Treat Insomnia with lifestyle changes, such as developing good sleep habits and avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bedtime. If these measures do not help, your doctor may prescribe medication to help you sleep.
What Is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a disorder of sleep that can make it difficult to sleep, remain asleep, or both. People who suffer from insomnia are often tire throughout the day. And they may experience difficulty concentrating. Insomnia can be short-term (acute) or it can be long-term (chronic).
There are many things that can cause insomnia, including stress, anxiety, medications, and medical conditions. It is often an amalgamation of these factors.
Insomnia can be treat with lifestyle changes, such as developing good sleep habits and avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bedtime. If these measures do not help, your doctor may prescribe medication to help you sleep.
What Are The Symptoms Of Insomnia?
The most frequent symptoms of insomnia are difficulties getting to sleep or remaining asleep. Other symptoms include:
- Awakening early and not being able to get back to sleep
- Waking up often during the night
- Feeling tired after a good night’s sleep
- Feeling tired or drowsy during the day
- Finding it difficult to concentrate or focus throughout the daytime
- Feeling irritable or moody
What Causes Insomnia?
There are many things that can cause insomnia, including stress, anxiety, medications, and medical conditions. Most often, it’s an amalgamation of these factors.
Some common causes of insomnia include:
Stress: Stress can be cause by work, family, or financial problems. It can also be cause by major life changes, such as a new job, divorce, or the death of a loved one.
Anxiety: Anxiety disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), can cause insomnia. People with anxiety may have trouble falling asleep or may wake up often during the night.
Medications: Some medications, such as steroids and some antidepressants, can cause insomnia.
Medical conditions: Medical conditions that can cause insomnia include arthritis, asthma, cancer, heartburn, and Parkinson’s disease.
How Is Insomnia Diagnosed?
Insomnia is usually diagnose base on symptoms. Your doctor will ask about your sleep habits and how you are feeling during the day. He or she may also ask about your medical history and whether you are taking any medications.
In some cases, your doctor may order a sleep study to rule out other sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea. A sleep study is a test that is done overnight in a sleep laboratory.
How Is Insomnia Treat?
Insomnia can be treat with lifestyle changes and medication.
Lifestyle changes: There are several things you can do to help improve your sleep habits, such as:
- Establishing a regular sleep schedule
- Avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bedtime
- Exercising regularly but not close to bedtime
- Making a bedtime routine that is relaxing that includes reading, or relaxing in a bath
If these measures do not help, your doctor may prescribe medication to help you sleep.
Medication: Medications that can be use to treat insomnia include:
Antidepressants: Some antidepressants, such as trazodone (Desyrel), amitriptyline (Elavil), and doxepin (Sinequan), can cause drowsiness and are often used to treat insomnia.
Benzodiazepines: Benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam (Xanax UK) and diazepam (Valium), can cause drowsiness and are sometimes used to treat insomnia. These medications should only be use for the short-term treatment of insomnia because they can be addictive.
Non-benzodiazepines: Non-benzodiazepines, such as zolpidem (Ambien UK) and eszopiclone (Lunesta), can cause drowsiness and are sometimes used to treat insomnia. These medications should only be use for the short-term treatment of insomnia because they can be addictive.
Conclusion
Insomnia is a frequent sleep disorder that can lead to difficulty sleeping or staying asleep. It can be cause by stress, anxiety, medications, and medical conditions. Insomnia can be treat with lifestyle changes and medication. If these measures do not help, your doctor may order a sleep study to rule out other sleep disorders.
If you suspect you are suffering from insomnia, consult your physician. He or she can help you find the cause of your insomnia and treat it.
