Insomnia - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Insomnia is characterized by an inability to sleep and/or to be incapable of remaining asleep for a reasonable period. There are different kinds of insomnia: Sleep Onset Insomnia, Idiopathic Insomnia, Psychophysiological Insomnia, Childhood Insomnia, Food Allergy Insomnia, Enviornmental Insomnia, Transient Insomnia, Periodic Insomnia,etc. Insomnia can cause problems during the day, such as excessive sleepiness, fatigue , trouble thinking clearly or staying focused, or feeling depressed or irritable. Insomnia is difficulty in initiating and/or maintaining sleep. Few of us escape an occasional episode of difficulty in falling or staying asleep. Occasional insomnia, however annoying, is likely to be of little medical importance Chronic sleeping problems, however, deserve medical investigation, perhaps by experts in one of the sleep laboratories now to be found in more and more medical centers.

Sufficient and restful sleep is a human need as basic as food, vital to emotional and physical well being. In recent years, scientists have made great strides in identifying patterns and functions of brain activity in sleep. One new approach to chronic insomnia is worth noting because it provides a method you can try. It is concerned with the relationship between insomnia and bad sleeping habits and how to correct the habits.Almost everyone has occasional sleepless nights, perhaps due to stress, heartburn, or drinking too much caffeine or alcohol. Insomnia is a lack of sleep that occurs on a regular or frequent basis, often for no apparent reason.Insomnia is too little or poor-quality sleep caused by one or more of the following:

• Waking up too early in the morning
• Having un-refreshing sleep (not feeling well rested), even after sleeping 7 to 8 hours at night

Causes of Insomnia

Here are the list of the possible causes of Insomnia:

• Anxiety , a condition in which individuals feel increased tension, apprehension, and feelings of helplessness, fear, worry, and uncertainty.
• Depression , a mood disturbance characterized by feelings of sadness, despair, and discouragement.
• insomnia due to a sleep disorder
• insomnia due primarily to physical disorder
• Physical health problems - sleep apnoea (abnormal breathing while asleep), asthma, tinnitus, pain, prostate problems that mean frequent trips to the toilet at night, and indigestion.
• Medication - eg certain tablets for asthma and treatments for nasal congestion, vertigo and depression.
• The most common psychological problems include anxiety , stress, and depression . In fact, insomnia may be an indicator of depression . Many people will have insomnia during the acute phases of a mental illness .

Symptoms of Insomnia

Some sign and symptoms related to Insomnia are as follows:

• Difficulty falling asleep at night
• Waking up feeling tired, even after a full night's sleep
• Most often daytime symptoms will bring people to seek medical attention. Daytime problems caused by insomnia include the following:
• Early morning waking,
• People with insomnia may complain of difficulty falling asleep. The problem may begin with stress . Then, as you begin to associate the bed with your inability to sleep, the problem may become chronic.
• Difficulty staying asleep (frequent awakenings and difficulty getting back to sleep).
• Difficulty with memory

Treatment of Insomnia

Some important treatment of Insomnia are as follows:

• Possibly using sleeping pills, although controversy surrounds the long-term use of sleeping pills. You should talk to your doctor about the risks and side-effects.
• Several drugs avilabIe without prescription are supposed to have sleep-inducing properties. usually they contain antihistamines, with a sedating side effect. They are mild and may occasionally be helpful, but are not likely to solve any problems of chronic insomnia.
• Reduce the number of cups of coffee, tea or cola drinks you drink, especially later on in the day.
• Only drink alcohol in moderation. It may bring on sleepiness, but will tend cause early waking.
• Correcting sleep misconceptions
• Drugs that stimulate the central nervous system are the primary treatment to help people with narcolepsy stay awake during the day.
• Work out how many hours sleep you can manage with before daytime sleepiness becomes a problem. Becoming unnecessarily stressed over insomnia can lead to a vicious cycle.
• Not only coffee and tea but various soft drinks contain caffeine which, if taken late in the day, may interfere with sleep for some people. Some drugs, including some of the appetite suppressants, contain stimulant agents.
• Finding and treating any medical conditions or mental health problems.
• Prescription drugs for sleep may help on occasion, during a time of special stress. But if used often, they lose their effectiveness even as they often become habit-forming, making the situation worse. So stay away from chronic use of "sleeping pills" and instead, find out what is causing your sleep problem.