Did you know that a staggering 30% of the population are affected by insomnia each year? So it's quite possible that you, or someone you know is suffering from insomnia or sleep disorder. Every reason for insomnia will vary between everyone, but can be categorised in 3 ways: psychological, physical issues and also short term change. If you are able to identify the reason for your insomnia then you are a step closer to finding a solution for it too.
Number 1: Physical
An easy cause to identify for insomnia is the physical aspect. There could be anything wrong with your body, which is leading to your sleeping problem. Sleep Apnea is one of the most common reasons for a person's insomnia. The condition Sleep Apnea is where you constantly stop breathing for a short time while you are sleeping. Often this will result in the person waking up during the night or at other time the sufferer will just a very un-restful sleep. Both these condition will give you the symptoms of insomnia. Another common reason for insomnia is physical pain. If you have difficulty falling asleep or have trouble staying asleep due to physical pain somewhere in your body, then you have insomnia caused by physical pain.
Yet another reason for insomnia is decreased Melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that is need for the sleeping process in humans. As people age, we produce less and less Melatonin. Women will also go through insomnia due to other hormonal changes such as pregnancy, menopause and menstrual cycle. More physical causes of insomnia are from using drugs. Using caffeine, nicotine and alcohol can also be other causes of insomnia. If someone stops the use of addictive drugs like cocaine, tobacco, caffeine and amphetamines etc, there will be a very high chance that they will suffer from a withdrawal insomnia. This is just a temporary insomnia though, and if you are able to cure your addiction from these, the insomnia is probably worth going through.
Number 2: Psychological
For those that suffer from Depression and Anxiety sleeping difficulties can be long term. It is well known the Depression is the leading cause of chronic insomnia. The majority of those diagnosed with Depression report that insomnia is a condition also. Anxiety makes intuitive sense as a cause for insomnia also. When one suffers from Anxiety, your body is in a heightened sense or awareness due to the increased heart rate. No wonder sufferers find sleeping difficult when all your body is doing is wondering whether to fight or flight. Insomnia is also caused due to stress. It is worth consulting your physician to prescribe some form of anti-depressant which should help to elevate the effects of insomnia. Some though, are known to cause insomnia, so make sure you talk in detail with your health professional and let them know all your symptoms.
Number 3: short term changes in lifestyle
Short term changes in your lifestyle may also be another reason for insomnia. You may not realise it, but even a small change in your environment can upset your quality of sleep. One major cause for insomnia, is travel. Constantly being in an unfamiliar situation when traveling will cause you to have difficulty in sleeping. Of course Jet lag is yet another of the travel related reasons for insomnia. A lot of people can hardly stay awake when jet lagged, while others find it almost impossible to get to sleep. Short term stress will also affect the quality of an individuals sleep. When someone worries about things, it is very easy for you to lose sleep. Short term change can easily be reversed within a day or two once you take away that reason for your inability to sleep in the first place. Once you get into a familiar environment like your own bedroom, and back into a regular routing you find it much easier to get yourself a good night's sleep again.
If you are not wanting to take over the counter or prescription medication to help you sleep, then it is a good idea to seek out a natural remedy to aid your sleep. These can be used over a longer period and are much safer than sleeping pills and other drugs on the market.
Naturally, if you are not able to get a good night's sleep after a prolonged period of time, then you really must consult your doctor or natural therapist for further help.
Stopping insomnia
No comments:
Post a Comment