Insomnia! Do you know the causes, symptoms, and treatments for it?
You must obtain enough sleep to be healthy. Sleep provides complete rest to the body and mind. But if you don’t get enough sleep, you get stressed out. Anxiety and tiredness fill you. At one stage, a serious illness develops. If the problem of sleep persists regularly, it becomes chronic and then a disease. In medical terms, it is called insomnia. Today we are going to discuss the causes, symptoms, and treatment of this disease.
Daily amount of sleep for healthy adults
Normal, healthy individuals require at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day. You should sleep at least 6 hours a day even if you are under a lot of stress. Sleeping less than 6 hours a day may be detrimental to your health. Adults need 7-8 hours of sleep, babies 9-13 hours, and extremely early toddlers 12-17 hours. A good night’s sleep improves immunological function, clears the mind, and boosts performance. During sleep, the body’s cells relax and eliminate toxins. A good night’s sleep is preferable to drugs.
Why does insomnia occur?
Anxiety is the main cause of insomnia. There are several other reasons:
Stress
Stress (such as the loss of a job, death of a loved one, or divorce).
Lack of a comfortable sleeping environment
Sleeping problems can also occur due to excessive heat or cold during sleep.
Irregular sleep pattern
Poor sleep hygiene, such as not going to bed at the same time every day. Changes in the sleep routine are the cause of this type of insomnia.
Sleep disturbances
Anxiety, stress, or depression can cause insomnia.
Drinking too much caffeine
Drinking too much caffeine, such as tea, coffee, etc., can cause sleep disturbances.
Regular consumption of alcohol
Consuming alcohol on a regular basis can cause sleep problems. Alcohol consumption at first does not cause sleep problems, but later the problem of insomnia can increase.
Smoking or other drugs
Smoking or taking other drugs is one of the main causes of insomnia in young society.
Due to some diseases
Insomnia can be caused by changes in chemicals in the brain due to high blood pressure and some diseases.
As a result of taking certain medications
Because of the consumption of some medicines like asthma medicines have to be taken for a whole life. This can cause sleep problems.
Some physical problems
Insomnia can be caused by a number of physical problems, such as arthritis, heartburn, headaches, dental problems, liver, lung, or kidney problems, prostate problems, etc.
Random working time
Sleep issues might result from a random work shift, such as one day in the morning and another day at night.
For environmental reasons
Environmental factors, such as excessive noise, loud music, car noise, etc can also cause sleep disturbances.
Symptoms of Insomnia
Common insomnia symptoms include:
- Difficulty sleeping at night.
- You may experience sleepiness during the day.
- Attempt to sleep throughout the day but do not want to sleep.
- You may feel fatigued during the day.
- The mood might be irritable.
- Tiredness can make it difficult to focus on a task during the day.
Treatment of Insomnia
If you suspect you have insomnia, consult your doctor. Mild insomnia can be treated with good sleep habits. If you feel drowsy and fatigued throughout the day due to insomnia, your doctor may advise you to use sleeping drugs for a few days. Do not purchase sleeping drugs yourself. They can have negative side effects and decrease efficacy with time.
If the level of sleep problems is very high, then the cause of insomnia is usually treated first. If it does not cure insomnia, you may be advised to do counseling and behavioral therapy. It will help you to eliminate the activities that cause insomnia and teach you how to sleep better.
Ways to prevent insomnia
Try to sleep at the same time every day
Every night, go to bed at a certain hour and get up at the same time. Waking up at the same time every day is very important because it keeps the duration of sleep regular and the body can also get used to the time.
Stay away from the device
Avoid using mobile phones, computers, etc., for a long time before going to bed. Because their light can delay sleep and increase the problem of insomnia.
Stay away from coffee and tea
Many people suffer from sleep problems when they drink tea or coffee. Not only tea and coffee but any soft drink can cause sleep problems. Professor Walker says that these foods should be stopped 12 hours before bedtime because the effect lasts for a long time.
Food habits
Many of us are not aware of the role of diet in sleep. Insomniacs can benefit from eating foods high in magnesium and melatonin. Magnesium is a mineral that helps to relax muscles and relieve tension. Dark chocolate, bananas, almonds, and avocadoes are high in magnesium. Melatonin aids in both falling asleep and staying asleep. Melatonin is found in foods such as tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, mustard, walnuts, and pomegranates. Also, warm milk contains a type of amino acid called tryptophan, which acts as serotonin, and this serotonin is very helpful in inducing sleep so Drink warm milk before retiring to bed.
Exercise regularly
Exercise regularly. However, if you workout before bedtime, you will have difficulty falling asleep.Exercise for a minimum of three to four hours before bedtime.
Eat less at night
Finish dinner at 9-10 p.m. Avoid eating too much at night. If you fill your stomach too much before going to sleep, you will not sleep well.
Use earplugs
Make your bedroom comfortable. Make sure that the room is dark and soundless and not too hot or cold. If there is a problem with sound, try to sleep with earplugs on.
Read books
You can read a book, listen to music, or take a shower before you go to sleep. If you don’t feel sleepy, get out of bed and read a book or do something that doesn’t stimulate the body/mind, and Go back to bed when you feel sleepy. If you have thoughts about the next day’s work after bedtime, list them on a piece of paper. This can reduce anxiety.
You can actually stay healthy by living a regular life. So, eat healthy, sleep well, and get enough sleep. Be well, be healthy.