3. Definition of insomnia:
It is a common sleep disorder in adults and
means either difficulty falling asleep or
staying asleep for enough hours, even
despite the availability of a good
environment and the right time. People with
insomnia often feel dissatisfied with enough
sleep, and many people may go through it
and it often goes away without the need for
treatment. Many people think that insomnia
is normal with the pressures of life, but it is
important to take it seriously because it is
closely related to physical health.
4. Types of insomnia
In fact, there are three main types of insomnia,
which are as follows:
1. Acute insomnia
The following are characteristics of acute
insomnia:
Acute insomnia ends with a period of time not
exceeding a month, as insomnia ends with the end
of the condition that causes it or adaptation to its
existence.
It is referred to as the adaptive type.
This type occurs in stressful circumstances, such
as:
working in a new job, or the approaching test date.t
5. It ends in a very short period of time, not exceeding a
week.
Transient insomnia occurs as a result of exposure to
other diseases or certain conditions, such as:
changing the living environment, feeling stressed, or
depressed from certain circumstances.
3. Chronic insomnia
Chronic insomnia has distinctive characteristics, the
most important of which are:
Chronic insomnia lasts for a long period of time,
more than a month.
Chronic insomnia is related to the presence of other
diseases or psychological conditions that cause it
6. Common causes of chronic
insomnia include:
+ stress. Worries about work, school, health, money or family can keep
your mind busy at night and make it difficult to fall asleep.
+travel or work schedule. Your circadian rhythm acts as an internal clock,
guiding things like your sleep-wake cycle, metabolism, and body
temperature. Disruption of the circadian rhythm may lead to insomnia
such as working late or early, or working schedules that are constantly
changing.
+ bad sleeping habits. Poor sleep habits include an irregular sleep
schedule, napping, stimulating activities before bed, an uncomfortable
sleep environment, and using bed to work, eat, or watch TV. Using
computers, televisions, video games, smartphones or other screens right
before bed can interfere with your sleep cycle.
+ Eating a lot late at night. It's okay to have a snack before bed, but
eating a large amount of food can make you feel physically uncomfortable
while lying down. Many people also experience heartburn, which is the
backflow of acid and food from the stomach into the esophagus after
eating, which can keep you awake
7. Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. Coffee, tea,
cola and other caffeinated beverages are
stimulants. Taking them in the late afternoon
or evening can keep you from sleeping at
night. The nicotine in tobacco products is
another stimulant that can interfere with
sleep. Alcohol may help you sleep, but it
prevents entry into the deeper stages of
sleep, often causing awakenings in the
middle of the night.
8. Risk Groups
• A high rate of insomnia is seen in middle-aged
and older adults. Although your individual sleep
need does not change as you age, physical
problems can make it more difficult to sleep well.
• Women are more likely than men to develop
insomnia.
• People who have a medical or psychiatric
illness, including depression, are at
risk for insomnia.
• People who use medications may experience
insomnia as a side-effect.
9. Effects
• Fatigue
• Moodiness
• Irritability or anger
• Daytime sleepiness
• Anxiety about sleep
• Lack of concentration
• Poor Memory
• Poor quality performance at school or work
• Lack of motivation or energy
• Headaches or tension
• Upset stomach
• Mistakes/accidents at work or while driving
Severe
with insomnia. People with insomnia often underestimate the amount of
sleep they get each night. They worry that their inability to sleep will
affect their health and keep them from functioning well during the day.
Often, however, they are able to perform well during the day despite
feeling tired.
daytime sleepiness typically is an effect of sleep deprivation and is less
common
10. Treatments
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT can have
beneficial effects that last well beyond the end of
treatment. It involves combinations of the following
therapies:
o Cognitive therapy: Changing attitudes and beliefs
that hinder your sleep
o Relaxation training: Relaxing your mind and body
o Sleep hygiene training: Correcting bad habits that
contribute to poor sleep
o Sleep restriction: Severely limiting and then
gradually increasing your time in bed
o Stimulus control: Going to bed only when sleepy,
waking at the same time daily, leaving the bed when
unable to sleep, avoiding naps, using the bed only
for
sleep and sex
11. Over-the-counter products:
Most of these sleep aids contain antihistamine. They can help
you sleep better, but they also may cause severe daytime
sleepiness. Other products, including herbal supplements, have
little evidence to support their effectiveness.
• Prescription sleeping pills:
Prescription hypnotics can improve sleep when supervised by a
physician. The traditional sleeping pills are benzodiazepine
receptor agonists, which are typically prescribed for only short-
term use. Newer sleeping pills are nonbenzodiazepines, which
may pose fewer risks and may be effective for longer-term use.
• Unapproved prescription drugs:
Drugs from a variety of classes have been used to treat insomnia
without FDA approval. Antidepressants such as trazodone are
commonly prescribed for insomnia. Others include
anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, barbiturates and nonhypnotic
benzodiazepines. Many of these medications involve a significant
level of risk.
12. Can Sleep Medications Help?
Sleep medications can help you fall asleep and feel
more alert the next day. Sleeping pills are not a
cure for insomnia and may mask problems that
arise from another disorder. For example, sleeping
pills may temporarily reduce extended wake
periods that are caused by sleep apnea’s repeated
awakenings. For these and other reasons,
insomnia needs to be properly diagnosed and
treatment options discussed with a healthcare
professional before treatment with medications is
undertaken. There are a variety of sleep
medications, including some that can be purchased
over the counter without a prescription, each with
advantages and disadvantages.
13. Sleep medications may help with sleep disturbances in
the following conditions:
Jet lag. Flying across several time zones can trigger
both insomnia and daytime sleepiness. It may take
several days for your body to adjust to time zone
changes. Appropriately timed use of a sleep medication
may help reduce jet lag.
Shift work. Shift workers sometimes find sleep
medications improve their ability to sleep during the
day or to adjust to a period when shifts are changing.
Acute insomnia or predictable stress. Sleep
medications may prevent long term sleep problems by
helping people get through stressful times or who are
experiencing a brief (acute) episode of insomnia.
Chronic insomnia. Sleeping medications are used to
treat chronic insomnia, although they are currently
approved for use over relatively brief periods like 4
weeks
14. Good Sleep Hygiene
Sleep hygiene refers to a set of sleep conditions,
behaviors and habits that can potentially
contribute to good or to poor sleep. Although it is
seldom the case that just improving a few sleep
hygiene items is the final answer to insomnia, it is
often a good starting place. Here are some tips
for how you can improve your sleep hygiene:
1. Don’t go to bed unless you are sleepy. If you
are not sleepy at bedtime, then do something
else that is not too stimulating and is somewhat
relaxing.
2. Begin rituals that help you relax each night
before bed. This can include such things as a
warm bath, light snack, gentle stretching or a few
minutes of reading.
15. 3-Get up at the same time every morning. Do this
even on weekends and holidays.
4. Avoid taking naps if you can. If you must take a
nap, try to keep it short (less than one hour). Never
take a nap after 3 p.m.
5. Keep a regular schedule. Regular times for
meals, medications, chores, and other activities
help keep the inner body clock running smoothly.
6. Avoid caffeine after early afternoon.
7. Avoid alcohol within 2-4 hours of your bedtime.
8. Avoid nicotine before bedtime.
9. Do not go to bed hungry, but don’t eat a big meal
near bedtime either. 10. Avoid vigorous exercise
within 4-6 hours of your bedtime.
11. Make your bedroom quiet, dark, and a little bit
cool.
