Do you know an estimated 30-50% of the general population is suffering from insomnia? Although insomnia is noticed in all age groups, older adults especially women are more prone for this condition.
Insomnia is not a disease, but it is a symptom.
Difficulty in maintaining or initiating sleep or both is termed as insomnia.
Most of us have experienced insomnia at least one time or another in our lifetime.
Many of us don't know about the medical and behavioral options available to treat insomnia.
Causes of Insomnia Causes of Insomnia include psychological problems and physiological conditions.
The common psychological problems for insomnia are depression, stress, and anxiety, whereas physiological reasons vary from sleep-wake imbalance, circadian rhythm disorders, to a variety of medical situations.
A pineal gland secretion called melatonin found to be reduced, as you get older.
The main function of the melatonin is to help your body regulate your sleep-wake cycles.
Low melatonin level also may also lead to insomnia.
Symptoms of insomnia People suffering from insomnia usually complain of difficulty falling asleep.
Mental illness and depression are noticed in the individuals of insomnia.
Other symptoms include irritability and impaired social interaction, impaired motor coordination, difficulty in memory, and poor focus and concentration.
Most of us don't know when to contact our physician for this condition.
It is high time to get into your doctor's clinic if it interferes with your daytime activities such as impaired motor concentration or lasts longer than four weeks.
As we discussed earlier, Insomnia may be a symptom of another psychological or medical problem that requires immediate attention.
Diagnosis of Insomnia Diagnosis is mainly based on your medical history.
The physician will subject you to undergo different tests to rule out physiological illness.
The common tests used to diagnosis insomnia are overnight sleep test (Polysomnogram), a 2-week dairy of your sleep-wake periods, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and Actigraphy.
Treatment of insomnia If you're suffering from insomnia of medical illness, your treatment will be focused on your underlying condition.
Alternative therapy for insomnia includes limiting time in bed to regular sleep hours, controlling stimulation (evening exercise or caffeine ingestion), and using relaxation therapy.
For the treatment of insomnia medications directed toward a specific sleep-disrupting reason may also be taken into account.
Even you can seek the medical advice for short-term use (2-3 weeks) of sleeping pills for chronic insomnia.
Although sedative-hypnotic drugs find no cure for insomnia, it relieves the symptoms of insomnia for short duration.
There are certain drugs used for individuals who wake up after initially falling asleep.
Following your doctor's advice might help you to relieve from the symptom of insomnia as early as possible.
Don't lose your hope if you have not achieved desired results from a single medication because you will have more than one option for treating this condition.
You may be required to provide your doctor feedback after you have followed a treatment regimen.
Prevention You can prevent the occurrence of insomnia by limiting the naps less than 15 minutes during day time, adopting relaxing activity such as reading or listening to soothing music, and avoiding large meals.
Reducing the use of stimulants including nicotine and caffeine, avoiding strenuous exercise before bedtime and excessive fluid intake.
Prognosis Prognosis from insomnia solely depends on the type of insomnia you are suffering from.
Your prognosis is grave if you are suffering from coexisting medical conditions of chronic pain syndromes and heart failure.
Insomnia of jet lag will generally clear up within few days on its own.