Insomnia the Sleep Disorder
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What is Insomnia?
You keep rolling over in bed staring at the clock. Will you ever get to sleep? The more you worry the less chance of getting any shut eye.
If this happens frequently you may have insomnia.
Insomnia is a condition or a symptom of a sleep disorder. It's characteristics are being unable to fall asleep and to be unable to remain asleep. It can't be quantified by how much sleep one gets, it is more important to consider the quality of the sleep. There are cures available such as medicinal and behavioral changes.
Types of Insomnia
- Transient insomnia lasts about one week
- One to three weeks are considered short term
- Anything longer than that is considered chronic insomnia
Consequences of insomnia
If you don't get enough sleep the consequences can be be dire. In small children there may be learning disabilities. A lack of sleep for adults can increase the chances of depression or anxiety related illness which might lead to drug or alcohol abuse. Problem solving can become increasingly difficult without proper sleep and your memory will also be effected.One of the leading causes of car accidents is drivers who are too tired to properly drive a car. After so many hours of being awake the effect is the same as someone who is legally intoxicated.
Cognitive Behavior Treatment for Insomnia
Insomnia cures
Cognitive Behavior Treatment is often used when dealing with Insomnia. The therapist and the patient work carefully to determine what is the root cause of the insomnia. This can be done through sleep diaries, questionaires and clinical interviews.
Treatment will be focused on the information that is gathered. Through therapy sessions the patient will be shown ways to change thier behavior that is the source of their insomnia. Relaxation training will also be given
Treatment will be focused on the information that is gathered. Through therapy sessions the patient will be shown ways to change thier behavior that is the source of their insomnia. Relaxation training will also be given
CBT treatment for insomnia
Overcoming Insomnia: A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Approach Workbook (Treatments That Work)
Amazon Price: $18.43 (as of 02/13/2012)
Tips on getting to sleep
If you lie in bed and try to go to sleep and you can't, don't worry about it, worrying will only make it worse.
Don't eat a lot before you go to bed or drink anything with caffeine in it. But you don't want to go to bed on an empty stomach either.
Make sure your room is dark and quiet so it will be conducive to sleep.
Regular exercise is good advice for anyone. Just make sure that you wait a few hours after exercising before going to bed.
Don't eat a lot before you go to bed or drink anything with caffeine in it. But you don't want to go to bed on an empty stomach either.
Make sure your room is dark and quiet so it will be conducive to sleep.
Regular exercise is good advice for anyone. Just make sure that you wait a few hours after exercising before going to bed.
Medicinal treatments for Insomnia
There is insomnia medication to help fight this disorder. However many of these can cause dependency side effects. Over the counter sleeping pills and sedatives should especially be used with care because of the side effects. CBT seems to be the preferred method of treatment. 5 stages of sleep
What occurs when you sleep? Is sleep just one constant pattern all night? No, there are five stages of sleep. The first four stages are considered nonREM and the last stage is REM sleeping.- The first stage is between wakefulness and light sleep. It lasts only a few minutes.
- The heart rate slows and body temperature lowers during the second stage. Brain waves known as sleep spindles begin to occur.
- The third stage is where light sleep becomes deep sleep. The brain waves become deep and slow at this stage.
- Stage 4 is a deep sleep that only lasts for 30 minutes. The brain waves are very deep and slow.
- REM is stage five. In this stage dreams occur. The brain activity is increased and the body's muscles are relaxed. Breathing becomes shallow and deep. There is rapid eye movement. This is the stage that Sleep Apnea patients never get to.
The body will go through these stages about 4 to 5 times a night. Although not always in the same order
Sleep-Onset Association Disorder
A sleep disorder that affects children
Insomnia can start at an early age when a child isn't taught how to go to sleep by itself. If the child continues to rely on it's parents to fall asleep whether at night or at bedtime it will become increasingly difficult to correct this. This is called Sleep-Onset Association Disorder.
Often the parent will try to allow the child to go to sleep by itself only to give in when the child starts to cry or calls out for it's mommy or daddy. If the parent doesn't give in the child will eventually learn to fall asleep.
Another problem is when the child wakes in the middle of the night. Unlike an adult who awakens in the middle of the night and goes back to bed, the child will become frightened if he/she isn't taught to learn to sleep on its own.
Often the parent will try to allow the child to go to sleep by itself only to give in when the child starts to cry or calls out for it's mommy or daddy. If the parent doesn't give in the child will eventually learn to fall asleep.
