.png)
We’ve all experienced sleepless nights. Perhaps you may very well be reading this at a rather untimely hour yourself. Contrary to chronic pathologization of the occasional repose-related struggles which have truly colonised the jargon of casual conversation today, insomnia is actually clinically recognised and characterised as a sleep disorder. Fatigue only constitutes so much of the condition.
What is insomnia?
Insomnia is a common sleep disorder which involves encountering regular issues with sleeping. A healthcare provider can diagnose insomnia by using an amalgamation of methods, especially by asking the individual questions about their health history, personal circumstances, sleep habits, symptoms, and more. A healthcare provider may also recommend certain tests for the individual to undertake in order to eliminate other conditions which could cause or contribute to the development of insomnia.
But why do we develop insomnia?
Insomnia can be developed as a result of jet lag, or dealing with any other changes to the body’s internal clock. Having night terrors or bad dreams can also contribute to the onset of insomnia, or an insufficient engagement in physical exercise. The usage of recreational drugs like cocaine or ecstasy is another factor. Additionally, caring for someone in the house can also be a cause of insomnia, if it disrupts sleep.
So 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 struggling to fall back asleep
Still feeling tired after waking up
Finding it difficult to nap during the day even though you’re tired
Feeling tired and irritable during the day
Struggling to concentrate during the day because you’re tired
Can symptoms of insomnia be reduced, and if so, how?
Psychological treatments for insomnia primarily involve strategies used in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for insomnia can help you control or stop negative thoughts and actions that keep you awake. It is usually recommended as the first treatment for people with insomnia. Typically, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is just as effective, if not more effective than sleep medicines. The cognitive part of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy teaches you to learn and change beliefs that affect your sleep. It can help you manage or curb negative thoughts and worries that keep you awake. It also may involve ending the cycle of worrying so much about getting to sleep that you cannot fall asleep.
The behavioural part of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy supports you in acquiring good sleep habits and prevents you from entertaining behaviours which interfere with your sleep.
Strategies used in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy include:
Stimulus control therapy
Relaxation methods
Sleep restriction
Remaining passively awake
Light therapy
For more information about these therapeutic techniques, check out this link!
Reference List
Roth, T. (2007). Insomnia: Definition, Prevalence, Etiology, and Consequences. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, [online] 3(5 Suppl), p.S7. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1978319/.
Crosta, P. (2020). Insomnia: Causes, symptoms, and treatments. [online] www.medicalnewstoday.com. Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/9155.
Cleveland Clinic (2023). Insomnia. [online] Cleveland Clinic. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12119-insomnia.
Commentaires