead to being prone to insomnia. Pain, depression, and anxiety are frequent triggers to insomnia. Insomnia from the drugs taken for those conditions can also lead to insomnia.

Effects of Insomnia

If you are like the large majority of people, (insomnia is a common health problem), then you know how the lack of sleep can affect you. In most studies conducted, lack of sleep leads to lower concentration levels and irritability. Tired is not the way to operate effectively. A rested person has recharged their minds and bodies. A person needs to recharge to be effective, both physically and mentally.

Cure for Insomnia

With secondary insomnia, frequently if the person learns to deal with the underlying cause, then the insomnia disappears. To do that though, the person needs to know the root problem of the sleepless nights. Sometimes the subconscious mind has to be forced to deal with the underlying issue before it will release the person to the point where they can relax and sleep. Insomnia is a common problem with surviving family. Sometimes the person should seek health professionals to discover the cure for their insomnia. Especially if it goes on for long periods of time.

Where to go for Information

Facts about insomnia are numerous on the internet. Googling the word “insomnia” shows over 5.7 million occurrences. There are also numerous research papers or books on the subject. They discuss detailed accounts of the suffering that comes with sleep disorders. They also talk about treatments for the insomniac. If you are using the internet, make sure that it is a reputable site that you are using. Most are very good but a small percentage of them are of no use whatsoever to the reader. They are there solely to sell other products with advertising space on the website. If in doubt, talk to a doctor about any remedies you are considering.

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.