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What Is Insomnia and How
Does It Affect Me?
What Is Insomnia?
Insomnia means having
difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or having
non-refreshing sleep. Insomnia is one of the most commonly
reported health problems: about one in three people
encounters insomnia symptoms in a given year. Approximately
10% of people have chronic insomnia. Women are affected more
often than men, and increased rates of insomnia are reported
by the elderly. Insomnia can be a symptom of another disease
or condition, an effect of a medication or drug, as well as
its own disorder.
Insomnia can be described in
terms of both duration and severity.
- Transient insomnia
is associated with a temporary disturbance of your
normal sleeping pattern — caused, perhaps, by travel or
relocation — and usually lasts no more than several
nights.
- Short-term insomnia,
lasting one to three weeks, can accompany worry or
stress and typically disappears when the apparent cause
is resolved.
- Chronic insomnia
lasts longer than three weeks and is usually related to
another disease or condition.
What Causes Insomnia?
Insomnia may be caused by
physical illness, a stress-filled lifestyle, excessive
caffeine consumption, or chronic pain. Or it may simply be
the result of poor sleeping habits, such as napping during
the day and going to bed at irregular hours. Insomnia is
often linked to alcohol or drug abuse and to certain
medications.
Psychological factors alone
account for about half of all insomnias evaluated by sleep
therapists. For example, stress brought on by situations
like a troubled marriage, a chronically ill child, or an
unrewarding job can disrupt sleep. Depression is one of the
most common causes of insomnia, and people with anxiety,
schizophrenia, and other psychiatric disorders may also
sleep poorly.
Certain physical illnesses
interfere with sleep, especially disorders of the heart,
lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas, and digestive system. Other
physical causes include heartburn, chronic pain, and
breathing disorders, such as sleep apnea. Insomnia often
accompanies menopause, when sleep is disrupted by hot
flashes or night sweats. Abnormal blood sugar levels can
cause people suffering from diabetes to wake up during the
night.
Your own habits and lifestyle
may be disrupting your sleep pattern. Sedentary behavior and
keeping an erratic schedule can contribute to insomnia, as
can overconsumption of caffeine and other stimulants, or
alcohol and other depressants. Over-the-counter drugs and
prescription medications -- from some blood pressure and
heart drugs to thyroid hormones -- can interfere with sleep,
as can the accidental or deliberate misuse of sleeping
pills, to say nothing of illegal drugs.
Many other medical conditions
disturb normal sleep patterns. Among them is restless leg
syndrome (RLS). Sufferers describe an unpleasant,
creepy-crawly sensation when they lie still, causing an
irresistible urge to move their limbs, even during sleep.
Circadian rhythm disorders
include jet lag and changing shift-work schedules. Airplane
travel over several time zones disrupts the body's
biological clock, which may not adjust itself to the time
change for several days. An irregular work schedule or
changing from day work to a night shift can also cause
insomnia until a person adjusts to the new sleep pattern --
though some people never adjust completely. Bedroom factors
such as temperature, humidity, noise, light, and stale air
can cause insomnia or reduce the quality of sleep, even when
they don't actually keep you awake.
Resource
WebMD.com
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The Effects of Sleep Deprivation >
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