Another problem is when the child wakes in the middle of the night. Unlike an adult who awakens in the middle of the night and goes back to bed, the child will become frightened if he/she isn't taught to learn to sleep on its own.
Sleep Products
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Melatonin and insomnia
The hormone Melatonin has been found to be useful in the treatment of insomnia. As we get older we produce less melatonin so more is needed for a good night's sleep.
Insomnia and stress
Insomnia and stress can be evil partners in preventing you from getting your rest. Being under stress all the time can definitely cause insomnia. On the other hand insomnia can make everyday stress hard to handle. Usually if you treat one then the other will be more manageable.
Sleep State Misperception
The condition called Sleep State Misperception is when the insomnia sufferer either overestimates or underestimated the amount of time they sleep. Positive sleep state misperception occurs when someone over estimates how much sleep they have had and negative sleep state misperception is the opposite when a patient under estimates how much sleep they have had.
If the patient complains of lack of sleep, they feel that their overall general health will improve if they get more sleep. But their sleep study indicates that they get more sleep than they think.
Lack of sleep in positive sleep state misperception can also be caught during a sleep study.
If the patient complains of lack of sleep, they feel that their overall general health will improve if they get more sleep. But their sleep study indicates that they get more sleep than they think.
Lack of sleep in positive sleep state misperception can also be caught during a sleep study.
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Middle of the night insomnia
If you wake up in the middle of the night and are unable to go back asleep you may be suffering from Middle of the night insomnia. This is sometimes referred as nocturnal awakening.
Sleep related Lenses
Insomnia information from Google
- New Center for Sleep Disorders opens at UMC
- The center will treat a variety of sleep problems including sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, circadian rhythm disorder, hypersomnia and restless leg syndrome. The center mainly screens patients for sleep apnea, said Sicily La Rue, lead sleep ...
- Good Night, Sleep Tight, Breathe Right
- The researchers saw similar improvements within the group of children who had developmental disorders. Marcus said obstructive sleep apnea in children is already known to be associated with behavioral and learning difficulties, but no studies so far ...
- Sleep disorders cost the economy billions
- The staggering amount covers health costs and loss of productivity for the more than 1.5 million workers suffering from sleep disorders including sleep apnea and insomnia. The report comes from the Deloitte Access Economics and is commissioned by the ...
Foods that help with sleep
Foods that have tryptophan in them help to induce sleep. Foods such as chicken, turkey, cheese and milk have tryptophan. It has also been stated that snack foods high in carbohydrates such as ice cream, pie and cookies are beneficial. Carbohydrates produce serotonin which is a hormone created by the brain. Serotonin helps send messages from one part of the brain to another. It is vital to many body functions besides sleep, such as mood, appetite, learning and memory. An imbalance in serotonin is believed to be a major cause of depression.
Another sleep tip
You should always go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time every day.
Let me know what you think...
and give it a ranking if you like :)
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Contour
Oct 14, 2011 @ 10:39 am | delete
- Thanks for recommending our products!
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Sleep_Well
Jan 6, 2011 @ 5:04 pm | delete
- Great information and tips for insomniacs. There are some very effective herbal remedies available as well.
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Nov 26, 2010 @ 7:47 am | delete
- I know all too well how nasty lack of sleep can be. Thank you for sharing.
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GabrielaFargasch
Oct 11, 2010 @ 7:33 pm | delete
- Great lens! I am an insomniac so I understand pretty well how it is not being able to sleep..... My main problem is that I will wake up after 4 or 5 hours and won't be able to fall asleep again....... Other times I will stay awake for almost the whole night and then fall asleep 2 hours before I have to get up.......... It is very frustrating..........
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cannedguds
Aug 10, 2010 @ 9:03 pm | delete
- Up to now, I'm still trying to choose the best of all best sleep aids and I've finally decided to go for a therapy....and it's all because of this lens of yours! No more sleeping pills or even natural sleep inducers for me! Thanks for the info!
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by davidstillwagon
davidstillwagon
Hi, I'm David Stillwagon. I live in Atlanta with my wife and son. I blog on health and age issues.
I am originally from Uniontown Pa. I have lived in...
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The Harvard Medical School Guide to a Good Night's Sleep (Harvard Medical School Guides)
Amazon Price: $8.91 (as of 02/13/2012)
