Insomnia

Insomnia General Information

Insomnia is the generic name given to an affection characterized by difficulty in falling or staying asleep; the patient suffering from Insomnia may wake up several times during the night, or may wake up too early in the morning. It is a very common condition and it is expected to affect everyone at least once during their lifetime. However, due to the daytime sleepiness this affection is likely to cause, the patients may suffer accidents at work or while driving; also, this condition tends to make the patient less effective in their activity, as well as cause grumpiness leading to a tensing of family and friendship relationships.

While short-term sleeping disorders may be common, they tend to go away in a few days or weeks. However, the condition may evolve into chronic Insomnia, and it is generally a symptom of another medical condition, such as depression. The chronic form of the affection is not as widespread as the short term one; however it does affect a large segment of the population (around 10% to 15%).

The condition may be caused by several factors, such as stress – which is the most common cause -, certain emotional or mental conditions such as anxiety or depression, changes in the sleeping surroundings and habits, poor sleeping habits as well as medical disorders like breathing problems or pain. Stimulants such as caffeine or tobacco can too cause sleeping problems in the patient, as can the lack of regular physical exercise.

Insomnia Symptoms

It is very common that the symptoms experienced by various individuals related to sleeping disorders, and generally Insomnia, may be very different. Each organism has a different way of reacting to certain factors, and thus each case may present different signs of the affection. It has been noted that most of the patients affected by this condition present a great deal of difficulty in falling asleep, and they may lie in bed for hours waiting to go to sleep. They may toss and turn and exhibit a general restlessness which ceases when they finally fall asleep. However, in other cases of Insomnia not falling asleep may be the problem, but remaining asleep. The patient may wake up several times during the night or too early in the morning, and this can be combined with difficulty going back to sleep. In such cases it is also common that the patient will not feel rested after the night, and excessive tiredness may be characterized by such mental and emotional conditions as drowsiness and anxiety. The patient may become irritable and his or her productive capacity becomes diminished for the day.

While it is generally common that adults tend to get their sleep time shortened by different circumstances, they need the same amount of rest as younger people. Such sleeping disorders and fragmented sleeping program such as life changes, health problems or medicinal therapy may lead to chronic Insomnia, and while this may not seem to pose serious risks to a person’s health, it is actually the cause for several major health problems.

Insomnia Treatment

Typically it is acknowledged that Insomnia is not a medical condition in itself, but rather a symptom of another underlining medical or mental disorder. In such cases, treatment is aimed at curing the underlining condition first, and may vary depending on the nature of the disorder that the patient is suffering from. In cases where it is a standalone condition, the examining health care specialist may prescribe a short term medication treatment in order to relieve the symptoms of Insomnia. There are two types of treatment that may be applied in cases of Insomnia, and therapy usually combines elements from the two in order to cure the patient. Medication therapy is short term, and it is aimed at relieving the symptoms in the patient, while behavior therapy assists the patient in developing changes in their habits that will allow them to improve the long term quality of their sleep.

Regarding the behavior therapy, there are several techniques that a patient may employ to improve the quality of his or her sleep. Among these, the prescribing health care specialist may recommend a relaxation therapy, which typically involves meditation techniques and progressive muscle relaxation; cognitive-behavioral therapy may assist Insomnia affected patients by changing certain beliefs that negatively impact the sleeping experience as well as by inducing beneficial behaviors which will help improve the quality of the patient’s sleep; Stimulus control therapy limits the activities that are performed in bed, and thus induces sleepiness while in bed at a cognitive level. Last but not least, sleeping hygiene may address factors and habits that negatively affect the sleeping experience of the patient. Sleep restriction therapy may also provide good results in certain cases.

In assistance to the long term effects of behavioral therapies, the examining health care specialist may also prescribe a medication treatment to remove the Insomnia symptoms. This has short term efficiency, allowing the behavioral therapies to take effect before stopping medication treatment. However, it is known that many of the drugs that are prescribed in such cases may cause side effects in the patient or withdrawal effects at the end of the treatment, or long term use may decrease the efficiency as the body becomes more resistant to the effects. Sleeping pills, antidepressants, antihistamines and hypnotic medications can be prescribed as they all have a calming effect on the organism and thus inducing sleep or preventing the patient from waking up at night. These are available in a variety of forms and brand names, and typically are only available on prescription.

It is highly advised that medication therapy is not continued for a long time, as many of the drugs involved may cause addiction as well as withdrawal effects in the patient. Also, prolonged use of such medication increases the risk of side effects, which may cause further complications and may pose a serious risk to the patient’s health. It is best that you consult with your specialized health care professional to determine what is the treatment best suited to your case, based on your age, medical history and general health condition, and you should closely follow the medication schedule that your prescribing physician provides. It is strongly advised against altering the drug dosage or intake schedule in any way, as it may cause different reactions in your organism, other than those intended.