Insomnia is not a strange word. Everyone knows insomnia and some of them are experienced, even diagnose it. Keep in mind is a sleep disorder characterised by difficulty with falling asleep, staying asleep, and both. Experts estimate that between 1 in 10 and 1 in 3, people suffer from some degree of insomnia. Quite interesting, isn't it?
There are two types of insomnia, acute insomnia, and chronic insomnia. Acute insomnia describes sleep difficulties that last for a few days or weeks, but not longer than three months. Short-term insomnia can often be traced to an external cause or life stressors like the death of a loved one, divorce, or a major illness. On the other hand, chronic insomnia is when a person experience sleeping difficulties and related daytime symptoms, like sleepiness. It is estimated that about 10% to 15% of people have chronic insomnia.
There are several causes of chronic insomnia. The first one is the common one, stress. Concerns about work, school, health, finances, or family can keep your mind active at night, making it difficult to sleep. Stressful life events or trauma, such as the death or illness of a loved one.
The second one is travel or work schedule. Our circadian rhythms act as an internal clock or biological clock, guiding us such things as our sleep-wake cycle, and body temperature. Disrupting our body's circadian rhythms can lead to insomnia. This includes jet lag from traveling across multiple time zones and working late or early shift jobs.
Last but not least is poor sleep habits. Poor sleep habits include an irregular bedtime schedule, doing activities before bed, an uncomfortable sleep environment, and using your bed for work. The most common nowadays is using smartphones before sleep which can interfere with our sleep cycle.
Some of us probably asking, can my Insomnia be cured? Well, absolutely but it needs time. It may not be easy though, as curing insomnia often means improving our sleep hygiene and establishing habits that are more conducive to good sleep. Speaking of habits means routines to follow every day. However, there are some tips to prevent Insomnia.
Don't use smartphones or any screen before bed. The light from the screen can make it harder to fall asleep. Furthermore, go to sleep at the same time each night, and get up at the same time each morning. This small habit can lead to a sleeping routine.
Make a bedroom more comfortable. Dark, quiet, and not too warm or cold are the best standard for bedrooms. If a light is a problem, we can use a sleeping mask. if some noise from a neighbour or outside, earplugs can do a trick. Don't use a bed for anything other than sleep and sex.
Insomnia is a sleep disorder that can be cured by a hygiene routine. Mostly it causes bad habits and routines like using a smartphone before sleep. Working for achieving own dream is not prohibited, but it doesn't mean forgetting the healthy daily routine including sleep. Keep this in mind. Thank you for your time and as always have a nice day 😀.
References:
- Insomnia: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments | Sleep Foundation (2018). Available at: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia.
- When You Can’t Sleep: How to Treat Insomnia (2023). Available at: https://www.everydayhealth.com/insomnia/what-when-you-cant-sleep-all-about-insomnia-treatments/.
- Insomnia (2023). Available at: https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/insomnia-symptoms-and-causes.
- Insomnia - Symptoms and causes (2023). Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355167.
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