Insomnia
Common complaints relating to insomnia
Insomnia – Insomnia is typically associated with the inability to sleep, or to sleep satisfactorily. Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders affecting millions of people worldwide. Insomnia can vary from restless or disturbed sleep to difficulty in falling asleep, to a reduction in the usual time spent sleeping. Occasionally it may manifest itself as complete wakefulness.
Sleep requirements tend to vary from individual to individual but most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Typically, people tend to overestimate the amount of sleep they need and often sleep more than they realize during a restless night. Usually there isn’t much need to be concerned that insomnia is a problem if you suffer a night or two of restless sleep. However if loss of sleep becomes so chronic or consistent that it impairs an individual’s ability to function appropriately during the day there might be a problem with insomnia.
What is sleep all about? What does it do for us?
Sleep is still a bit mysterious and the mechanisms that induce sleep are not clearly understood. We do know that in the dark, the pineal gland in the brain secretes a hormone called melatonin, which researchers believe induces sleep. But, why we need sleep and why it is so necessary for good health and efficient mental functioning is unknown. We know that chronic insomnia affects health and well being, so we know what the results of sleeplessness.
What we do know about sleep is that it consists of two basic states: rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM sleep. In REM sleep, the eyes move rapidly and the heartbeat quickens as all body processes speed up. Dreams typically occur during REM sleep and sexual arousal is common, even if the dreams themselves are not sexual in content. Periods of REM sleep last about 20 minutes and occur four or five times during the night. They alternate with longer periods of non-REM sleep, when body functions slow down.
Non-REM sleep consists of four stages. During the deepest stages (3 and 4) it is difficult to arouse the sleeping individual. As the night progresses periods of non-REM sleep become lighter. Researchers believe that stage 4 sleep is restorative in nature and it is during this time that the body repairs itself. This repair process relies on a hormone called somatostatin. Clinicians believe that lack of stage 4 sleep is a contributing factor in chronically painful conditions such as fibromyalgia.
Sleep patterns and insomnia
Insomnia can manifest in different ways:
- difficulty falling asleep (sleep onset insomnia)
- difficulty staying asleep
- early wakening.
Insomnia is common during pregnancy due to an inability to get comfortable, especially in the later weeks. As a group the elderly tend to suffer from insomnia with chronic symptoms relating to light and restless sleep.
Other physical situations can complicate sleep habits lend towards insomnia:
- the need to urinate frequently
- leg cramps
- painful conditions such as arthritis
- symptomatic asthma
- other medical problems
- restless legs syndrome
All of the above can interfere with sleep onset and sound restful sleep. Arguing, watching exciting programs on television late at night, working or surfing on the computer right up to bedtime, consuming excessive caffeine or alcohol or eating a large meal close to bedtime, vigorous exercise less than six hours before retiring may disturb sleep patterns.
In the majority of insomnia cases the core issue is emotional. Anxiety, internalized and unexpressed anger, and depression are common causes of sleeplessness. Many people actually get enough hours of sleep time, yet continue to feel fatigued due to poor sleep quality.
Ironically, insomnia sometimes results from the use of sedatives, and some people, especially the elderly or people with certain occupations, develop an inverted sleep rhythm: drowsiness in the morning, sleep during the day, and wakefulness at night.
Insomnia treatments
There are a number of ways to help you fall asleep more easily.
Establish a bedtime "ritual" composed of environmental cues which tell your body that it is now time to rest: go for a stroll an hour or so before bedtime, take a warm bath or drink a glass of warm milk (milk contains an amino acid that is converted to a sleep-enhancing compound in the brain).
Relaxation techniques, including muscle-relaxation exercises and meditation, may be useful.
If insomnia is persistent, consult a doctor. Often, reassurance that the problem results from normal anxieties or from a treatable physical disorder relieves distress and helps restore a normal sleeping pattern. Treatment of underlying stressors or alteration of living habits is necessary if one or the other is causing insomnia. Above all, it is important to create a situation that is appropriate for sound sleep in your environment. This may be lighting, or lack thereof in your bedroom, quietness, furniture, mattress, bedding and any other furnishings that make you feel relaxed and comfortable.
This information sponsored by: Heavenly Sleep – Memory foam mattress toppers.
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