Sleeplessness or insomnia is a sleep disorder that results in the inability to sleep, stay asleep or both. This means that people are left with incredibly bad quality sleep.
Insomnia is considered a long-lasting condition, in contrast to occasional sleepless nights, which can significantly interfere with a person’s liveliness and disposition as well as physical and mental well-being.
Insomnia can be defined as the chronic disruption of sleep. This condition does not only mean one cannot fall asleep but also has to wake up severally at night or in the morning and cannot get back to sleep again. There are acute insomnia, which may occur within several days or weeks, while chronic insomnia may take months or even years. The severity and duration vary from person to person, but one thing remains constant: He just could not get over the sensation of not having adequate sleep.
Before we look at insomnia treatment let us try to understand the symptoms of insomnia. So, if you are wondering whether you might have insomnia, here are some common symptoms:
Staring at the ceiling, lying in bed for hours, waiting when the eyes get too heavy to keep them open.
Night-waking or sleep-wake transition problems include waking up at night and having difficulty going back to sleep.
Waking up much earlier than planned and unable to go back to sleep afterwards can also be one of the symptoms of insomnia.
Waking up in the morning feels weary or cranky and does not have sufficient rest, even when you have stayed in bed for some time.
Trouble with focus, decision making or memory because one did not get enough sleep and rest.
Having behaviours such as mood shifts, anxiety, or depression that you believe are a result of inadequate sleep.
Difficulty performing well at work, in school or in activities of the day due to fatigue.
Insomnia is a condition caused by a lack of proper sleep, which is required for a healthy body and mind. Understanding these causes can help identify the best approach to managing the condition.
While there are many causes of insomnia, stress is one of the most common. Stress at work, another human being, health issues, or a looming event such as a move, job interview, or death of a family member will keep the mind wide awake because it cannot relax for rest.
There are always tendencies of people suffering from anxiety disorders to develop depression, and also patients with depression suffer from insomnia. This is because stress about falling asleep or other general concerns or anxiety about different life events can cause restlessness. While in the case of depression, you could wake up early or struggle to fall back to sleep.
Some of the factors that lead to insomnia include but are not limited to, shifting sleep patterns, consumption of coffee or alcohol before sleeping, prolonged use of electronic devices at night, or having an uncomfortable sleeping environment, such as a noisy room or an unsuitable mattress.
Some health conditions cause sleeplessness; it can be chronic pain, asthma, acid reflux or nervous disorders.
Certain drugs, for instance, antihypertensive, anti-asthma, anti-allergic and antidepressant drugs affect sleep.
Some of these include the hormonal changes that are associated with menstrual periods, pregnancy or the menopausal period since they are known to lead to insomnia.
This study established that travelling, wake-sleep cycle change such as shift work that exposes a person to night shift can alter the circadian rhythm and thus cause insomnia.
Older people are also likely to suffer from pain due to conditions such as arthritis, heart-burn, diabetes, respiratory disorders that make it hard to have a sound night’s sleep.
Polypharmacy is common with elderly in that, they use many drugs some of which affect sleep pattern. Some of the most frequently reported drugs involves drugs used for the treatment of hypertension, asthma, or depressive disorders.
Due to the aging process, the circadian rhythm, or the body’s natural clock that regulates day and night cycles, changes so that elderly people go to bed earlier and wake early in the morning. This shift can make the elderly person, sleepy in the evening and wake up very early in the morning although still feeling tired.
This is because; anxiety such as health anxiety, loneliness, grief or the loss of a family member is a common cause of insomnia. Depression is also a problem of the elderly and is usually followed by sleeping disorders.
Reactions to noise, light, or temperature changes can have a greater impact on the sleep of the elderly. Also, what was once a comfortable bed to sleep or comfortable mattress to lay on may not adequately support the aging bones and muscles.
Neglected physical activities can result in low levels of fatigue at night, which hampers one’s ability to sleep. Sedentary behavior results from immobility, isolation, or health complications interfering with an individual’s ability to be active.
They are usually seen in older adults and as we shall see, they have the capacity to profoundly alter sleep. They afflict a person with temporary breathing stops in the night and permanent cessation of these stops in the case of sleep apnea, and furnish them with an irresistible urge to move legs in case of restless leg syndrome.
Several approaches are used for insomnia treatment, including developing good sleep hygiene practices, investigating other causes and seeking help from a doctor. Here are some effective ways to manage and treat insomnia:Here are some effective ways to manage and treat insomnia:
One of the best ways to treat insomnia is to create a relaxing bedtime schedule. Before going to bed, do something that will help you relax or make you sleepy, like reading a book, taking a warm bath, practicing meditation, or deep breathing.
Conditions such as pain, heart disease, breathing difficulties, or other chronic disorders must be well managed to ensure good sleep. It is highly recommended that one go for frequent check-ups and consult a Health care provider.
A simple and efficient insomnia treatment, it can also reduce screen time before sleep time, that is, electronic screens. Promote other activities, such as reading or listening to soothing music instead of watching TV or using a smartphone or tablet.
CBT-I is an non-pharmacological treatment that targets the thinking and behavior of older adults concerning sleep. It is more effective and regarded the gold standard therapy for chronic insomnia particularly among the elderly.
If needed, some sleep aids may be administered in very small doses, specifically to elderly patients, due to possible side reactions such as dizziness, confusion, and the chance of falling. A healthcare professional should always be consulted before one begins or ceases to use any type of medication.
One advice is to have more physical activity so you can develop a wake-sleep cycle such as walking, stretching or other low impact activities. Aerobic exercises enhance the body’s fitness and play a role of curing anxiety, depression and restlessness that may cause insomnia in the body.
In fact, to the elderly, insomnia is an almost inescapable reality, even though it does not have to be so. Thus, a clear comprehension of symptoms and genesis of insomnia in the older population is needed for treatment and overcoming of this disorder. There are numerous and easy general measures which in diagnosis of disturbed converse nonpharmacologic management simple measures include maintaining proper sleeping schedules and health complications, having appropriate pillows and mattresses among other factors. In chronic cases, one may need to seek professional help, in form of therapy or medication. Through the intervention of insomnia, elderly people will have better night sleep, better health, a much improved quality life.
Nonetheless, it is important to understand that insomnia is not a normal process that people have to go through as they get older. although it is normal to shift from childhood or young adulthood pattern across the life span, problematic chronic sleep disorders should not be dismissed.
Going to bed at the same time every day, practicing sleep hygiene, addressing health issues and regular exercise are the ways to enhance sleep quality.
Some drugs are useful in treating the condition, and given the side effects involved, they should be administered with great care. Please do not use any medication without prior consultation with your doctor or healthcare provider.