Everyone has trouble falling asleep now and again. However, if this occurs on a regular basis, you may have insomnia. Not getting a good night's sleep over a period of time can lead to health problems. There are many reasons why insomnia can occur. If you are having trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep, talk to your doctor and learn all you can about your condition. This will allow you to play an active role in your care so you can avoid complications.
Identification
If you have insomnia, it means that you cannot fall asleep, have difficulty staying asleep or wake feeling unrefreshed. You may also experience daytime fatigue and mood swings and have trouble concentrating. This can be temporary and happen occasionally or it can become a constant problem. If you experience this condition for one month or longer, then your insomnia is considered chronic, according to the National Sleep Foundation. In most cases, insomnia does not occur every night. You may find that you go through periods when you have difficulty sleeping mixed with periods when you do sleep.
Function of Sleep
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, getting adequate sleep is essential to your physical and mental health. There are five different stages of sleep. Stages one through four and rapid eye movement (REM), and you rotate through these cycles throughout the night. Stage one is a very light sleep. Your brain waves continue to slow down and sleep becomes deeper as you move through stages two through four. You then switch into REM sleep, when your brain and body become more active and dreams can be vivid. It takes approximately 90 to 110 minutes to go through all these cycles, and then it starts over again. Your body needs to go through all these cycles to get a good night's rest. Infants should get about 16 hours of sleep a day, teenagers should get about nine, and adults need seven to eight hours of sleep every night.
Warnings
Over time, not enough sleep or being deprived of one of the sleep cycles can lead to memory problems and an inability of the nervous system to function properly. Severe cases can lead to hallucinations and mood swings. Children and young adults release growth hormones during deep sleep cycles. In adults, the REM period gives areas of the brain that are active when you are awake a chance to shut down and rest. During REM sleep, the part of the brain that helps you retain material you have learned is stimulated. Without the right amount and type of sleep, your body can become run down. Over long periods, insomnia can contribute to chronic disease or make symptoms you already have worse.
Causes
The Mayo Clinic states that insomnia can occur if you have a painful medical condition that wakes you up at night; a form of sleep apnea; or a condition such as restless leg syndrome or incontinence, which makes it hard to relax at night. Some over-the-counter and prescription medications can cause insomnia as a side effect. Feeling stressed, anxious, depressed or worried can interrupt a good night's sleep. A change in work habits, schedule or social activities can throw off your body's normal rhythm.
Before you can adequately treat your insomnia, you must identify the underlying cause or situation. Your doctor can perform a physical exam, run tests and order a sleep study to help determine what is wrong.
Treatment
Try to develop good sleeping habits. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests going to bed and getting up at the same time every day so your body gets into a sleep pattern. However, if you are not tired or cannot fall asleep, get out of bed and try reading or another activity to occupy your mind. Find a way to relax before bedtime, such as a hot bath, yoga or a relaxation technique. Only stay in bed for sleep and intimacy with your partner. Cut back on heavy meals, alcohol, caffeine and smoking several hours before bedtime. If these techniques do not work, you can meet with a sleep specialist, who will help you identify the triggers that are interrupting your sleep and teach you how to deal with them.
