Insomnia Symptoms, Causes & Treatments

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder where sufferers find it hard to fall asleep, hard to stay asleep, or wake up too early and are unable to get back to sleep. Even if you spend 8 hours in bed, you may still be suffering insomnia causing you to feel tired when you wake up. Insomnia not only affects our energy levels, but also our mood, health, focus, libido and quality of life.

How much sleep is needed varies from person to person, so insomnia is defined by the quality of your sleep and how you feel after sleeping rather than the number of hours you sleep or how quickly you doze off. That said, in general, most adults require seven to eight hours of sleep a night.

Many adults experience short-term (acute) insomnia at some point, which lasts for days or weeks. It's usually the result of stress or a traumatic event. But some people have long-term (chronic) insomnia that lasts for a month or more. Insomnia may be the primary problem, or it may be associated with other medical conditions or medications.

There is good news though, simple changes in your daily habits can often help mitigate those sleepless nights!
 

What are the symptoms of insomnia?

• Finding it hard to fall asleep
• Waking up several times during the night
• Lying awake at night
• Waking up early and unable to go back to sleep
• Feeling tired after waking up
• Finding it hard to nap during the day even though you're tired
• Feeling tired and irritable during the day
• Difficulty concentrating during the day because you're tired

 

What causes insomnia?

• Stress - Concerns about work, health, finances or relationships etc. can keep your mind active at night, making it difficult to sleep.
• Disrupted sleep schedule - travel, shift work or nights-out can disrupt your circadian rhythm (internal body clock) that is responsible for regulating your sleep-wake cycle, metabolism and body temperature.
• Poor sleep habits - an irregular bedtime schedule, late night naps, exercise/stimulating activities before bed, an uncomfortable sleep environment, and using screens just before bed can interfere with your sleep cycle.
• Overeating late in the evening - can cause you to feel physically uncomfortable while lying down or suffer heartburn, which may keep you awake. Note light snacks are fine.
• Medical conditions - treating the medical condition may help improve sleep, but the insomnia may persist after the medical condition improves.
• Sleep disorders - sleep apnea causes you to stop breathing periodically throughout the night, interrupting your sleep and restless legs syndrome causes unpleasant sensations in your legs, which may prevent you from falling asleep.
• Medications - many prescription drugs can interfere with sleep, such as certain antidepressants and medications for asthma or blood pressure. Additionally, over-the-counter medications (e.g. painkillers, allergy relief, cold medications and weight-loss products) contain caffeine and other stimulants that can disrupt sleep.
• Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol - coffee, tea, dark chocolate, cola and other caffeinated drinks/foods are stimulants. Consuming them in the late afternoon or evening can keep you from falling asleep at night.

 

Who is most at risk from insomnia?

Almost everyone will experience occasional sleepless nights throughout their lives, but the risk of insomnia is greater for:

• Females - hormonal shifts during the menstrual cycle and in menopause may play a role. During menopause, night sweats and hot flashes often disrupt sleep. Insomnia is also common with pregnancy.
• People over age 60 - changes in sleep patterns and health, causes insomnia to increase with age.
• Suffers of a mental or physical health condition - many issues that impact your mental or physical health can disrupt sleep.
• Those under a lot of stress - stressful times and events can cause temporary insomnia and major or long-lasting stress can lead to chronic insomnia.
• Shift workers and regular international travellers - changing shifts at work or travelling can disrupt your sleep-wake cycle.

 

Insomnia and older adults

Insomnia becomes more common with age. As you get older, you may experience:

• Changes in sleep patterns - sleep often becomes less restful as you age, so noise or other changes in your environment are more likely to wake you. With age, your internal clock often advances, so you get tired earlier in the evening and wake up earlier in the morning but older people generally still need the same amount of sleep as younger people do.
• Changes in activity level - we are less active as we age but lack of activity can interfere with a good night's sleep.
• Changes in health - chronic pain from conditions such as arthritis or back problems as well as depression or anxiety can interfere with sleep. Issues that increase the need to urinate during the night (e.g. prostate or bladder problems) can disrupt sleep.
• More medications - older people typically use more prescription drugs than younger people do, which increases the chance of insomnia associated with medications.

 

Insomnia in children and teens

• Sleep problems may be a concern for children and teenagers as well. However, some children and teens simply have trouble getting to sleep or resist a regular bedtime because their internal clocks are more delayed. They want to go to bed later and sleep later in the morning.

 

Good sleep habits can help prevent insomnia

• Consume foods, vitamins and minerals proven to improve sleep - taking an all-in-one daily sleep supplement like Bedtime Blend can makes this easy
• Keep your bedtime and wake time consistent from day to day (including weekends).
• Stay active - regular activity helps promote a good night's sleep.
• Check your medications to see if they may contribute to insomnia.
• Avoid or limit naps, especially later in the day.
• Avoid or limit caffeine and alcohol, and don't use nicotine.
• Avoid large meals and beverages before bedtime.
• Make your bedroom comfortable for sleep and avoid using it for eating, working, watching TV etc.
• Create a relaxing bedtime ritual, such as taking a warm bath, reading or listening to soft music.