Insomnia – causes, symptoms and treatment. Why can’t we sleep and how to fight it?

Insomnia is a term with a broad meaning. Insomnia is called both difficulties in falling asleep against a nervous background, a short-term inability to sleep the whole night caused, for example, by stress, and serious disorders manifested by long-term sleep deprivation. In some cases, insomnia takes the form of a serious health problem. Severe, chronic insomnia can lead the patient to extreme exhaustion and even to severe complications, such as heart disease, depression or diabetes.

A common cause of insomnia is a disrupted sleep-wake rhythm and failure to observe sleep hygiene. The problem can also have a psychological basis or be the result of certain diseases. The risk of insomnia increases with age. In young people the problem is most often caused by an irregular lifestyle, in middle-aged people the causes vary, but very often it is stress and anxiety. And in seniors, insomnia is mostly related to the natural aging processes of the brain or diseases of the nervous system (such as Alzheimera disease). Learn all the causes of insomnia and how to fight it.

What is insomnia (insomnia)?

Insomnia ( insomnia ) is referred to when the body does not receive enough sleep for proper functioning, or when the quality of sleep is inadequate (e.g., sleep phases are disrupted and there are deficiencies in deep sleep). The ailment can be of varying degrees of severity, can occur temporarily, briefly or chronically, canalso manifest itself in a variety of ways – from problems falling asleep, getting up too early in the morning, to complete sleep loss.

Insomnia is diagnosed when we have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep for more than 3 nights a week. Insomnia can be the result of somatic or psychological disorders. A distinction is made between so-called primary and secondary insomnia. Primary sleep disorders, including primary insomnia, occur spontaneously and are unrelated to other conditions. Secondary insomnia, on the other hand, occurs in the course of other diseases or psychological ailments (e.g., in people with anxiety disorders), being one of their symptoms.

Insomnia in younger people is often associated with the so-called delayed sleep phase syndrome. It is the result of a specific lifestyle, within which there is a shift in the diurnal rhythm – we are more active during the night hours, while the morning and the morning is the time for us to sleep.

In the elderly, insomnia is very often associated with the so-called accelerated sleep phase syndrome. This is when drowsiness occurs in the early evening hours. With this disorder, the patient wakes up very early, such as around 3-4 in the morning, and cannot fall asleep again. Such morning insomnia can be inconvenient not only for the patient (he gets out of bed not fully recovered, and during the day he quickly gets tiredfatigue), but also for the household members (their sleep is notoriously disturbed due to the very early activity of the person suffering from the accelerated sleep phase).

Why is sleep so important?

Healthy sleep is a prerequisite for a healthy body and mind. During sleep, cell regeneration processes are activated, micro-damage in the brain is repaired, and all information in the brain is also organized. During a night’s rest, the physical renewal of the body also takes place, energy resources needed for the next day are accumulated.

Already after 1-2 sleepless nights our mental efficiency and physical performance decreases. Each consecutive night without sleep or with sleep that is too short or of poor quality is associated with an increasing burden on the body and results in increasing disorders of the system.

Types of insomnia

There are 3 types of insomnia:

• Adventitious (temporary) insomnia – usually occurs as a result of events that triggered strong emotions or high stress. The inability to fall asleep or sleep peacefully the whole night passes after one night or maximum after a few days.

• Short-term insomnia – lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Mostly it is caused by severe stress, nervous tension, changes in life, problems in personal or professional life. It can also be the result of chronic pain in some part of the body or be one of the symptoms of some disease.

• Chronic ins omnia – this type of insomnia is very exhausting, adverse to health, and carries the risk of many diseases. It lasts for more than a month, causes severe effects in the form of exhaustion, significant deterioration of mood and work of mind, and decline in vitality. It manifests itself through shallow sleep, frequent waking at night or even complete lack of sleep. The most common causes are mental disorders, addictions or somatic diseases.

How much sleep should one get?

Sleep problems, and consequently poor body condition and reduced mental productivity, are an increasingly common affliction in society. We go to bed too late, go to bed at different times, allocate too few hours to sleep, take naps during thethe day, and in the evening we don’t feel sleepy and tired, we can’t get to sleep, and we go to bed very late again. A kind of vicious circle is thus created. The diurnal rhythm becomes more and more dysregulated, and sleep disturbances become more and more persistent and impair the quality of life.

Proper sleep in adults should last 7-8 hours, with rest ideally occurring during the nighttime hours, from about 10-11 pm to about 7-8 am. For people with low sleep needs, the norm is about 5-6 hours of sleep. Many experts believe that the minimum time spent in bed is 5 hours per night.

On the other hand, however, total sleep time should not exceed 9 hours. This is because not only too little sleep, but also sleep beyond a certain amount adversely affects the functioning of the body and well-being. The consequences of too much sleep are most often: headaches, irritability, feelings of confusion, slowing down of thoughts, decreased concentration, decreased mental performance, worsening of mood, weakness, lack of energy.

Insomnia – causes

Poor sleep hygiene is one of the main factors contributing to the onset of insomnia. Here it can be a matter of both unfavorable healthy sleeping conditions in the bedroom, as well as an irregular or unhealthy lifestyle, overexposure to light in the evening and night, and several other factors.

