How to beat insomnia

 

INTRODUCTION

Insomnia is defined as "A common sleep disorder that can make it hard to fall asleep, hard to stay asleep, or cause you to wake up too early and not able to get back to sleep", explains MAYO CLINIC, in an article post on insomnia on its website: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355167 .

This lack or absence of sleep in the night can make you feel tired when you wake up, and reduce your performance in your usual activities, as notes it the same source: "Insomnia can sap not only your energy level and mood, but also your health, work performance, and quality of life. " So Insomnia is an issue that you should take seriously, even if you just suffer from it a few days ago. 

In this article, you are going to get complete information about insomnia in order to beat it. You will identify the types of insomnia, the symptoms, the causes and the consequences, and you will obtain counsels over how to prevent it or eliminate it from your life. 

Types of insomnia 

According to scientists, there are two types of insomnia: primary and secondary.

Primary insomnia

Sometimes you face sleep problems not because of your health condition but because of some life events,

or some circumstances in your life, bring stress, etc. For example, the death of a child, family problems. In that case, it is primary insomnia. 

Secondary insomnia

When your sleep problems are generated by health conditions like depression, asthma, cancer, arthritis, heartburn; pain, medication; or substances like coffee, alcohol, it is secondary insomnia.

It is important for you to identify which type of insomnia you suffer from, in order to know how you have to address the question. 

Insomnia Causes

Several causes can be responsible for insomnia. According to the same article published by Mayo Clinic Staff, the common causes of chronic insomnia can include:

Stress

When you have concerns about work, finances, school, health, these situations can prevent you from sleeping at night, for they keep your mind in action. Sometimes life events leave trauma in you and make you very stressed, such as the death of a loved one, a tragedy in your area, generating insomnia. See how you can control your stress through this link: https://promovbsenatus.blogspot.com/2018/02/you-can-control-your-stress.html

Travel or Changes in the sleep-wake circle (Circadian rhythms) 

You have an internal clock that guides your sleep-wake, metabolism, and temperature. When your body's circadian is disturbed, that lead to insomnia. in addition, traveling to countries with multiple jet lag also cause insomnia.

Poor sleep habits

It is clearly explained by the scientists that many other factors can generate insomnia. For example, as the source notes, "an irregular bedtime schedule, naps, stimulating activities before going to bed, an uncomfortable sleep environment, and using your bed for work, eating or watching TV. Computers, video games, smartphones or other screens just before bed." All these habits just before bed can change your sleep cycle.

Eating too much in the evening

When you eat too much at night, that can create an uncomfortable sleep environment while laying down. For example, you can experience discomforts such as heartburn, backflow of acid, food from the stomach into the esophagus after eating, which may keep you awake. 

Mental health disorders

Mental diseases can cause insomnia. For example, anxiety disorder (post-traumatic stress disorder) may disrupt your sleep as well as depression, and Parkinson's diseases and Alzheimer's diseases, etc.

Medications

Some prescription drugs may cause insomnia. They can disrupt sleep. For example, some antidepressants, medications for asthma or blood pressure. Some others such as  pain, cold and allergy medications, certain products for weight-loos, all of these contain caffeine and other stimulants that can disrupt your sleep. 

Insomnia due to changes

Changes in age may cause insomnia. When you get older, you can experience different sleep schedule. Your internal clock advances, explains  the researchers, and then you sleep earlier in the evening and wake up earlier in the morning. 

Changes in your environment can lead to insomnia, such as  noise around you at night. Besides, a lack of activities  in the day can generate in you predispositions to not have good sleep nights. 

Insomnia Symptoms

How can you recognize that you suffer from insomnia? Some symptoms indicate that you have insomnia if :

-You hardly fall asleep at night

- You wake up during the night and you are unable to go back to sleep

- You feel not well- rested after a sleep-night

-You still feel tired and sleepy in your daytime

- You get stressed, anxious and irritated

- You are hardly able to pay attention or to focus on your tasks

-You lack concentration and may make accidents and errors

-You have concerns about sleep

Why you must take insomnia seriously

Insomnia can affect your health so much that it is extremely  important for you to take it seriously. Whatever the reasons for why you are experiencing sleep loss, insomnia can affect you both physically and mentally, as it is revealed in a study. This disorder in sleep affects the quality of life in many areas: 

- Lower performance on work, at school or in other activities

- Inappropriate or slower reaction time when you drive, a behavior that can lead to accidents and death

- Mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse

- Get high risk to catch long-term diseases such as high blood pressure, and heart disease, which are deadly diseases. 

How to beat insomnia 

Insomnia is a common disease. No one is exempted, and the causes are multiple. To beat insomnia consists  first of preventing it. How to avoid having sleep loss? He are some counsels for you: 

- You do your best to keep your bedtime, and wake up at the same time every day

- Do regular activity trying to stay active as long as you can. This habit can allow you to have a good night’s sleep

- Pay attention to the effect of your medications, some of them  may cause insomnia

- You will be right to avoid or limit naps. By eating heavy meal in the evening, that can lead to insomnia

-Some substances, such as caffeine, nicotine, alcohol can promote insomnia. Avoid taking of them

-Avoid heavy meals and beverages just before going to bed 

-Don’t use your bed for anything else than sex or when comes your bedtime. It is not good, for example, to use bed for eating, speaking on phone, or reading

- It is a good habit to establish a bedtime ritual, when you take a warm bath, listen to soft music or an interesting film. You need to do a relaxing activity

- If you realize you get insomnia, see your doctor to determine what type of insomnia you have. Even if you take medications, you will still need to apply theses counsels

Conclusion 

We have seen in this article how we can identify what type of insomnia we have. The causes presented above are resources for you to avoid catching it. As you know the causes you can take precautions. If you see one of the symptoms in you, review these counsels we shared with you above. They are extremely important, and do your best to apply them.

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