Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that can make it
– hard to fall asleep,
– hard to stay asleep, or
– cause you to wake up too early and not be able to get back to sleep.
This disorder can affect your energy level, your mood, health, work performance and your over all well being.
INSOMNIA SYMPTOMS:
The symptoms varies but here are the common ones:
– Difficulty sleeping at night,
– Waking up too early or during your night sleep,
– Not feeling well rested after a night sleep,
– Depression and irritability,
– Tiredness and sleepiness during the day,
– Inability to pay attention, and a lot more.
WHAT CAUSES INSOMNIA:
A whole lot of factors can cause insomnia, here are a few common ones:
– Stress, either from office, school, finances, e.t.c
– An upsetting or traumatic event,
– Changes to your sleep habits, like sleeping in a hotel, new home, or with a partner for the first time,
– Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol,
– Jet lag
– Certain medications e.g some blood pressure drugs, pain-relief medications, e.t.c
– Sleep-related disorders, e.g Sleep apnea.
INSOMNIA COMPLICATIONS:
Here are some complications that may arise from recurrent Insomnia:
– Lower performance on the office or at school
– Slowed reaction time while driving and a higher risk of accidents
– Mental health disorders, such as depression, an anxiety disorder or substance abuse
– Increased risk and severity of long-term diseases or conditions, such as high blood pressure and heart disease
PREVENTING INSOMNIA:
– Try to maintain a schedule for sleeping and waking, even on weekends.
– Limit afternoon caffeine.
– Dim the lights and put down electronic devices an hour or so before bedtime.
– Avoid napping, especially if you know sleeping during the day keeps you awake at night.
– Work with a therapist to address mental health symptoms like anxiety and depression as soon as you notice them.
Insomnia is treatable and you can get all the help you need when you book an appointment with the Consultant Family Physician. We always advise against self medications, if you want to get more information and not sure you can make it to the hospital, we can schedule an online consultation with a doctor or call 08090160175 to book an appointment.
