Insomnia is defined as the inability to fall asleep or to stay asleep or even a disturbance in sleep that causes you to awaken in the morning feeling unrefreshed.
With insomnia most people either experience difficulty with actually falling asleep while others fall asleep rather rapidly and waken within a few hours and then have difficulty falling back asleep.
Whatever the cause of insomnia the result is the same… starting the next day feeling just as tired or more so as when you tried to go to be the night before. Many people who complain of insomnia feel that they are unable to “turn” their minds off.
Although there are often many causes of insomnia such as stress, pain, anxiety, medications, or caffeine, there can also simply be no apparent reason for the insomnia.
Now having no apparent reason must be the most frustrating of all. Proper treatment of insomnia can only occur when you have been able to determine the root cause of the insomnia.
Different types of insomnia have been defined as acute, transient, intermittent and chronic. Acute insomnia occurs when you are unable to sleep well for three to twenty-four weeks. Transient insomnia is typically a result of short term stress or anxiety or may be a result of working an unexpected night shift or even jet lag. Intermittent, as its name implies, occurs off and on and is short term in nature. Chronic insomnia occurs when you are unable to sleep well night after night for weeks and months on end.
Diagnosing insomnia is handled by your healthcare provider and is often rather easy to diagnose especially if you have been proactive and have kept a sleep diary to share during your visit. A sleep diary can detail how you felt during the day, daily routine, sleep pattern, things you have tried in order to get sleep and the results of those interventions.
The treatment of insomnia is based on the underlying cause of insomnia and whether you are experiencing trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. It also depends on whether the insomnia is transient or chronic.
Treatments may include finding and treating any underlying medical conditions, adjusting sleep schedules or your sleep space, avoiding exercise, alcohol or caffeine several hours before bedtime, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, avoiding naps during the day, relaxation therapy, or even a short-term course of sleep medication.
Insomnia can definitely interrupt your daily activities and it can leave you with complete and utter exhaustion unlike none other. If insomnia persists, seek professional help so that you too can reclaim your nights.