I Can’t Sleep - Is it Insomnia?
American Academy of Sleep Medicine defines insomnia as
“persistent difficulty with sleep initiation, duration, consolidation or quality.”
Everyone sleeps differently, but the one thing we have in common is that everyone sleeps.
What causes Insomnia?
The common explanation of Insomnia is a hyperarousal that can affect falling asleep and maintenance of staying asleep. This hyperarousal can come in various way - whether it’s physical, psychological, environmental, or a mixture.
Some common issues that could cause insomnia are consumption of certain things such as alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, or other medications, medical issues such as pain, frequent urination, pregnancy, sleep apnea, breathing difficulties, restless leg syndrome, heart diseases, and lung diseases, and mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, stress, irregular feelings, mood swings, bipolar disorder, or excessive worrying about sleeplessness.
Insomnia can also be related to a lack of healthy lifestyles and habits. These lifestyles or habits can develop as a child which can make it especially difficult to break. Some common habits could range from napping too often or too long, poor sleep hygiene, exposure to smart devices such as computers, phones, or televisions, work schedules such as evening or night shifts, or other factors such as lack of exercise during the day or light/sound in nearby areas to the bedroom.
The most symptomatic patients often have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, unexpected awakening earlier in the mornings, and a lack of tiredness during scheduled times for sleep. Many of those struggling with insomnia experience forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, mood swings, and other issues such as increased activity or aggression, and daytime fatigue and malaise.
Insomnia Statistics
Everyone sleeps differently.
Some stay up late, some go to sleep early, some wake up earlier than others! Some people have dreams that they remember in vivid details, others don’t recall any dream activity.
Each person is affected by insomnia in different ways depending on its cause, severity, and underlying medical complexities.
In some studies, it is shown that up to 50-60% of adults suffer from chronic insomnia. If you are experiencing difficulties getting a normal amount of sleep or any daytime sleepiness that is directly contributed by poor sleep hygiene, contact your doctor immediately. This could be a serious medical disorder.
The diagnosis of insomnia that is being experienced is determined by one of two areas. The first area is Sleep-onset Insomnia which is where the person falling asleep experiences the most complications trying to get to sleep. This usually occurs when the person cannot relax, or has trouble relaxing. The Circadian Rhythm, jetlag, or other irregular activities can also greatly impact sleep schedules. The second area is Sleep Maintenance Insomnia which is where the person has a hinderance when trying to sleep through the entire night due to older age or late night consumption of alcohol, caffeine, or tobacco.
There is also another category of Mixed Insomnia which involves both Sleep-onset and Sleep Maintenance Insomnia.
The type of insomnia that you may have is determined by the amount of time affected by sleep
Chronic Insomnia is an expectance of difficulties sleeping at least three times per week for a minimum of three months.
Short-term Insomnia is a difficulty sleeping in a period that is less than three months.
Other Insomnia can be diagnosed by a medical professional when symptoms of short-term insomnia criteria is not seen.
Certain disorders like sleep apnea can also cause sleep maintenance insomnia.
Causes of Insomnia
Some of the possible causes of Insomnia
Consumption of certain items such as alcohol, nicotine, and other drugs, along with caffeine. Some of these items could possibly be more affective with the amount used. Insomnia can also come along with beginning new medications or withdrawal from medications.
Medical Complications can cause multiple conflictions with sleep. If someone is in pain, it is quite possible that the patient can’t fall asleep due to not being comfortable. Other affects from medical conditions such as frequent urination, pregnancy, sleep apnea, chronic pain, restless leg syndrome, along with heart and lung diseases. In addition, these problems can also cause daytime somnolence or other constrictions during the day that may cause other issues.
Mental Health & Behavior Issues can also cause insomnia due to the pressure coming from depression, stress, anxiety, mood swings, bipolar disorders, and excessive worrying. Mental disorders can seriously hold a person back from peace when they are struggling with these issues. Most people with Mental Health issues struggle with anxious thoughts late at night that can multiply and cause a sleep deprivation if not handled correctly.
Unhealthy Lifestyle Habits which can include sleeping in later to “make up” for the time lost, not sticking to a consistent scheduled time for bed, being on a device (such as a phone, tablet, laptop or television) later in the evening, napping too often or too long, consuming caffeine or sugar/fatty foods in the evening, working night shifts/non-consistent schedules, difficulty staying asleep, inadequate daily exercise, excessive noise whilst trying to fall asleep, or excessive light during the night time routine. Being involved in any of these activities can delay the natural circadian rhythm which will affect the natural release of melatonin in your body. This can make your body believe that it isn’t actually tired even when it is getting late. Certain things is the environment can make it seem as if it is still daytime; therefore, a harder time relaxing and falling asleep.
Most of those who experience insomnia 30-48% more likely to be older.
This can partially be related to chronic medical problems, social withdrawal, or medicated prescriptions, along with mental health conditions that cause poor habitual sleep across all age ranges.
Similar studies have shown a rise of insomnia in 23% of teenagers and 50% or more of pregnant women.
How can I prevent insomnia?
There are different solutions for different people, the level of severity, treatment options, therapy alternatives, and other habitual changes that patient’s can make. Some practice healthy lifestyle habit changes and execute positive sleep hygiene.
Practices such as putting limits on the number and length of naps, decreasing the intake of alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco near the end of the day, not eating late at night, turn off/silence any smart devices before scheduled time, stay on a healthy, nutritional diet, exercising during the day, abide by a consistent scheduled time to go to bed and time to wake up the next morning, and do not use your bedroom for working, engaging in stimulating activities, and gaming on a console.
By following one or more of these practices, the results may be conductive. If you are curious for more in depth solutions, you can reach out to your doctor for more information and set up a plan to follow for your specific case.
More Information
www.sleepfoundation.org - Symptoms & Tips
www.sleepfoundation.org - Causes
www.mayoclinic.org - Symptoms & Causes
www.medicalnewstoday.com - Behaviors, Causes, Symptoms, Types, Treatments & Strategies
www.healthline.com - Definition, Risks, Factors, Treatment, Medications, Affects on differing people, and more