Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder in the United States. It affects about one-third of the general population and is characterized by difficulty falling or staying asleep. For some people, insomnia lasts only a few days or weeks. Meanwhile, other people experience chronic (long-term) insomnia.
Insomnia can strike anyone, but you’re more likely to experience it if you’re female, older, or have another chronic health condition.3 Short-term insomnia can affect your memory and concentration. If left untreated, insomnia can increase your risk of health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and depression. Treatment options typically include lifestyle changes, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medication.
Common options include over-the-counter sleep aids (e.g., diphenhydramine), prescription medications like benzodiazepines, and newer medications like Artvigil 150mg and Waklert 150mg.
Types of Insomnia
There are two primary types of insomnia. They are:
Acute (Short-Term) Insomnia: Short-term insomnia is often triggered by stressful life events and typically resolves on its own without medical treatment.
Chronic (Long-Term) Insomnia: Long-term insomnia is a more severe form of the condition. It occurs at least three nights per week for at least three months. Those with chronic insomnia typically require treatment.
Insomnia Symptoms
If you have insomnia, you may notice one or more of the following symptoms at least three nights per week
Difficulty falling asleep: You may lie awake for a long time before falling asleep. This symptom is more common in younger adults.
Sleeping for short amounts of time: You may wake up often during the night and/or spend most of the night awake. This is a common symptom and primarily affects older adults.
Waking up too early: You may wake up earlier than you’d like and be unable to fall back to sleep.
Feeling tired during the day: If you have insomnia, your sleep quality may be poor. This causes you to wake up feeling unrested and sleepy during the day. It can also make it difficult to concentrate on daily tasks. You may also feel anxious, depressed, or irritable.
What Causes Insomnia?
Insomnia occurs when you struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep for at least three nights per week. There are many reasons this may happen. Stress or changes in your schedule or environment can make sleeping difficult. Others may follow unhealthy nighttime habits such as using electronic devices in bed or drinking caffeine late in the day. And some people may have chronic conditions such as asthma that keep them awake.
Insomnia Risk Factors
While anyone can get insomnia, certain factors can increase your risk, including
Age: Your risk for insomnia increases as you get older.
Sex: Females are more likely to experience insomnia due to hormonal changes during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause.
Chronic health conditions: Certain chronic health conditions can increase your risk of insomnia. These include asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), arthritis, depression, anxiety, allergies, and thyroid issues.
Genetics: You may be more likely to develop insomnia if other members of your family also experience it.
Lifestyle habits: Certain lifestyle habits such as taking long naps during the day or watching TV close to bedtime can cause sleep problems. Taking caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol too late in the day can also make it difficult to fall asleep.
Environment: You can experience sleep issues if your sleep environment is too hot or cold. Exposure to noise or light at night and traveling to different time zones can also cause problems.
Occupation: Shift or night work can disturb your sleep schedule.
How Is Insomnia Diagnosed?
To diagnose insomnia, your healthcare provider will take your medical history and ask for details about your sleep habits. You may want to keep a sleep diary for one to two weeks and share the information with your them. Write down when you go to sleep, wake up, and take naps each day. In addition, note how sleepy you feel during the day when you drink caffeine or alcohol, and when you exercise.
Your healthcare provider will also perform a physical exam to determine if other medical problems are affecting your sleep.
In addition, your healthcare provider may recommend the following diagnostic tests
Sleep study: A sleep study checks for other sleep problems such as circadian rhythm disorders (also known as sleep-wake cycle disorders), sleep apnea (when your breathing starts and stops while you sleep), and narcolepsy (a disorder that causes extreme daytime sleepiness).
Actigraphy: Actigraphy tracks periods of rest and activity and measures how well you sleep.
Blood test: A blood test checks for thyroid problems or other medical conditions that can affect sleep.
Treatments for Insomnia
Treatments for Insomnia
Treatments for insomnia aim to help people fall asleep more easily and stay asleep throughout the night. Common approaches include:
Healthy Sleep and Lifestyle Habits
Adopting healthy sleep and lifestyle habits may make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. These habits include:
- Making your bedroom sleep-friendly
- Going to sleep and waking up around the same each day
- Avoiding caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol close to bedtime
- Getting regular physical activity during the day
- Avoiding naps
- Eating meals on a regular schedule
- Managing stress
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