Insomnia can seem like a scary and mysterious condition. And it is actually. No matter how we might want to make it seems like it is not. In fact Insomnia can lead to death if not quickly attended to at a very early stage. We all know that getting enough sleep is important for our mental health, our energy levels, and most importantly our ability to perform well in school and work the next day. Have you ever been in s shoe where you are not able to get some quality sleeps for quite some few days, you can remember how your body system feels right?
However, sleeping disorders are as common as they are misunderstood. According to the National Institute of Health, about 16 million American adults suffer from insomnia at some point in their lives. The numbers seems to be quite low right compared to the population of United States but now imagine what will the figure if all the country in the world is put into consideration.
It's difficult to imagine that such a common condition can feel so alienating and embarrassing at times! But while we may be tempted to dismiss insomnia as just one more thing that needs attention during the daytime hours, research continues to suggest that getting enough sleep isn't really as difficult as it seems. In fact, alleviating your nighttime woes might just be a matter of changing your habits and developing new ones.
What is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a condition characterized by difficulty in sleeping due to various reasons. It is not limited to certain age groups or individuals, be it kids or senior citizens. People of all ages can experience insomnia at some point in their lives. There are a number of different types of insomnia. The most common among the an estimated 41 million Americans who suffer from it are sleep-related body insomnia.
The causes of insomnia are endless and can be broken down into 3 main categories:
- Excessive daytime sleep - This is the most common reason for insomnia. People who struggle to sleep at night often have an inadequate amount of sleep due to a combination of factors. Growing up, one thing I always believed is that whenever you engage in excessive sleep during the day, it might be really difficult to get some sleep in the night. It turns out to be true.
Physical health - If a person is sleep-deprived, they are more likely to be underweight, have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or be abused or neglected.
Emotional health - People who struggle to sleep often have a low mood or are overthinking.
How to Stop Sleeping and Start Dreaming
When you don’t get enough sleep, your body’s natural response is to produce more endorphins to feel happy and soothing. This makes you feel addicted to painkillers, benzodiazepines, or other drugs meant to help you relax. This cycle of overthinking, nervousness, and pain is what prevents you from sleeping, even if you haven’t had a headache or AC-pounding headache in a while.
So, the first step to getting a better night’s sleep is to identify the root of your insomnia. Once you have identified what could be causing it, you can take steps to address the root cause.
What You Can Do to Overcome It
The first thing you need to do is identify what is keeping you awake. The most common reason is sleep deprivation. This is when you don’t get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Other reasons could include irregular sleeping habits (e.g., nocturnal sleepers), physical health issues (e.g., heart disease or diabetes), anxiety or stress, excess caffeine consumption, and even social obligations.
Once you have a list of possible factors, the next thing you should do is to make sure that you are getting the recommended amount of sleep. The Federal Trade Commission recommends getting at least 60 minutes of sleep each night- although you may be able to sleep for longer periods of time if you are experiencing polysomnographic (somnal) evidence of sleep. There are a number of medications and natural treatments that have been shown to be successful in relieving insomnia. However, each has advantages and disadvantages that must be weighed against each other.
(1). https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355167
(2). https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia
(3). https://www.healthline.com/health/insomnia
(4). https://www.everydayhealth.com/insomnia/guide/
(5). https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/insomnia-symptoms-and-causes