Insomnia
What is it?
Insomnia is a symptom, not a diagnosis, describing a person who
cannot fall or stay asleep. Primary insomnia occurs when the sleep
problem is not associated with a health condition. Causes of
secondary insomnia include depression, anxiety, heartburn, cancer,
asthma, pain, or a side effect of a medication being taken.
How does duration relate to causation?
Insomnia can vary in how long it lasts and to what extent it affects
a person's lifestyle. Short-term insomnia may last nights to weeks.
It is usually caused by emotional or physical discomfort brought on
by environmental disturbances , stress, medication side effects or
jet lag.
Chronic insomnia lasts a long time - at least three nights a week
for three months or longer. It can be caused by underlying medical
conditions such as depression, chronic stress, or pain and
discomfort at night.
The incidence of insomnia levels off at around 15% of the population
in both sexes until women undergo a drastic increase (the rate
doubling) after menopause.
What are the signs and symptoms?
A major sign of insomnia is not being able to sleep at times when
the body is obviously tired. A person with insomnia can be tired the
next day and may have a lack of energy.
Other symptoms include waking up earlier than expected and not being
able to fall back asleep when getting up at the end of the night.
How is it diagnosed?
A routine physical and discussion with a doctor may determine a
diagnosis of insomnia. The doctor may review the patient's medical
history, discuss any recent lifestyle or environmental changes with
the patient, and ask questions about the quantity and quality of
sleep the person is getting.
Tests conducted at Sleepcare Diagnostics, such as a polysomnogram,
can be conducted to diagnose whether the insomnia is caused by an
underlying sleep disorder.
How is it treated?
Short-term insomnia will eventually go away on its own. There are
certain steps a patient can take in the meantime:
- Avoid alcohol
- Avoid caffeine
- Refrain from smoking
- Avoid daytime naps
- Remain stress-free
In the case of chronic insomnia,
the goal of treatment is to first treat the underlying medical
condition causing the insomnia.
Treatment may involve:
Medication, such as sleeping pills - dosage should be as small as
possible and be gradually lowered as treatment continues.
Relaxation techniques - listening to tapes or doing stretching
exercises can help a person relax in order to fall asleep.
Sleep restriction and reconditioning - a bed should only be used for
sleep. If a person has trouble falling asleep, he should leave his
bed and return at a time when he is more tired. It may be
detrimental to lie in bed thinking about falling asleep. It is
important not to use the bed for other activities such as reading
and watching television; the body may condition itself to stay
awake, not only during those activities, but any time the person is
in bed.
|
