Insomnia is a sleep disorder which impacts millions of people across the world. The problems with insomnia can make day-to-day living an issue, as people are not allowed to fall or stay asleep. The repercussions of insomnia extend to one’s personal and professional life due to insufficient rest. It is therefore detrimental as it impacts a person both mentally and physically, leading to irritability, anxiety and mood swings.
In this article we will discuss what insomnia is, the side effects and ways how you can relieve yourself of it. First off, it is important to highlight that there may be many triggers of insomnia, which is why it may be difficult to pinpoint why one suffers from it. According to research, between thirty to forty percent of Americans experience insomnia annually. Insomnia may be triggered by causes related to illness, lifestyle, psychological issues, medications and hormones. The treatment for such causes of insomnia may be tackled either by changing your behavioural patterns or taking prescribed medication.
As indicated earlier, insomnia can be due to both physical and psychological issues. Insomnia can come about due to changes in altitudes, job shifts and jet lag. It may also be brought about by psychological disorders such as bipolarity, depression and anxiety. There may be other physical factors such as heart problems, angina, asthma, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, which can all be contributors of insomnia.
Research also indicates that our devices may be to blame. Using your smartphone or watching television before you go to bed might increase the time it takes to sleep. The symptoms of insomnia include difficulty to fall asleep, waking up during the night at periodical intervals, waking earlier than you need to, still feel exhausted after a night’s sleep which leads to fatigue during the day, thus followed by frustration, anger and depression. People with insomnia are recorded to have more difficulty concentrating on certain tasks.
There are different types of insomnia. Transient insomnia is the least problematic where symptoms last up to three nights. Acute insomnia, more commonly known as short-term insomnia can extend to a number of weeks, whilst chronic insomnia can take years.
So what can be done to fight insomnia?
First off one would need to adopt healthy sleeping patterns by avoiding electronics before going to bed. Ideally, you will need to determine the cause of it to be able to solve the problem. Talking to a specialist maybe an important part of your process to overcome insomnia. Once you understand what is causing the insomnia, you can then solve it and return to your normal sleeping patterns.
