Having a Problem Catching up with a Good Night's Sleep?

As many as 30 to 35 percent of adults complain of insomnia - insufficient sleep or trouble catching up with a sound 7-8 hours of quality night’s sleep. Whatever may be your reason for Insomnia or sleep disorder, it can affect your mental and physical health and impact the quality of your life, as compared to those who sleep well.

Do you often experience symptoms like having difficulty with falling or staying asleep, or waking up too early with trouble getting back to sleep, symptoms of tiredness or sapped energy levels, when you wake up in the morning? If yes, then you might be suffering from Insomnia.

How does Insomnia affect an individual?

Dr. William Kohler, medical director of the Florida Sleep Institute says, “Sleep is necessary for us to function at our best, and if we do not get adequate quantity and quality of sleep, our performance and our functioning is not going to be satisfactory. If we don't get adequate sleep, our mood is going to be more depressed, we're not going to be as sharp cognitively, our thinking is not going to be as alert. And with lack of sleep, there are long-term potential consequences and changes in our health: Our immune system is not going to function as well if we do not get adequate sleep, and we're going to have a tendency to put on weight.”

Over time, Insomnia can impact work life with reduced attention span and concentration levels also leading to road accidents. Other problems may include mental health disorders (depression, irritability or anxiety); increased risk and severity of long-term diseases or conditions, such as high blood pressure and heart disease.

Causes of Insomnia

High stress levels, life events or sleep disrupting habits (using your bed for work, eating or watching TV, computers, TVs, video games etc.) may lead to chronic insomnia. Other reasons could be work schedule (night shifts), eating very late in the evening just before going to bed etc. Treating the underlying cause may resolve insomnia, but sometimes it can take years to address it.

Prevention

Before it turns out that your occasional erratic sleeping hours or situations leading to insomnia gets chronic or becomes a habit, address them early to promote good sleep. The following prevention measures may help address Insomnia in the early stages:

• Set your body clock: Keep your bedtime and wake time consistent including weekends.
• Active lifestyle: Exercises and activities help promote a good night's sleep.
• Medication: Check if a current course of medication is contributing to insomnia.
• Avoid or limit naps during the day.
• Avoid or limit caffeine and alcohol. Avoid Nicotine.
• Say no to large meals and beverages before bedtime.
• Make your bedroom comfortable to induce sleep
• A warm bath, reading or listening to soft music may help too.

So stay active, take action if you’re suffering from a sleep disorder and ensure you get sufficient quality and quantity of sleep every night to enjoy its benefits - Health and Happiness!