So many people suffer from insomnia these days that hundreds of books and research papers have been written on this topic. Still, not many people know all the facts about insomnia. Insomnia refers to the problem of poor quality sleep due to a number of reasons.
Its cause could be any of the following:
- difficulty in falling asleep,
- waking up during the night frequently and not falling asleep quickly,
- waking up too early or
- Sleeping without feeling refreshed the next day.
Insomnia could be triggered by different factors and could affect people differently. In addition, it could last for just a few nights or be chronic and last for more than a month. Whatever be the case, a problem has to be addressed the moment it is detected. This article discusses some important facts about insomnia like its causes, the diagnosis and its treatment.
People with advanced age suffer from sleeplessness frequently. In addition, women are more prone to this condition than men are. A history of depression could also be a reason behind losing sleep. Moreover, if other additional conditions like stress, use of certain medications and a medical problem are added to the above conditions, sleeplessness becomes highly likely. Other facts about insomnia include noise, extreme temperature, jet lags, change in the environment, and side effects of medicines.
One of the most well known truths about insomnia is that it could be triggered by a disrupted sleep wake cycle. Chronic stress, physical or mental disorders, substance abuse and excessive afternoon napping could also contribute to the problem. Not only do these issues prolong a person's restlessness but may also be the cause behind insomnia in the first place. Doctors can diagnose the problem by checking a person's medical and sleep history. The amount he sleeps everyday and the quality of his sleep will be deduced from questionnaires filled by the patient and his sleeping partner.
For people suffering from this dreaded problem, the chief facts about insomnia relate to the treatment. There are many types of treatments available for different types of the problem. For people who have short-term sleeplessness, there is no need of medicine as the body's biological clock takes care of the disrupted sleep cycle on its own. However, if the person is suffering from chronic wakefulness, sleeping pills may be prescribed. Sleeping pills are not always very safe and it is always better to consult the doctors before buying these medicines. Doctors also look into the psychological causes behind insomnia, use relaxation, and sleep reduction therapy to treat the condition.
We provide information on the facts about
insomnia along with information on sleep deprivation
effects and other sleeping disorders.