Can't Sleep? Dealing With Insomnia

Whether we like it or not, we need to sleep. Sleep allows our body to repair and heal, to fight illness and injury, and gives our brain the chance to sort through and cope with its daily tasks. While most of us regularly enjoy a good night's sleep, for some, sleep is a thing of the past.

As one of the world's most common medical conditions, the spectrum of sleep problems range from nightmares and the occasional night spent tossing and turning to extreme night terrors, sleep walking and the complete inability to sleep at all. Often joked about with parents of newborn babies, sleep deprivation is a serious condition and is a very common side effect for insomniacs. A lack of sleep will leave you tired and irritable, anxious and depressed, and unable to concentrate or think clearly.

Although there is a range of sleep problems out there, insomnia is the most common. In simple terms, it is the inability to fall sleep and/or stay asleep. Insomnia, like many conditions, affects different people in different ways. Some may lie awake for hours before finally drifting off; some may find it easy to get to sleep but then wake during the night, unable to go back to sleep; and others may experience both, finding it difficult to get to sleep, then waking regularly throughout the night.

Not all insomniacs suffer night after night. For some, their insomnia may only occur occasionally; for others, it may occur during times of stress or illness. But for some, insomnia is a chronic condition resulting in regularly losing sleep, more than three nights a week. Insomnia doesn't always occur as a stand-alone condition. Often it is a symptom of another condition (such as anxiety or depression) or the result of certain medications. Stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine and alcohol can also cause insomnia as can eating a heavy meal or exercising to close to bedtime.

While chronic insomnia needs treatment from a medical professional, secondary insomnia can often be 'cured' by treating the source - such as removing stress, avoiding stimulants before bed, and going to bed with a clear mind (instead of lying there worrying).

Thankfully, there are many treatment options available for insomniacs including cognitive and behavioral therapies, hypnotics, and various medications. The good news is that insomnia can often be treated with simple lifestyle changes and sleep techniques. Speak to your doctor or sleep specialist about the best treatment option to get you back on track.


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