Sleeplessness - Causes and Remedies

Sleeplessness can affect your body’s disease fighting mechanism. It is a sleep disorder and results in difficulty in falling asleep. In other words, insomnia relates to difficulties initiating and or maintaining sleep, associated with impairments of daytime functioning.

Lately have you been falling asleep or nodding off at work? Experts say daytime sleepiness is the most common complication that insomniacs have to counter. And that dull, lethargic feeling you harbor throughout the day is yet another consequence. Medical research effectively proves that lack of sleep can lower immunity thus leaving your body vulnerable to maladies. An acute case of insomnia can amplify the risk of heart disease, blood pressure and diabetes.

There are a number of possible causes for insomnia.

Many youngsters work in the night shifts and over the weekends too. As a result the body’s biological sleep cycle and alarm system go haywire. Entrepreneurs fly long hours regularly as part of their global business
expansion plans. Even high flying executives have to travel abroad frequently on work. The resultant jet lag and change in time zones deprives them of sweet sleep.

Most remedies aver that insomnia is a lifestyle disorder. Our waking hours are filled with work related tensions, family problems or heavy partying. High levels of caffeine and sugar consumptions, alcohol excesses, smoking and junk food have, thus, become a part and parcel of our lives. All these adversely affect our sleep patterns causes include depression, anxiety, chronic stress, post-traumatic stress disorder.

Insomnia can be caused by asthma, allergies, Parkinson’s disease, hyperthyroidism, acid reflux, kidney disease, cancer, or chronic pain.

Ironically, sometimes, medications too can cause insomnia. These include antidepressants, cold and flu medications that contain alcohol, pain relievers that have caffeine, diuretics, thyroid hormone and high blood pressure medicines.

There are some vital signs that indicate if a person is suffering from insomnia or not. Checking for these sings helps in a big way to diagnose the condition in its earliest stage.

The most notable symptoms, obviously, are difficult in falling asleep on most nights and feeling tired or falling asleep during the day. Apart from that, the other sure sign that you are getting your share of sleep is not feeling revitalized when you wake up and waking up several times during sleep. People who have primary insomnia tend to keep thinking about getting enough sleep. The more they try to sleep, the greater their sense of frustration and distress resulting in even more sleeplessness. This becomes a cyclical part of an insomniac’s daily routine.

Interestingly, you can maintain a ‘sleep journal’, to help in the identification of the disorder. Just keep a log of when you wake up, where you fall asleep, what you eat and drink, and any stressful events that occur during the day.

If you are not satisfied with self-diagnosis, have an appointment at the nearest sleep clinic and go in for a thorough examination.

·         Keep the bedroom quiet, dark and cool. Noise, light and heat can interfere with sleep. Try using a sound machine or earplugs to mask outside noise, an open window or fan to keep the room cool, and blackout curtains or an eye mask to block out light.

·         Have a regular and well planned sleep schedule, support your biological clock by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, including weekends. Get up at your usual time in the morning even if you are tired. This will help you get back in a regular sleep rhythm.

·         Avoid quick naps. Napping during the day can make it more difficult to sleep at night. If you feel like you have to take a nap, limit it to 30 minutes.

·         Avoid stimulating activity and stressful situations before bedtime. This includes vigorous exercise, big discussions or arguments, and TV, computer or video game usage. Turn off all the electronics at least an hour before bed.

·         Limit caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. Stop drinking caffeinated beverages at least 8 hours before bed.

·         Avoid drinking in the evening. While alcohol can make you feel sleepy, it interferes with the quality of your sleep. Quit smoking or avoid it at night, as nicotine is a stimulant.

People who have read this also have read:
Process of ageing and wrinkles 
How to Stay Young 
Types and Precautions to slowdown Baldness 
Hangover Prevention and Cures