subject: Insomnia Cures: What Is Insomnia And Are There Any Decent Insomnia Treatments? [print this page] Insomnia relates to the inability to get to sleep even while you are fatigued, or a light, fitful slumber which leaves you worn out the next day. Individuals with this sleep problem will normally feel fatigue throughout the day caused by a lack of sleep and then probably will not manage to get to sleep at night, despite how tired they may be. If you suffer from sleeping disorders, you recognize what a vicious cycle it is.
Health professionals are not sure if insomnia is a symptom of another medical or emotional problem or if it really is a condition on it's own.
Typical indicators of insomnia can include:
- Unable to fall asleep quickly - Waking up too early and not having the ability to go back to sleep - Waking up multiple times throughout the night - Low energy during the day - Mild to severe headaches - Becoming easily irritated - Being able to sleep only by using sleeping pills
A number of insomniacs report that they are not able to sleep due to the fact that their mind is racing, even while they are exhausted. I know I have experienced many nights were my brain was going a mile a minute and rest would not arrive regardless of how weary I was. In this fast-paced world we reside in where so many people are multi-tasking and we all have long lists of unfinished to-do items, it's not out of the ordinary to go to bed with thoughts of all those incomplete tasks swirling around your head. Sadly, it can be sometimes difficult to push those thoughts aside so that you can relax for the night.
The toughest part of insomnia is being worn out and wanting to go to sleep and not being able to. Insomnia can go on for more than a few nights; if you have continual insomnia, you may be overly tired and may not be able to function at your full potential throughout your times of insomnia.
Even though insomnia usually is temporary it can go on for different time periods for different people. Transient insomnia lasts only for a few days, while short-term translates to a few weeks and chronic insomnia can go on for a month or even for a longer time (with around 3 sleepless nights per week).
Chronic sufferers can be either primary or secondary. Primary means that the principle complaint of the person is the insomnia itself. Secondary means the insomnia is actually caused by something else (medical or psychiatric ailments, psychological challenges or drugs).
Some factors that cause secondary insomnia include:
Sleep Apnea: a sleep problem where you have difficulty breathing which usually causes you to awaken frequently throughout the night; sufferers of sleep apnea typically have constant and loud snoring as well.
Restless Legs Syndrome: burning, itching, prickling or various unpleasant sensations in the legs, characteristically during the night, can be a big reason for sleeplessness for folks who are afflicted by RLS.
Night shifts: people who work the overnight shift frequently have problems going to sleep in the daytime; I have a number of family members that work night shifts and they never sleep as well or as long as those with typical daytime shifts.
Medical problems: many common health concerns, such as allergies, arthritis, hypertension, heart disease, ADD, and more, can cause insomnia.
Alcohol as well as drugs: ironically, the alcohol and drugs which many folks consume in an effort to help them sleep might actually cause insomnia.
Stress or other emotional conditions: people that are under a lot of pressure or who may have other psychological issues may suffer from insomnia.
As you can see, insomnia can be the result of a variety of factors and may be a consequence of health related conditions. Should you be having trouble sleeping for more than a few nights you should make an appointment with your doctor to ensure there aren't any underlying medical problems causing your sleeplessness.
