Insomnia is a medical condition that can be characterized as having difficulty sleeping, particularly at night. It is one of the most common diseases that many people experience today due to a lot of factors such as stress, unhealthy eating habit and lifestyle, mental disorders, and so much more. This article will help you understand insomnia, what it really is, why it happens, what are its treatment and home remedies, and how to prevent it.

The Definition
Insomnia is a disorder that can make it hard to fall asleep, hard to stay asleep, or both. With insomnia, you usually awaken feeling unrefreshed, which takes a toll on your ability to function during the day. Insomnia can sap not only your energy level and mood but also your health, work performance and quality of life.

How much sleep is enough varies from person to person. Most adults need seven to eight hours a night. Many adults experience insomnia at some point, but some people have long-term (chronic) insomnia. You don’t have to put up with sleepless nights. Simple changes in your daily habits can help.

The Causes
Common causes of insomnia include:

 

·    Stress. Concerns about work, school, health or family can keep your mind active at night, making it difficult to sleep. Stressful life events, such as the death or illness of a loved one, divorce or a job loss, may lead to insomnia.

·    Anxiety. Everyday anxieties as well as more-serious anxiety disorders may disrupt your asleep.

·    Depression. You might either sleep too much or have trouble sleeping if you’re depressed. This may be due to chemical imbalances in your brain or because worries that accompany depression may keep you from relaxing enough to fall asleep. Insomnia often accompanies other mental health disorders as well.

·    Medications. Many prescription drugs can interfere with sleep, including some antidepressants, heart and blood pressure medications, allergy medications, stimulants (such as Ritalin) and corticosteroids.

·    Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. Coffee, tea, cola and other caffeine-containing drinks are well-known stimulants. Drinking coffee in the late afternoon and later can keep you from falling asleep at night. Nicotine in tobacco products is another stimulant that can cause insomnia. Alcohol is a sedative that may help you fall asleep, but it prevents deeper stages of sleep and often causes you to awaken in the middle of the night.

·    Medical conditions. If you have chronic pain, breathing difficulties or a need to urinate frequently, you might develop insomnia. Conditions linked with insomnia include arthritis, cancer, heart failure, lung disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), overactive thyroid, stroke, Parkinson disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Making sure that your medical conditions are well treated may help with your insomnia. If you have arthritis, for example, taking a pain reliever before bed may help you sleep better.

·    Change in your environment or work schedule. Travel or working a late or early shift can disrupt your body’s circadian rhythms, making it difficult to sleep. Your circadian rhythms act as internal clocks, guiding such things as your sleep-wake cycle, metabolism and body temperature.

·    Poor sleep habits. Habits that help promote good sleep are called sleep hygiene. Poor sleep hygiene includes an irregular sleep schedule, stimulating activities before bed, an uncomfortable sleep environment and use of your bed for activities other than sleep or sex.

·    ‘Learned’ insomnia. This may occur when you worry excessively about not being able to sleep well and try too hard to fall asleep. Most people with this condition sleep better when they’re away from their usual sleep environment or when they don’t try to sleep, such as when they’re watching TV or reading.

·    Eating too much late in the evening. Having a light snack before bedtime is OK, but eating too much may cause you to feel physically uncomfortable while lying down, making it difficult to get to sleep. Many people also experience heartburn, a backflow of acid and food from the stomach into the esophagus after eating. This uncomfortable feeling may keep you awake.

Signs and Symptoms
Insomnia symptoms may include:

 

·    Difficulty falling asleep at night

·    Awakening during the night

·    Awakening too early

·    Not feeling well rested after a night’s sleep

·    Daytime fatigue or sleepiness

·    Irritability, depression or anxiety

·    Difficulty paying attention or focusing on tasks

·    Increased errors or accidents

·    Tension headaches

·    Gastrointestinal symptoms

·    Ongoing worries about sleep

 

Treatment
Changing your sleep habits and addressing any underlying causes of insomnia can restore restful sleep for many people. Good sleep hygiene — simple steps such as keeping the same bedtime and arising time — promotes sound sleep and daytime alertness. If these measures don’t work, your doctor may recommend medications to help with relaxation and sleep.

Behavioral treatments teach you new sleep behaviors and ways to improve your sleeping environment. Behavior therapies are equally or more effective than are sleep medications. Behavior therapies are generally recommended as the first line of treatment for people with insomnia.

Alternative Remedies
Many people never visit their doctor for insomnia, and instead try to cope with sleeplessness on their own. Several therapies that may be helpful include:

 

·    Melatonin. This over-the-counter supplement is marketed as a way to help overcome insomnia. Your body naturally produces melatonin, releasing it into your bloodstream in increasing amounts starting at dusk and tapering off toward the morning.

·    Valerian. This is another dietary supplement that’s sold as a sleep aid because it has a mildly sedating effect. But, this supplement hasn’t been well studied. In addition, this product has been associated with liver damage in some people, though it’s not clear if valerian was the cause of the damage. The recommended dose of valerian is 400 to 900 mg daily with an extract containing 0.4 to 0.6 percent of valerenic acid.

·    Acupuncture. During an acupuncture session, a practitioner places numerous thin needles in your skin at specific points on your body. There’s some evidence that this practice may be beneficial for people with insomnia.

Prevention
No matter what your age, insomnia usually is treatable. The key often lies in changes to your routine during the day and when you go to bed. Try these tips:

 

·    Stick to a sleep schedule. Keep your bedtime and wake time consistent from day to day, including on weekends.

·    Get out of bed when you’re not sleeping. Sleep as much as needed to feel rested, and then get out of bed. If you can’t sleep, get out of bed after 20 minutes and do something relaxing, such as reading.

·    Avoid trying to sleep. The harder you try, the more awake you’ll become. Read or watch television in another room until you become very drowsy, then go to bed to sleep.

·    Use your bed and bedroom only for sleeping or sex. Don’t read, watch TV, work or eat in bed.

·    Find ways to relax. A warm bath before bedtime can help prepare you for sleep. Having your partner give you a massage also may help relax you. Create a relaxing bedtime ritual, such as reading, soft music, breathing exercises, yoga or prayer.

·    Avoid or limit naps. Naps can make it harder to fall asleep at night. If you can’t get by without one, try to limit a nap to no more than 30 minutes and don’t nap after 3 p.m.

·    Make your bedroom comfortable for sleep. Close your bedroom door or create a subtle background noise, such as a running fan, to help drown out other noises. Keep your bedroom temperature comfortable, usually cooler than during the day, and dark. Don’t keep a computer or TV in your bedroom.

·    Exercise and stay active. Get at least 20 to 30 minutes of vigorous exercise daily at least five to six hours before bedtime.

·    Avoid or limit caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. Caffeine after lunchtime and using nicotine can keep you from falling asleep at night. Alcohol, while it may initially make you feel sleepy, can cause unrestful sleep and frequent awakenings.

·    Avoid large meals and beverages before bed. A light snack is fine, but eating too much late in the evening can interfere with sleep. Drink less before bedtime so that you won’t have to urinate as often.