Sleep is the only state where the body relaxes after all day’s hard work. But, insomnia is a very common sleeping disorder, which is caused due to the problem of falling asleep.
This problem is not just restricted to sleeping disturbances but also has its effect on other aspects of life. There have been several studies which claim that it can affect work performances and mental state as well.
In our day to day life, each one of us can have a bad night with a lack of proper sleep occasionally. The basic reason for it may be staying awake late at night or getting up too early. This problem can be occasional, so it doesn’t convey that the person has insomnia; it simply implies that the person is in need of some good sleep.
Classification of Insomnia
Insomnia can be classified into two types, namely primary and secondary insomnia;
- Primary insomnia implies that a person is having sleep issues which are not concerned with other health problems.
- Secondary insomnia refers to the person who suffers from the sleeping problem due to other reasons which may include health-related issues.
When we talk about types of insomnia based on regularity and frequency, we have another two classifications;
- Acute or Short-term insomnia is where the problem may last up to 3 months, and it is observed in the range of 15 to 20 percent of people.
- Chronic insomnia is the type in which insomnia occurs at the frequency of at least three times a week and can last up to 3 months or more. The stats suggest that 10 percent of people suffer from it.
Symptoms of Insomnia
Here are a few symptoms of this problem,
- Difficulty in falling asleep
- Getting tired easily
- Often waking up at night
- Lack of proper sleep
- Fatigue
- Impulsiveness or Aggression
- Irritability or Moodiness
Factors which can be responsible for insomnia are:
- Stress can be a very vital cause for any of the health issues as it is hardest to manage in today’s day to day life.
- Mental Disorders can be another cause for insomnia as it many times lead to a state of depression, which is found common in all age groups.
- Medication or Substance abuse can cause sleeping disorders due to their compositions. Consumption of caffeine, alcohol before sleeping often causes awakenings.
- Habit or Lifestyles is the most common cause of this problem. We live in a world, which is full of rush or urgency. In order to be better than the rest, we often sacrifice nights of sleep and health, which later proves expensive.
Diagnosis of Insomnia
How to diagnose insomnia? Just ask yourself about:
- Sleepiness, fatigue, reduced energy during the daytime?
- Proper sleeping duration? (at least 7 hours)
- Time taken to fall asleep is more than 30 minutes?
- Sleeping in a suitable and proper environment?
If the answer stays positive for all the above, then one may infer that they have insomnia.
Treatment & Cure for Insomnia
Every problem out there has got some solution; here are a few treatments for insomnia:
- Improving sleep routine can help up to a certain extent in curing insomnia. If the present sleep time is causing some sort of disorders, then it must be rectified with some good and hygienic sleeping habits.
- Medications are also available for curing insomnia, Ativan is a prescribed medication which would be helpful for this problem. Further, there are many sleeping pills available these days, which can be taken only after being prescribed by the doctor. They will decide the proper medication, which would be suitable for the patient as per their condition and extent of the problem.
Hence the entire problem revolves around sound sleep and sleeping habits. The one who makes their life balanced in terms of sleeping and stress management can stay away from this problem without many efforts. Those who cannot do so are the one who suffers from it, but with good medication and treatment, the problem can be cured. Ativan can be considered as an option for getting a cure from insomnia. But one must inculcate habits of proper sleeping hygiene within them to stay away from this sort of problem. Life is short; make it healthy.
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