|
The Many Sleepless
Nights of Insomnia
Do you have trouble
falling asleep? Do you wake up during the night and have trouble going
back to sleep? Do you wake up too early in the morning? Do you often wake
up feeling tired and unrefreshed? Read on because you might be suffering
from insomnia.
Insomnia keeps you
awake night after night which can lead to sleep deprivation. According to
the National Sleep Foundation 48 percent Americans report insomnia
occasionally, while 22 percent experience insomnia every or almost every
night. It seems that it is more common to women (especially after
menopause) and with the elderly.
Insomnia is may be a
symptom of other sleeping orders (such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy,
restless legs syndrome) and may be caused by the following:
- Advanced age (60
and above)
- Anxiety, stress or
depression
- Poor sleeping
habits
- Misuse of caffeine,
nicotine, alcohol, or dangerous drugs
- Jet lag
- Shift work
- Environmental noise
- Extreme temperature
- Change in
surrounding environment
- Mental illness
- Health problems (such
as diabetes, anemia, arthritis,
kidney disease, heart problems, asthma, Parkinson's disease, and
hyperthyroidism)
- Medications
(decongestants, antihistamines, betablockers)
Insomnia can vary in
how long it lasts and how often it occurs. It may last for days
(transient), from time to time (intermittent) or months (chronic).
Transient and intermittent insomnia may not require treatment since
episodes last only a few days at a time. Sometimes the use of short-acting
sleeping pills may improve sleep and alertness for the next day.
There are many dangers
and risks that insomnia exposes you to. It
keeps you awake night after night which can lead to sleep deprivation. It
can have a very serious impact on quality of life, productivity and
safety, including impaired performance, irritability, lack of
concentration, daytime drowsiness, less defenses against infections,
significant mood swings, erratic behavior, hallucinations, at the extreme,
even death.
So when you feel that
you have inadequate or poor-quality
sleep, consult with your health care provider which can recommend
treatments which includes:
- Diagnosing
underlying medical or psychological problems
- Identifying
behaviors that may worsen insomnia
- Using sleeping
pills
- Behavioral
techniques such as relaxation therapy, sleep restriction or
reconditioning.
Insomnia is highly
treatable. Don’t let it ruin your health and lifestyle because of its
annoying and fatal consequences. Besides you’ve got more important things
to concentrate on like your work, school, family, friends, and loved ones.
|
