Insomnia

What is insomnia?

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that occurs when you:

• Have a hard time falling asleep
• Wake frequently during the night
• Can't get back to sleep (after waking in the night)
• Wake up too early and can't get back to sleep

You have insomnia when you have one or more of the above problems. If the problem lasts a few days or weeks, you have acute (short-term) insomnia. When difficulty sleeping goes on for a month or longer, you have chronic insomnia.

What symptoms occur due to insomnia?

When you have insomnia, you may wake up in the morning feeling like you didn't get enough sleep. The lack of sleep in general and poor-quality sleep in particular cause daytime symptoms such as:

• Daytime fatigue
• Irritability, hyperactivity, and restlessness
• Difficulty paying attention
• Hard time focusing and learning
• Poor performance at school and work
• Memory loss
• Mood swings
• Depression
• Anxiety

Insomnia also raises your risk of developing serious health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

What causes insomnia?

You have primary insomnia when there's no specific cause for your difficulty sleeping. Secondary insomnia occurs when you can’t sleep due to an underlying condition such as:

• Chronic stress
• Chronic pain
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
• Neurological disorders (such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's)
• Heart failure
• Restless legs syndrome

Flying across time zones, working at night, consuming caffeine close to bedtime, and circadian rhythm sleep disorder all cause insomnia by disrupting your sleep-wake cycle.

How is insomnia treated?

In most cases, Dr. Manohar can diagnose insomnia by reviewing your medical history, sleep habits, and symptoms. She may run blood tests to rule out underlying conditions or perform a sleep study (polysomnogram) if she suspects you have another sleep disorder.

If Dr. Manohar determines your insomnia is due to a health condition, your treatment begins by dealing with that problem. She also customizes a treatment plan to deal with your insomnia. 

You may need one or more of the following:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I)
• Relaxation or meditation therapy
• Prescription medications
• Melatonin supplements
• Stress management
• Lifestyle changes (diet and exercise)
• Plan to improve your sleep habits

Creating and following a strict nighttime routine goes a long way toward supporting a good night's sleep. You also need to turn off all lights and electronics. Exposure to any type of light during the night throws your sleep-wake cycle off balance.

Don't wait to get help for insomnia. Call Neuro Rehab & Pain Institute, or book an appointment online today.