Insomnia or sleep disorders: symptoms, causes, and treatment
Insomnia is a feeling of insufficient or lack of sleep due to difficulty falling asleep. Or sleep problems; or non-restorative sleep. These symptoms can lead to daytime drowsiness and impaired concentration. Follow this article with us to learn about Insomnia and sleep disorders: symptoms, causes, and treatment
Insomnia can be divided into episodic, persistent, or recurrent. Insomnia lasting from one to three months is episodic. If the symptoms persist for three months or more, insomnia is considered persistent. Insomnia is considered recurrent if two or more seizures occur within one year.
The development and course of insomnia indexed in DSM-5 include:
Symptoms of insomnia can appear at any time during life, but the first attack is more common at an early age. Less commonly, insomnia begins in childhood or adolescence.
In women, insomnia may occur for the first time during menopause and persist even after other symptoms, such as hot flashes, have passed. Insomnia can occur later in life and is often associated with the appearance of other health-related conditions.
Insomnia can be situational, persistent, or recurrent
Situational or acute insomnia usually lasts a few days or a few weeks and is often associated with life events or rapid changes in sleep patterns or the environment.
This is usually resolved when the original event subsides. In some people, insomnia is probably more prone to sleep disorders, it may persist for a long time after the initial event, possibly due to confusing factors and increased alertness. The factors that cause insomnia may differ from those that make it worse.
A similar course can develop in the context of acute psychological stress or mental disorder. For example, insomnia that occurs during an episode of major depressive disorder may become the focus of attention followed by a negative state and persist even after the depressive episode has resolved. In some cases, insomnia may have a malignant onset without any identifiable trigger.
Insomnia's course might also have an episodic form
With frequent bouts of sleep disorders accompanying the occurrence of stressful conditions. The incidence of chronic diseases ranges from 45 to 75 percent at follow-up from one to seven years.
Even when insomnia becomes chronic, the sleep pattern changes from night to night, with occasional restful nights of sleep interspersed with several nights of poor sleep. The characteristics of insomnia can also change over time. Many people with a history of insomnia experience "light" or easily disturbed sleep before persistent sleep problems appear.
Older people are more likely to complain of sleeplessness
The type of symptoms varies with age, difficulty sleeping is more common in younger adults, and problems with maintaining sleep are more common in middle-aged and older adults.
Problems with falling asleep and staying asleep can also occur in children and adolescents, but data on prevalence, risk factors, and comorbidities at these developmental stages are limited.
Problems with sleep in childhood may be the result of confusing factors (for example, a child who does not learn to fall asleep or goes back to sleep without a parent present) or due to the lack of a fixed sleep regimen and bedtime.
Insomnia often occurs in adolescence or is aggravated by irregular sleep patterns. Psychological and health-related issues may have a role in sleeplessness in both kids and teenagers.
Symptoms
Diagnostic criteria for insomnia include difficulty falling asleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, and early awakening with the inability to fall asleep again. Sleep disorders cause stress and serious disruption in many areas of life, including social, academic, behavioral, and work.
Signs and symptoms according to the DSM-5 catalog :
- A predominant complaint of dissatisfaction with the quantity or quality of sleep is associated with one (or more) of the following symptoms:
- Sleep problems. (In children, this may manifest itself as difficulty falling asleep without the intervention of a caregiver ).
- Difficulty staying asleep, characterized by frequent awakenings or problems returning to sleep after waking up. (Children may experience this as difficulty getting back to sleep without the intervention of a caregiver).
- early wakeup and difficulty falling back asleep.
A sleep disorder causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, professional, educational, academic, behavioral, or other important areas of life.
- if you experience insomnia at least three evenings each week.
- Sleep problems persist for at least 3 months.
- Sleep problems occur despite adequate sleep opportunities.
Insomnia cannot be better explained
by another sleep-wake disorder (narcolepsy, breathing-related sleep disorder, circadian rhythm disorder, sleep-wake disorder, parasomnia) and does not occur exclusively during it.
Insomnia is not associated with the physiological effects of any substance (illicit drug, drug ).
The coexisting mental disorders and diseases cannot adequately explain the prevailing complaint of insomnia.
Causes
Some conditions seem to increase the likelihood of insomnia. These are some instances of similar conditions:
- Getting older (insomnia is more common in the elderly)
- More common in women
- being depressed previously
There are several possible causes of insomnia:
- Shift work.
- Jet lag or other sleep and Wake Disorders,
- Depression,
- Worry,
- Excessive anxiety.
- Stress,
- Will,
- Strong excitement,
- Poor sleeping conditions, such as a bed or bedroom that is not conducive to sleep.
- The use of nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, or stimulants,
- Food before bedtime,
- Prohibited medicines or drugs,
- Drug withdrawal.
- New medicine,
- Change of medication,
- Bright lighting,
- Excessive daytime sleepiness.
