Insomnia

What is insomnia?

Insomnia causes difficulty getting to sleep, staying asleep, and early waking. Without sufficient good quality sleep, you can start to suffer from chronic fatigue and low mood, affecting your home and work life.

Everyone’s sleep needs vary, but most people find that 7-8 hours of sleep every night is optimal. It’s not uncommon to experience insomnia for short periods because of sickness, excitement, or trauma. However, chronic insomnia is constant and occurs most nights.

What causes insomnia?

Insomnia can develop because of another condition or as a problem in its own right. Common causes of insomnia include:

• Stress
• Anxiety
• Poor sleep habits
• Shift work
• Eating late
• Depression
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Caffeine
• Other stimulants
• Certain medications
• Chronic pain
• Sleep apnea
• Restless legs syndrome

Several medications can affect sleep, including blood pressure medicines, antidepressants, and asthma medications. Some over-the-counter remedies contain stimulants that make it harder to sleep.

Medical conditions like hypothyroidism, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease can cause insomnia. Trouble sleeping is also more common with increasing age.

How is insomnia treated?

The first step in treating your insomnia is to study your lifestyle and see what’s causing the problem. A change in your prescription might solve the problem or treatment for a chronic health condition.

Dr. Brutus also looks at your daily routine; for example, do you work shift patterns or suffer from jet lag? These can upset the circadian rhythm (your natural body clock), which regulates sleep.

Most people with insomnia find their problem improves by adopting healthier sleep habits. These include:

• Regular bedtime
• No napping
• No screentime before bed
• Comfortable bed
• No eating before bed
• No TV in bed

If these measures don’t help your insomnia, Dr. Brutus can create a personalized treatment plan for you. This could include therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). CBT-I consists of various approaches designed to break the cycle of sleeplessness, such as the following:

• Healthy sleep strategies
• Biofeedback
• Breathing exercises
• Sleep restriction
• Progressive muscle relaxation
• Reducing anxiety
• Passive wakefulness
• Light therapy

Prescription sleeping pills have potential side effects, so you need to discuss the risks and benefits with Dr. Brutus.

Sleep is essential to everyone’s mental and physical health, so if insomnia affects your sleep quality, call La Bonne Sante Clinic or request an appointment online today.