Insomnia is a sleeping disorder that affects many people and presents with the inability to get to sleep, inability to sleep for long, waking from sleep too early, and inability to fall back asleep. The severity of insomnia varies in different people with some people only getting mild loss of sleep. Some people, however, suffer from chronic insomnia where the condition lasts for more than one month.
There are different causes of insomnia including medical illnesses and aging. Ramesh Kumar MD offers treatment for insomnia that helps prevent the symptoms of making you excessively drowsy the next day, giving you stress and anxiety, or reducing your concentration and performance in school.
It is important to seek medical help. Getting treatment for insomnia will improve your concentration and reduce the likelihood of causing accidents as a result of being excessively tired.
What Causes Insomnia?
Insomnia can occur alone or it can develop secondary to other medical conditions. Some of the causes of insomnia include stress that may be caused by financial and relationship problems or due to trauma like losing a loved one. Stress makes your brain active at night when it should be resting, and this puts you at risk of developing insomnia.
Having poor sleeping habits is another risk factor of insomnia. Poor sleeping habits include irregular sleeping times, working or eating while in bed, doing strenuous activities before sleeping, and watching or playing video games before sleeping. Another common cause of insomnia is eating a lot of food close to bedtime.
This causes heartburn in some people due to the reflux of stomach acid into the esophagus, throat, and mouth.
Insomnia can also affect people who are suffering from mental conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. Some medications can also cause insomnia, including antidepressants and some painkillers that contain caffeine, which makes you more active when you should be sleeping.
Taking substances that have high levels of caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol also put you at risk of developing insomnia. Insomnia affects older people because they are less physically active and most of them suffer from conditions like arthritis, which causes chronic pain.
Hormonal changes that occur during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause cause disruption of sleep, resulting in insomnia.
How Can You Cope with Insomnia?
You can cope with insomnia by having a regular sleeping schedule and by being physically active during the day. Avoid taking daytime naps that are longer than thirty minutes after 3 pm.
Limit the amount of caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine that you use and, if possible, quit using these substances altogether. Eat dinner more than three hours before going to bed and reduce the amount of food that you eat at night.
You can also use relaxation skills like meditation and yoga to manage your stress levels, which will enhance your sleep. It is also advisable to sleep in a quiet and comfortable environment which has suitable heating. Avoid forcing sleep or worrying too much about what time it is. Avoid staying in bed when you are not sleeping.
Insomnia is a common sleeping problem that makes you lack sleep, wake up many times during sleep, and be unable to get sleep after waking up early.
Some of the causes of insomnia include anxiety and stress, using alcohol, nicotine, or drinks that have high levels of caffeine, and hormonal changes that occur during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause.
If you are suffering from insomnia that gives you excess fatigue and affects your performance at work or school, you can seek medical attention.