Insomnia Symptoms, Causes & Common Remedies
There are a lot of medical conditions out there that can lead to a decrease in your value of life. In terms of our modern world, insomnia is one of the best examples out there of a debilitating condition that requires medical attention and treatment to keep our lives rolling at the fast pace that we set for ourselves.
Looking to learn about insomnia and everything from symptoms to treatment? Want to know more about insomnia symptoms, causes, and common remedies? You’re in the right spot. From start to finish, this is your go-to place to learn about insomnia.
What is insomnia?
Insomnia is a medical condition where a person is unable to fall asleep, stay asleep, or get back to sleep when waking up in the middle of the night. It sounds pretty broad, and that’s because insomnia itself is pretty extensive. You’ll need to take a look at it in more detail (which we’ll talk about more below) to understand insomnia in its different forms and types.
One of the most interesting things about insomnia is understanding where it comes from. There are two primary insomnia causes to understand and learn about. The first (most common) cause of insomnia is from receiving bad news, or not being able to get a good night’s sleep before an exam or another big event just as a wedding. This insomnia is actually quite common, and it is short-lived. The cause is emotional distress or disruption.
The second in insomnia causes is from medical or chemical imbalances. For example, eating a lot of chocolate before bed can cause insomnia. Additionally, if you are on medications that have side effects of making you hyperactive, this is considered a medical imbalance. This less common cause of insomnia is most commonly thought to be longer-term than the first cause, but both can be short or long-term conditions.
Types of insomnia:
As mentioned briefly above, there are different types of insomnia to learn about. Here are the most common kinds with explanations on understanding the differences between them:
- Transient insomnia: As the name suggests, this kind of insomnia is short-lived, and it will come and go depending on the trigger. Sufferers may not be able to fall asleep. Or they may wake up earlier in the morning and be drowsy throughout the day., For someone who deals with this kind of a condition, the cause is pretty easy to find and usually is a change in life such as a new school or job that interrupts your natural schedule.
- Acute insomnia: This kind of insomnia is often caused by the same triggers as the one up above, but it lasts longer. While transient insomnia lasts for a week at the most, acute insomnia can last up to a month. Those suffering from it may not be able to get to sleep, have difficulty sleeping through the night, or wake up earlier than planned.
- Chronic insomnia: One of the more severe types of insomnia, this is a long term kind of insomnia that can last anywhere from a few nights to a life-long condition. The causes of this kind of insomnia are different and more profound in a person’s mind, which is part of why it can be a long-term kind of condition. Common causes of this kind of insomnia are a conditioned negative response to bedtime, head injuries, or other medical conditions.
- Sleep hygiene insomnia: Another specialized kind of insomnia, this is thought to be one of the most common types of insomnia. Someone who has this kind of insomnia is dealing with it due to something in their environment. Perhaps it is a too-cold room or a too-warm room or a bed that is uncomfortable. This is often resolved soon after the situational change is made as needed.
- Comorbid insomnia: While the name sounds terrifying, this kind of insomnia pops up for people who have other medical conditions that, necessarily, cause or worsen insomnia. Common medical conditions include anxiety, depression, and more. The medications or the conditions themselves can cause insomnia to appear and make these medical conditions worse, which, in turn, makes insomnia worse. It can be a vicious cycle.
Common symptoms of insomnia:
While we’ve spoken a lot about the various kinds of insomnia, understanding insomnia symptoms are also important to help deal with the condition as well as recognizing it so that you can get treatment if and when it is needed. Some common examples include:
- feeling drowsy when waking up in the morning
- difficulty in paying attention or retaining new information at work or school
- poor motor skills and reduced response time
- a sudden drop in work performance as well as a lack of interest in the job to be done
- changes in mood as well as increased in frustration
As the definition of insomnia, these are all broad symptoms, but they can cause all sorts of problems, both short- and long-term in our lives. If you notice these insomnia symptoms in yourself, it may be a sign that you are living with some form of insomnia.
Remedies and solutions for insomnia:
If you want to know how to cure insomnia and find realistic insomnia remedies that are going to work for your life, you’ll find some high starting points here to help you get an idea of where to look for some help and support. Here are some great things to take a look at for how to cure insomnia:
- Change in lifestyle: Try to exercise more and eat right. This will help you regulate your sleep schedule to make sure that you are nicely tired when you are ready to go to bed. This will help you to make sure that you have the best chance possible of getting to sleep and staying asleep as well.
- Sleep aids: There are options to help you to get to sleep, such as anti-histamines and melatonin options. For those who are looking to short-term insomnia remedies, this can be helpful for taking the edge off. However, it isn’t recommended long-term as a solution for insomnia.
- Cognitive therapy: When understanding where the cause of insomnia is, treatment can be a great way to learn how to get to sleep and treat the underlying issues at the same time.
Insomnia is a severe condition, and with insomnia remedies, you can treat it to move on with your life. Education is vital, after all, so now it’s up to you to decide what you want to do with it and how you can use it to better your life.
Sources: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/
