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Insomnia
Insomnia is becoming an increasingly
common complaint which currently affects more than a
third of all adults. People who suffer from insomnia,
experience poor-quality sleep and generally complain
that they:
- Have difficulty falling asleep
- Frequently wake during the night
- Have difficulty returning to sleep
- Wake up too early in the morning
- Feel un-refreshed in the mornings
Sleep is a fairly complex process
which is made up of two types of sleep, REM (Rapid Eye
Movement) sleep and
non-REM sleep. REM sleep is when
we dream, non-REM sleep is divided into a further four
stages.
You may find that after a good
night's sleep that you feel refreshed and energized.
Sleep enables you to restore and rejuvenate many
functions of the mind and body. However, if you're an
insomniac you may find that you are not able to fall
into the deeper stages of sleep, which is vital for
restoration.
A person who suffers from insomnia
may experience little or no sleep at night. Without
sleep your immune system may weaken leaving you prone
to illnesses. Sleep seems to organize memories, as
well as helping you to recover them.
It also helps restore muscular
energy, and release growth hormones for proper
physical and mental development. Insomnia may also
cause problems during the day, such as tiredness,
fatigue, lethargy, difficulty concentrating and
irritability.
Insomnia can be categorized as
transient, intermittent and chronic. However many
sufferers will have experienced more than one type of.
Insomnia is found in males and females of all age
groups, although it seems to be more common in females
and in the elderly. The ability to sleep, rather than
the need for sleep, appears to decrease with advancing
age.
Contrary to what people think,
insomnia is not defined by the number of hours a
person sleeps. Generally as we get older, we tend to
need less sleep. Babies might need between 10 to 14
hours a night and children between 9 to 12 hours
sleep.
The
optimum amount of sleep for most
adults is around 7 to 8 hours a night. Although as I
said it really does differ from person to person, some
people may need as few as 4 hours, or as many as 10
hours of sleep per night.
It is best not to resort to taking
sleeping pills because they often cause side affects.
Secondly the chemicals in prescribed sleeping pills
can affect normal brainwave patterns during sleep.
Thirdly as your body builds tolerance to them you may
find that they no longer work. I could go on and on
about the negative effects of taking sleeping pills.
If you absolutely have to take
something, then consider a natural remedy. Consider
Valerian extract or drinking a soothing and relaxing
beverage at night such as warm milk or chamomile tea.
It's true that most of us will
suffer from a sleepless night at some point in our
lives. However it's important to take note and act if
it becomes a reoccurring problem. Insomnia does not
just develop overnight, it's a conditioned habit. If
we can deal with insomnia before it becomes a real
issue, there's a good chance it won't develop any
further.
First and foremost, consult a
medical professional to rule out other
sleep disorders
such as sleep apnea or narcolepsy. It's also important
to diagnose and treat underlying medical or
psychological problems such as depression as they may
worsen your insomnia.
Try behavioral techniques to improve
sleep, such as relaxation therapy and also pay
attention to your sleep habits (also known as sleep
hygiene).
For more information on how to
tackle insomnia, sign up for our free newsletter at
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