Insomnia is a common, devastating problem that can cost us our energy, our good mood, our ability to function and ultimately our health. If the situation becomes chronic, it can lead to more serious health problems and even a shortening of our life span, according to experts.
However insomnia in itself is not the problem but is usually a symptom of a variety of other potential problems. It is worth your time to identify the underlying cause of your insomnia and finding the right treatment for that problem. Sometimes insomnia hides more serious medical or psychological issues, and sometimes there is no easy cure for it, and one must take special supplements or pills to sleep.
Common Symptoms of Insomnia:
• Difficulty falling asleep despite being tired
• Waking up frequently during the night
• Trouble getting back to sleep when awakened
• Exhausting sleep
• Relying on alcohol to fall asleep
• Waking up too early in the morning
• Daytime drowsiness, fatigue, or irritability
• Difficulty concentrating during the day
Causes of Insomnia: Figuring out why you can’t sleep
If you want to try to find the reasons for your insomnia it is important to take note of factors such as stress, anxiety and depression, which are responsible for about half of all insomnia cases. In addition, you need to note your daytime habits, your sleep routine and your actual physical health to understand their impact on the quality of your sleep.
Did you know that medications that can cause insomnia?
Antidepressants; cold and flu medications that contain alcohol; pain relievers that contain caffeine (Midol, Excedrin); diuretics, corticosteroids, thyroid hormone, high blood pressure medications. Make sure to always check with your doctor, and research the medication you’re taking to make sure that one of the side effects is not insomnia.
Did you know that medical problems can cause insomnia?
Including asthma, allergies, Parkinson’s disease, hyperthyroidism, acid reflux, kidney disease, cancer, chronic pain.
Did you know that sleep disorders can cause insomnia? Sleep apnea (trouble breathing then waking up many times in the night without knowing why), narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome.
How to Cure Your Insomnia:
Some of the things we do to cope with our lack of sleep may actually do us harm, such as drinking a lot of coffee during the day to wake up or alcohol (red wine for example) at night to fall asleep. Often, changing the habits that are reinforcing sleeplessness is enough to overcome insomnia altogether. It may take a few days for your body to get used to the change, but once you do, you will sleep better.
That is the easy solution half the time. If a change of habits and relaxation really don’t do the trick, there are remedies on the market that can help.
