What is Insomnia? How to manage it?

All living beings need sleep. Sleep helps clear toxins from the brain and offers time for the body and organs to work less hard. On average, an adult needs seven or more hours of sleep every night, which shows its importance. However, some find it too hard to fall asleep or get sufficient sleep at night. This sleep disorder is called insomnia.

What is Insomnia?

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder affecting around 10% of the world’s population. People with insomnia will find it difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep or get enough sleep at night. Anyone can experience insomnia, including people who have the best environment. This sleep disorder can heavily impact your daily life and activities.

Insomnia includes two types: Short Term and Chronic (Long Term).

Short-Term Insomnia

When you have trouble sleeping for a few days or weeks, it denotes that you have short-term insomnia. The causes for short-term or acute insomnia are stress or a traumatic event. 

Long-Term Insomnia

Long-term or acute insomnia, where you experience insomnia three or more nights a week, can last for about three months.  Even though insomnia may be the primary problem, it will be associated with other medical conditions.

Symptoms of Insomnia

Understanding insomnia symptoms can help you easily identify the condition and adopt the necessary preventive measures. The symptoms include:

1. Falling asleep at night becomes difficult - The person may spend hours trying to fall asleep.
2. Difficulty sleeping for extended hours - The person may wake up during the night and stay awake.
3. Tiredness after waking up - Due to poor quality sleep, the person will feel too tired after waking up. They may feel sleepy during the day.
4. Daytime fatigue or sleepiness: Insomnia can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness, making it difficult to stay awake and focused during daily activities.
5. Waking up too early - The person may get some sleep. However, they may wake up too early and face difficulty sleeping again.
6. Lack of attention - Lack of sleep can cause an individual to lose focus on the task at hand.
7. Depression or Anxiety - This sleep disorder can cause a person to get worried about his present state, which leads to depression or anxiety.
8. Irritability or mood swings: Lack of sleep can cause mood swings, increased irritability, or even depression in some cases.
9. Decreased performance: Insomnia can negatively affect work, school, or other performance-based activities due to reduced alertness and concentration.

Causes of Insomnia

If a person experiences insomnia, it could be his primary problem or caused by other health conditions. Understanding the root cause of insomnia is crucial for treating it. The causes of this sleep disorder include:

• Unhealthy sleep habits - Habits like using the bed for work, irregular sleep habits, daytime naps, and using mobile, computer or TV before sleep can affect your sleep cycle and cause difficulty in falling asleep.
• Stress - Stress is a part of everyday life. However, too many stressful thoughts about the future, family, work and money can cause the mind to race uncontrollably during the night, causing you to stay awake.
• Eating habits - The golden rule is to have dinner at least 3 hours before bedtime. However, the modern competitive world has made people race against the clock to meet deadlines, causing them to take their dinner just before bedtime. Having food before bedtime can cause you to be uncomfortable while lying down and even cause acid reflux.
• Mental health disorders - Mental health disorders like depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorders can disrupt sleep or cause an individual to wake early.

Managing Insomnia

So, are you among the 10% of the population that suffers from insomnia? Living with insomnia can be challenging and stressful, but here are some tips for managing insomnia effectively.

1. Limit Screen Time

With computers and smartphones, our life has become too easy. However, it has also caused us to spend hours on its screens. These screens emit blue light that can interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep. For sound sleep, ensure you do not use smartphones, tablets or computers at least one hour before bedtime.

2. Maintain a Good Sleep Routine

To manage insomnia symptoms, you need to establish a good sleep routine. It means you should go to bed and wake up at the set time on weekdays and weekends. It helps your body and mind to adjust the biological clocks and sleep sound at night. 

3. Ensure a Comfortable Sleep Environment

The environment in which you sleep influences your ability to stay asleep. Make sure that the room you sleep in is quiet, cool and dark. Also, ensure that you have comfortable mattresses and pillows.

4. Say no to Stimulants

Stimulants like caffeine and alcohol can impact your ability to fall and stay asleep. Ensure that you don’t take these substances for several hours before sleep.

5. Practice Relaxation Techniques

Instead of using the smartphone or TV before bedtime, you can switch to reading a book, taking a warm bath or practising breathing exercises or meditation to relax your mind and body.

6. No Naps

Some people practice taking naps during the day. It may be beneficial for some people, but daytime naps can interfere with the ability to sleep at night. 

These are some ways in which you can manage the symptoms of insomnia and get good sleep at night.

When to see an Expert?

If following these methods does not help you manage your insomnia and continues to interfere with your everyday life, it is time to see an expert. Your doctor will try to understand the cause of insomnia through a personal counselling session and offer personalised therapy.

Insomnia is a condition that many people experience at one point or another in their lives. However, chronic insomnia can be troublesome and requires a drastic change in your lifestyle or expert intervention. Always remember that expert help for any mental health condition is always closer.