- Excessive alertness before bedtime physically or mentally,
- Hyperthyroidism of the thyroid gland,
- Conditions that make breathing difficult.
- Arthritis or other chronic diseases.
- Heartburn or other gastrointestinal diseases,
- Concomitant disorders or diseases,
- Stroke of the brain.
- Aging
- and menopause cause restless legs syndrome.
- Periodic or sporadic insomnia
It usually occurs in people who temporarily experience one or more of the following conditions. Often you can solve it yourself.
- Stress,
- Environmental disturbances such as noise,
- Environmental change,
- Maximum heat.
- Jet lag or other sleep and Wake Disorders,
- Side effects of drugs.
longer-lasting chronic insomnia
Most often it is the result of factors, including underlying physical or mental disorders. For example, depression is a common cause of chronic insomnia. Other major causes include asthma, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, arthritis, kidney disease, heart failure, Parkinson's disease, and hyperthyroidism. Chronic insomnia can also be caused by behavioral problems, including caffeine, alcohol, or other substance abuse, stress, shift work, or other lifestyle habits.
Some behaviors can make insomnia worse or cause sleep problems in the first place:
- Sleep problems,
- Excess caffeine.
- alcohol intake before bed,
- the use of tobacco before bed,
- Excessive daytime or evening sleep.
- Sleep and Wake Disorders.
Treatment
Situational or episodic insomnia, such as jet lag, usually does not require treatment because the episodes last only a few days or weeks. In these cases, a person's sleep cycle may return to normal without treatment.
In other cases, occasional insomnia, daytime drowsiness, and decreased performance can be treated with short-acting sleeping pills. However, prolonged usage of these medications is not advised.
It also has side effects such as daytime cloudiness and impaired function. It is not recommended to use over-the-counter medications for insomnia. These over-the-counter sleeping pills contain antihistamines, which can also cause side effects such as daytime drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, and other side effects.
There are behavioral therapies
that can relieve insomnia, including relaxation therapy, sleep restriction, rehabilitation, and psychotherapy.
Relaxation psychotherapy: these techniques can reduce or relieve anxiety and stress in the body. Relaxation through breathing exercises or biofeedback can help speed up a person's mind; muscle relaxation can lead to restful sleep. However, this may take practice.
Sleep restriction
Reducing the time you spend in bed and avoiding naps during the day are useful strategies. This can make you feel tired, increasing your sleep time. The sleep restriction program allows you to sleep only a few hours at night, gradually increasing the time until normal sleep is restored.
Restoring or controlling stimuli: restoring a bed-bound person with sleep can be a useful method. In this case, the bed is used for sleeping, and sex, and not for other activities. Recommendations for this include the following:
- Just when you are ready to sleep, go to bed.
- The one who couldn't sleep gets up.
- Don't go to sleep,
- Avoid sleeping.
- Maintain a routine establish a regular wake-up and bedtime.
Light therapy: using light therapy with a lightbox to reset the internal clock is also a useful technique.
Cognitive behavioral psychotherapy
Talking to a psychologist or attending group therapy sessions can help reduce sleep anxiety. It focuses on thoughts and behaviors that disturb sleep. Cognitive-behavioral therapy also promotes good sleep hygiene. He also uses positive thoughts to associate the bed with sleep. Often, people who sleep poorly associate negative thoughts and feelings of anxiety with sleep.
In many cases, the dream itself bothers them. Cognitive-behavioral therapy appeals to a change of mind to calm thoughts and internal dialogue. Cognitive behavioral therapy also adheres to the above methods: adherence to a sleep schedule, such as keeping the bed to sleep. CBT-I is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy specifically designed to treat insomnia.
The patient may need to see a psychologist weekly
for two to three months. For people with chronic insomnia, this psychotherapy works in conjunction with prescribed medications. Insomniac people with the major depressive disorder may benefit from a combination of antidepressants and cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Tips for good sleep:
Select the schedule:
- Go to bed at a certain time every night and get up at the same time every morning.
- Physical activity exercises regularly for 20-30 minutes a day.
- Avoid nicotine,
- Reduce your intake of alcohol and caffeine, especially in the evening.
- Avoid heavy meals before bedtime,
- Relax before bedtime.
- Set a routine before bed, such as taking a warm bath, reading, or any other relaxing routine.
- Sleep until sunrise,
- Do not lie awake in bed,
- Getting up and reading or listening to music will help you fall asleep if you can't.
Control the situation in the bedroom:
- Avoid bright lights before bedtime,
- Use a comfortable pillow.
- Reduce the amount of noise and distractions such as TV, computer, or pets.
- Keep a bed for sleep and sex,
- Set a cool and comfortable temperature.
If your sleep problems persist, consult a psychologist. A sleep specialist may be recommended. Most sleep disorders can be treated effectively.