The most common causes of insomnia

• Sedentary lifestyle, lack of regular physical activity,
• disturbed diurnal rhythm, going to bed and getting up at different times,
• naps during the day,
• excessive exposure to blue light in the evening (blue light is emitted by: smartphones, tablets, TVs, monitor screens),
• excessive amounts of coffee, strong tea, energy drinks,
• use of alcohol and nicotine in the evening hours,
• eating before going to bed,
• stress, mental tension,
• neurotic disorders, anxiety, persistent thoughts, adaptive disorders,
• traumatic experiences,
• fear of another sleepless night,
• too much time spent in bed,
• unfavorable conditions in the bedroom (uncomfortable mattress, excess electronic devices, too high a temperature, too harsh a light, not airing the bedroom before bed, outside noise, too little darkening of the room),
• chronic pain,
• certain somatic diseases (e.g. hyperthyroidism, sleep apnea, urinary tract diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, mental illnesses),
• abstinence syndrome in addicts,
• use of certain medications (e.g., antidepressants, contraceptives, glucocorticosteroids).

If we are not sure about the cause of our insomnia, the following tests can help us: EKG, EEG, polysomnography, blood tests, hormone levels, respiratory function tests.

Insomnia – symptoms and potential consequences

Insomnia, manifested by sleep deprivation or sleep deficiency, is one of the most common sleep disorders. Others, such as hypersomnia (sleeping too long), narcolepsy (uncontrolled sleep attacks), sleep paralysis (feeling paralyzed when falling asleep or waking up), sleepwalking or nightmares, occur much less frequently. Insomnia can occur slightly differently in everyone, but it always involves the inability to sleep an adequate number of hours continuously and undisturbed.

The most common symptoms of insomnia

• problem with falling asleep,
• a problem with maintaining sleep continuity,
• feeling aroused after going to bed, prolonged rolling from side to side, a flurry of thoughts,
• shallow sleep,
• frequent awakenings during the night,
• lack of sleep throughout the night or falling asleep only in the morning,
• waking up too quickly (while still awake at night or in the morning) and being unable to fall asleep again,
• during the day, lack of energy, fatigue, lassitude, distraction, irritability, worse mental performance.

Effects of insomnia

• hormone secretion disorders,
• overweight and obesity,
• greater risk of developing cancer,
• greater risk of diabetes,
• greater risk of cardiovascular disease,
• faster aging processes,
• worse skin condition,
• lower immunity, greater susceptibility to infections,
• deterioration of memory and concentration, lower mental performance, greater tendency to make mistakes (e.g., in counting),
• worsening of mood, depressive states, decreased motivation.

Insomnia – pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment. Advantages and disadvantages

The large scale of the problem and the causes lying in the conditions of civilization and individual habits make insomnia increasingly talked about as a disease of civilization. Like any disease, insomnia can also be combated in many different ways. Insomnia can be treated with pharmacological agents or with other methods, such as phytotherapy.

Pharmacological treatment of insomnia

Several types of drugs are used in insomnia: sleeping pills, sedatives (benzodiazepine derivatives), antipsychotics and antidepressants. Using these types of drugs can be effective, but they also have their big downsides. So it’s worth reaching for them as a last resort if other methods don’t work.

The disadvantages of drug treatment for insomnia are primarily the high risk of addiction, as well as the possible occurrence of many side effects, such as: circulatory disorders, headaches, abdominal pain, weakness, decreased libido, anxiety, hallucinations, confusion, negative effects on coordination of movement (resulting in problems with walking and maintaining differentbalance, falls), impaired consciousness, feelings of hopelessness, depressive states, suicidal thoughts, excessive daytime sleepiness, dizziness, memory impairment.

Non-pharmacological treatment of insomnia

It is not always necessary to use strong sleep medications to get rid of insomnia. In many cases, it is enough to make lifestyle changes (e.g., regulating sleeping hours, introducing physical activity, etc.) or some modifications in bedroom arrangements. If the causes of insomnia are psychological, an extremely effective way to deal with this affliction is to use a variety of relaxation techniques. Cognitive-behavioral therapy can also work well in the non-pharmacological treatment of insomnia.

Natural calming, relaxing and anti-stress preparations based on extracts of medicinal plants such as valerian, lemon balm, hops, ashwagandha, passionflower, lavender work very well. Multicomponent sleep supplements enriched with melatonin are also widely used (and give very good results). Herbal preparations have the advantage that they are not addictive, have no risk of negative side effects, and are completely safe for health.

What to do when sleep does not come?

Insomnia is already faced by about half of the adult population, and as recently as the end of the 20th century it was about 30%. So the problem is gradually growing. As specialists emphasize, it is worth starting with sleep disorders as early as possible, before they take the form of chronic, severe insomnia that threatens health and life. What to do when sleep does not come, even though we would very much like to fall asleep?

The main recommendation for insomnia is to follow the principles of sleep hygiene.

It is also worthwhile:

• bet on regular exercise (preferably in the morning or afternoon),
• treat yourself to a comfortable mattress, a good ergonomic pillow and other accessories that support healthy, deep sleep (such as a weighted quilt),
• take care to relax, calm and reset the mind during the evening hours,
• stop excessive use of smartphones, tablets and computers before bedtime,
• regulate the hours of going to bed and getting up,
• eat light dinners,
• limit sugar, processed foods, caffeine, alcohol,
• ensure a healthy diet rich in B vitamins, vitamin C and magnesium,
• avoid smoking, ensure a healthier lifestyle.

Moreover, use the bed only for sleeping and sex life. All other activities, such as reading, resting during the day, watching TV, should be done out of bed.

admin