Insomnia Fact Sheet – What is it?
Insomnia is the perception or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep; it is a measure of satisfaction with sleep. It can be due to a number of factors, such as difficulty falling asleep, waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep, waking up too early in the morning, or experiencing unrefreshing sleep. Most who suffer from insomnia wake up still feeling very tired, have reduced energy levels throughout the day, and experience reduced production at work.
What causes it?
There are many different factors that can cause insomnia and prevent you from a good night’s sleep. The most common include:
- Stress. Stress comes in many different forms producing the same result of sleepless nights. Stress can cause your mind to battle with worries about work, school, health, finances, family, or personal matters, making sleep impossible. Stress-related traumas or life events such as the death of a loved one, divorce, or getting fired can also lead to insomnia.
- Extensive travel or an irregular work schedule. Shift work, working late and early shifts or working shifts that are constantly changing may cause insomnia and other health issues. Such behavior can throw off your circadian rhythms (your internal clock) and negatively affect your sleep schedule, metabolism, and body temperature while leading to insomnia. Jet lag and frequent travel across multiple time zones can have the same effect.
- Poor sleep hygiene. Changing or irregular bedtime schedules, naps, participating in stimulating activates before bed, like exercise, watching TV, or using computers and smartphones, uncomfortable sleeping conditions, or using your bed for things other than sleep and sex make it very difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. Inviting these bad habits into your daily and nightly routine confuses your body on when it is time to sleep and when it is time to be awake.
- Eating. Eating heavy meals too close to bedtime or eating a lot of food late at night. However, you may find that a light snack before bed can be good and help you fall asleep, but eating too much will make it uncomfortable to lay down and hard to fall asleep.
- Nighttime beverages. Caffeine is a stimulant so drinking caffeinated beverages like coffee, tea, and soda in the evening can lead to insomnia. Drinking alcohol before bed should be avoided as well. Although it may make you drowsy and help you fall asleep, alcohol prevents you from entering into a deep sleep, inhibits your ability to pass through each sleeping stage during the night, and will almost always cause you to wake multiple times during the night.
Possible Solutions
The best way to prevent insomnia and generate restful sleep every night is through the development and implementation of good sleeping habits. We suggest that you:
- Regulate sleep and wake times. Consistently go to bed and wake up at the same times every day, including weekends.
- Exercise. Staying active is great for your overall health and also promotes a good night’s sleep with no interruptions. However, be sure to avoid exercising within 3-4 hours of your bedtime. Otherwise, the stimulation from exercise can keep you from falling asleep.
- Don’t get caught napping. Avoid or limit naps to no longer than 30 minutes, otherwise, you will have difficulty both falling and staying asleep when it is bedtime.
- Skip the nightcap. Even though it may make you drowsy, alcohol disrupts sleep leaving you tired and groggy throughout the day. Also, avoid caffeine and nicotine late at night as they are both stimulants and will make it difficult to fall asleep and to stay asleep.
- Get comfy. Sleep on a comfortable mattress and make sure your bedroom is comfortable for sleep. Keep the temperature cool, but not cold, keep the room dark, and consider running a fan or white noise machine to help induce sleep.
- Wind down. Create a relaxing bedtime ritual free from electronics. Bedtime rituals are something you consistently do prior to going to bed for the night. This can include taking a warm relaxing bath, reading a good book, or listening to soft, relaxing music.
- Reserve the bedroom for sleep and keep it that way. Avoid reading, using electronics, or participating in activities other than sleep and sex in your bedroom. Keep it consistent so when you go to your room, your body knows it’s time to sleep.
Why get treatment?
Besides lack of sleep and chronic tiredness, insomnia can cause job or school performance to suffer, seriously impair driving making you a high risk for accidents on the road, contribute to mental health disorders like depression and anxiety, and put you at serious risk for long-term conditions like high blood pressure and heart disease. If our list of possible solutions doesn’t help, there are a number of over the counter sleep aid medications you can try (talk to your physician first) in addition to making improvements to your sleep hygiene. If your insomnia persists, schedule an appointment with your personal physician or one of our Board Certified Sleep Physicians for solutions.