What is Insomnia?

Many people have trouble getting to sleep at night or find you waking up frequently and feeling exhausted in the morning? Typical symptoms of insomnia include a difficulty falling asleep, waking frequently during the night or early morning, and not feeling refreshed from sleep. Because individuals require different amounts of sleep, insomnia is not defined by the number of hours of sleep a person gets or by how quickly they fall asleep, but by the quality of sleep achieved. Insomnia results in daytime tiredness, a lack of energy, an inability to concentrate, and irritability. Insomnia is difficulty in initiating and/or maintaining sleep.It is a term that is used often to indicate any and all stages and types of sleep loss. Insomnia is not a disorder, it is a symptom. Learn how to cure insomnia here at The Sleep Ninja.

Common Symptoms of Insomnia

If any body

• is tired during the day
• has frequent headaches, is irritable, lack of concentration
• is tired and not refreshed on waking
• Sleep better away from home
• Wake repeatedly during the night
• Take longer than 30-40 minutes to sleep
• Wake far too early and is unable to get back to sleep.
• Only get to sleep with at he aids of sleeping pills and alcohols

Then he is probably suffering from Insomnia

Main Causes of Insomnia

There is variety of factors which causes Insomnia. Insomnia can be divided in too two basic categories.1- Primary Insomnia 2- Secondary insomnia.

1-Primary Insomnia

It is largely due to learned maladaptive sleep patterns and represents the most common form of insomnia is
1- Stress, 2- Environmental noise 3- extreme temperatures 4- changes in surrounding environment 5- disruptions to an individual's normal sleep/wake schedule (like jet lag)
6- Medication side effects 7- Excessive use of drugs, alcohol or caffeine, 8-shift work
9-chronic stress 10- napping may also contribute to insomnia.

2-Secondary Insomnia

Types of secondary insomnia include insomnia from sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, circadian rhythm disorder, and substance use or with drawl. Additionally, other physical and mental conditions that might cause insomnia include depression, arthritis, kidney disease, heart failure, asthma, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, Parkinson's diseases and hyperthyroidism. Basically Secondary insomnia is a sleep disturbance caused by a specific physical or psychological condition some examples of secondary insomnia are

1- Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder caused by difficulty breathing during sleep. Persistent, loud snoring and frequent long pauses in breathing during sleep, followed by choking or gasping for breath are the main sighs of sleep apnea.

2- Restless Legs Syndrome is a sleep disorder characterized by unpleasant sensations (creeping, burning, itching, pulling or tugging) in the legs or feet, occurring mostly in the evening and at night. Moving the legs around tends to relieve the unpleasant sensation temporarily.

3- Sleep-wake schedule or circadian rhythm disorders are sleep disorders caused by having sleep-wake schedules that do not match up with your natural sleep schedule. People who work the night shift may suffer from this problem.

• Insomnia due to medical conditions: Many common medical problems and the drugs that treat them can cause insomnia, including allergies, arthritis, heart disease, hypertension, asthma, Parkinson's disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or hyperthyroidism. Physical discomfort (e.g. chronic pain) may also cause problem sleeping.
• Insomnia due to substance use or withdrawal: Many drugs and medications can cause sleep disturbances, either while taking them or while withdrawing from them. Alcohol, stimulants, sedatives, and even long-term use of sleep medications can cause insomnia.

The people likely to Prone to Insomnia

People over the age of 60, women, and individuals with a history of depression are more likely to experience insomnia. 90% of people can acquire transient insomnia at some point in their lives. While an estimate of 30% suffers from it,

a. Women are said to be more at risk in acquiring insomnia because of the following reasons:

- Pre-menstrual syndrome with symptoms of irritability, depression and anxiety, and bloating due to menstruation disturbs a woman's sleeping pattern.

- Menopause can also change a woman's sleeping pattern.
- Pregnancy makes sleeplessness one common thing to happen.

b. Elderly people are also prone to getting insomnia because ageing alters one's sleeping patterns.

c. Depressed people have lighter slumbers compared to those who don't feel this psychological condition.

d. Students or younger ones who are conscious with their grades (because of cramming) can easily become insomniacs too.

With that vast information on what causes insomnia and who are at risk with this sleeping disorder, one can easily ward off this annoying condition.

What are the results or effects of Insomnia on health?

Insomnia can have following impacts on one’s health who is suffering from it.

• Daytime sleepiness
• Poor mental and emotional health
• Lack of smooth functioning of the body
• Decreased productivity
• A negative mood, irritability
• Low energy
• Unclear thinking, lack of concentration
• Slower reaction time
• Frequent bathroom visits to urinate during the night
• Heartburn
• Excessive sweating during sleep
• Dry mouth in the morning
• Loud snoring

INSOMNIA HELP GUIDE

• Insomnia Symptoms & Causes
• Types of Insomnia
• Depression and Insomnia
• Sleeping Disorders
• Night Eating Syndrome
• Restless Legs Syndrome
• Circadian Rhythms
• Conditioned Insomnia
• Chronic Insomnia
• Sleep Apnea
• Sleep Apnea Symptoms
• Sleep Apnea Treatment
• Snoring
• Sleeping Disorders & Insomnia in Children and Infants
• Insomnia Treatment and Medication
• Sleep Tips

Highly Recommended: Insomnia Cure at The Sleep Ninja