Insomnia (Sleeping Disorder): What it is, Its Causes, Symptoms and How to treat

What is Insomnia (Sleeping Disorder)?

The insomnia is a persistent disorder that impairs a person ‘s ability to fall asleep or even to stay asleep throughout the night. Thus, the person’s quality of life, in general, is usually compromised.

People with insomnia usually start the day feeling tired, have mood problems and lack of energy and have poor performance at work or in studies because of this disorder. Many adults experience insomnia at some point in their lives, but some people have chronic insomnia, which can last for a much longer period than normal. Insomnia can also be a secondary disorder caused by other reasons, such as illness or medication misuse which are:

Anxiety

Daily anxiety, as well as severe anxiety disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, can disrupt sleep.

Attention: worrying about the difficulty you will have to sleep can also lead to insomnia more easily.

Depression

A person with depression may sleep more than normal and may also not be able to sleep at all. Insomnia is common in cases of depression.

Medical conditions

Chronic pain, difficulty breathing or frequent urination can lead to insomnia. Examples of conditions associated with insomnia include:

• Arthritis Cancer
• Cardiac insufficiency Lung disease
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease Thyroid disorders
• Stroke
• Parkinson ‘s disease Alzheimer ‘s disease

Change in the environment or working hours

Traveling or changing work hours can cause a change in the body’s heart rate and in the so-called “biological clock”, which makes it difficult to start sleep.

Bad sleep habits

• Sleep irregularity, such as sleeping and waking up at different times every day Stimulating activities before bedtime.
• Sleep in inappropriate and uncomfortable environments, such as in a very bright place Sleeping in front of the television.
• Sleep with the light on.

Medications

• Many medications can interfere with a person’s ability to fall asleep or stay asleep,
• including antidepressants, blood pressure control drugs, antiallergics, stimulants, and corticosteroids.
• Other medications that contain caffeine and other stimulating substances can also trigger insomnia.

Caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol

Coffee, tea, cola-based soft drinks, and other caffeine-containing drinks are well-known and common stimulants in everyday life. Its consumption is not prohibited and is not directly related to insomnia, but it can, eventually, be a triggering factor of the disorder. Drinking coffee at night, for example, can make it difficult to start sleeping. Nicotine in cigarettes or other tobacco products is another stimulant that can cause insomnia.

Eating too late

Eating a light snack before bed is recommended, but eating too much can make a person feel physically uncomfortable at bedtime, which can make it difficult to fall asleep. Many people also experience heartburn and reflux, which also impair sleep.

Age

Noises and other changes in the environment can wake an elderly person more easily than someone younger.

Lack of exercise

Over time, the person may become less physically or socially active. The less active a person is, the more time they will have to take naps throughout the day, which makes it difficult to sleep at night.

Other diseases

• Older men often develop an enlarged prostate, which can lead to a frequent need to urinate, interrupting sleep.
• In women, symptoms of menopause can be just as disturbing and can prevent them from getting a good night’s sleep.
• In addition, older people usually make more use of drugs than younger people.

Risk factors

Many people may experience insomnia occasionally. But the risk of insomnia is greater in:

• Female people: women are much more likely to suffer from insomnia, mainly because of hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle and during menopause.
• Elderly: people over 60 years of age, mainly due to changes in sleep patterns and health problems.
• People with mental disorders: such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder are more likely to experience insomnia.
• People under stress: stressful facts can cause temporary insomnia. Work at night or travel for work, which involves frequent time zone changes.

Symptoms

Insomnia Symptoms

The main symptoms of insomnia can include:

• Difficulty falling asleep at night Awakening at night
• Waking up too early
• Feeling restless after a night’s sleep Daytime tiredness or drowsiness Irritability, depression or anxiety
• Difficulty paying attention, concentrating on tasks or remembering something important
• Increased risk of accidents Localized headaches
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Continued concerns about sleep
• A person with insomnia can often take 30 minutes or more to fall asleep and can sleep for only six hours or less from three nights a week for more than three months.

Seeking medical help

If you have symptoms of insomnia and they are impairing your daily activities and your performance at work or studying, see a specialist to determine what may be causing the problem and how it can be treated.

Treatment and Care Insomnia Treatment

A change in sleep habits and treating the underlying causes of insomnia, such as medical conditions or medications, can restore a healthy sleep pattern in many patients.

Insomnia Medications

If you are having sleep disturbances: difficulty falling asleep, early and night awakenings. We provide treatment and drugs to cure it. The most commonly used drugs for the treatment of insomnia are:

Zolpidem (Ambien): It shortens the time of falling asleep, reduces the number of night awakenings, increases the total duration of sleep and improves its quality.

Clonazolam: It is a remedy used to treat psychological and neurological disorders, such as Insomnia or anxiety, due to its anticonvulsant action, muscle relaxation, and tranquilizer.

Diazepam: It can be very useful as an adjunct in the treatment of anxiety or agitation associated with psychiatric disorders like Insomnia.

Do not stop using the medicine without consulting a doctor beforehand, and if you take it more than once or in much larger quantities than

prescribed, follow the instructions on the package insert.

Prevention

• Maintaining good sleep habits is the main way to prevent insomnia. Some factors that
• trigger the disorder, such as stressful and traumatic events, however, cannot be avoided.
• In any case, consult a sleep specialist or try using the above medicines to deal with maintaining sleep.