Insomnia (say: in-sohm-nee-uh) is a sleep disorder that makes it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. Some people who have insomnia have trouble falling asleep when they first go to bed. Others fall asleep easily, but wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep. Chronic insomnia is when your sleeping problem lasts for 4 weeks or longer.
Insomnia causes you to feel tired and have less energy. If you have insomnia, you may also worry about being able to sleep.
Chronic Insomnia
What is chronic insomnia?
What causes insomnia?
Insomnia is the body’s way of saying that something isn’t right. Things that may cause insomnia include:
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Too much caffeine, alcohol or nicotine
- Pain from medical conditions, such as arthritis
- Changes in work shifts
- Poor sleep habits, such as an irregular sleep schedule
- Worrying too much about not being able to sleep
How is insomnia treated?
Learning good sleep habits may help treat chronic insomnia. Behavior therapy can teach you about good sleep habits, and is often just as effective as prescription sleeping medicines. Behavior therapy for sleep usually includes learning ways to relax and not worry as much about sleep. You can also learn muscle relaxation and deep breathing exercises to help you relax.
Some medical conditions (such as depression) and certain medicines (such as heart and blood pressure medicines, allergy medicines and corticosteroids) can also cause insomnia. If a medicine is causing your insomnia, talk to your doctor. He or she may be able to prescribe a different medicine for your condition to help you sleep better.
In some cases, your doctor may prescribe medicine to help you fall asleep and stay asleep. Prescription sleeping pills, such as eszopiclone (one brand name: Lunesta), zolpidem (one brand name: Ambien) and zaleplon (one brand name: Sonata), may help you sleep better. However, these medicines can also have side effects, and some may be serious. Side effects of prescription sleeping pills can include excessive drowsiness, trouble thinking clearly and problems with balance. Rare but serious side effects include facial swelling, severe allergic reactions and unusual behavior while asleep (such as driving or eating food). Doctors generally don’t recommend using prescription sleep medicines for long periods of time.
Some medical conditions (such as depression) and certain medicines (such as heart and blood pressure medicines, allergy medicines and corticosteroids) can also cause insomnia. If a medicine is causing your insomnia, talk to your doctor. He or she may be able to prescribe a different medicine for your condition to help you sleep better.
In some cases, your doctor may prescribe medicine to help you fall asleep and stay asleep. Prescription sleeping pills, such as eszopiclone (one brand name: Lunesta), zolpidem (one brand name: Ambien) and zaleplon (one brand name: Sonata), may help you sleep better. However, these medicines can also have side effects, and some may be serious. Side effects of prescription sleeping pills can include excessive drowsiness, trouble thinking clearly and problems with balance. Rare but serious side effects include facial swelling, severe allergic reactions and unusual behavior while asleep (such as driving or eating food). Doctors generally don’t recommend using prescription sleep medicines for long periods of time.
What can I do to help myself get better sleep?
Keep in mind that you may need less sleep as you age. Some people need only 5 to 6 hours of sleep a night, but most people do better with 7 to 8 hours. Sleep usually occurs in 3-hour cycles, so it is important to get at least 3 uninterrupted hours of sleep.
These tips can help you develop better sleep habits:
- Go to sleep only when you feel tired.
- Avoid reading, watching TV or worrying in bed. These can cause your body and brain to associate your bed with these activities, rather than with sleep.
- Use the bedroom only for sleep and sexual activity.
- If you can't fall asleep after 15 minutes, go to another room and return to your bed only when you feel tired. You may repeat this as often as needed during the night.
- Go to sleep and wake up at the same times each day, even on weekends. This helps your body develop a sleep schedule.
- Avoid or limit napping, because it can disturb your normal sleep rhythm. If you must take a nap, only rest for 30 minutes and don’t nap after 3:00 p.m.
- Avoid caffeine from coffee and soft drinks, and nicotine from cigarettes, especially late in the day.
- Avoid eating large meals or drinking a lot of water in the evening.
- Keep your bedroom at a comfortable temperature and as dark as possible.
- Set aside some time to relax before going to bed.
A good way to relax is to focus on your breathing by taking slow, deep breaths while counting to 5. Then listen to the sound of your breath as you breathe out. You can also try to tighten and relax the muscle groups in your body, beginning at your feet and ending with your face muscles. A trained therapist can teach you other ways to relax. Relaxation CDs or tapes may also help you relax.
Source
Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff.
Nonpharmacologic Management of Chronic Insomnia by Parul Harsora, MD and Jennifer Kessmann, MD (American Family Physician January 15, 2009, http://www.aafp.org/afp/20090115/125.html)
Created: 10/09