What Is Chronic Insomnia and How Is It Treated?
Chronic insomnia lasts at least 3 months, with possible causes ranging from respiratory conditions to menopause to sleep habits. Therapy, medications, or lifestyle changes may help ease the symptoms. Insomnia is a common sleep disorder in which you may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or both.
Types of chronic insomnia
There are two main types of chronic insomnia: primary and secondary. Primary insomnia isn’t due to other medical conditions or medications and is poorly understood by scientists. Specialized MRI scans are being used to study this condition. Primary insomnia may be related to changes in levels of certain brain chemicals, but research is ongoing.
Secondary insomnia is caused by other conditions or situations. This means that it’s a symptom that goes along with some medical issues, such as emotional stress, trauma, and ongoing health problems; certain lifestyle patterns; or taking certain drugs and medications.
Symptoms of chronic insomnia
Chronic insomnia can cause symptoms at night as well as during the day and can interfere with your ability to go on with your daily tasks.
Symptoms may include:
Trouble falling asleep
Waking up throughout the night
Trouble staying asleep or trouble returning to sleep
Waking up too early
Daytime sleepiness or grogginess
Not feeling rested after a night’s sleep
Causes of chronic insomnia
There are many things that can cause chronic insomnia, but it’s often linked to an underlying medical condition. Certain medications and stimulants can cause chronic insomnia, along with lifestyle patterns.
Medical conditions
Chronic insomnia can be caused by a number of long-term medical conditions, including:
Respiratory conditions, including
Asthma
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Sleep apnea
Congestive heart failure
Diabetes
acid reflux
Medications and Alternatives
For some people, certain medications and stimulants may cause chronic insomnia. These include:
Alcohol
Antidepressants
Beta-blockers
Caffeine
Chemotherapy drugs
Cold and allergy medications containing pseudoephedrine
Diuretics
Treatment
A number of at-home and professional treatment options are available for chronic insomnia. Treatment will depend on the cause of your insomnia and Modalert 200 may involve to address your brain and maintain to do work and concentrate on your work.
Along with treating any existing conditions, your doctor may recommend one or a combination of treatment options for chronic insomnia.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Research has shown CBT to be as effective, or more effective, than sleep medications in treating chronic insomnia. It involves educating you on sleep and better sleep habits, while teaching you to change the beliefs and behaviors that interfere with your ability to sleep.
Some of the strategies of CBT that are specifically focused on insomnia, known as CBT-I, include the following:
Cognitive techniques
Using journaling to write down worries or concerns before going to bed may help keep a person from actively attempting to work them out while also trying to sleep.
Stimulus control
This entails altering behaviors that condition your mind to fight sleep. Setting a sleep and wake time routine is part of this strategy. Other examples are using your bed only for sleep and sex, and leaving your bedroom if you’re unable to fall asleep within a set number of minutes.
Sleep restriction
This therapy involves limiting the amount of time you spend in bed, including avoiding naps. The goal is to deprive you of enough sleep so that you’re tired at bedtime. Your time in bed is gradually increased as your sleep improves.
Relaxation techniques
Breathing exercises, yoga, guided meditation, and other techniques are used to reduce muscle tension and control your breathing and heart rate so that you’re able to relax.
Paradoxical intention
This strategy involves focusing on staying awake in bed instead of expecting to fall asleep. It helps reduce worry and anxiety over being able to fall asleep. It’s most effective in treating learned insomnia.
Medications
There are a number of prescription medications and over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aids that may help you get to sleep or remain asleep.
While effective, doctors don’t typically recommend using sleeping pills long term because of the side effects, which can include daytime sleepiness, forgetfulness, sleepwalking, balance problems, and falling. Certain classes of sleeping pills are also habit-forming.
Cure for chronic insomnia
If your chronic insomnia is caused by an underlying medical condition, such as acid reflux or pain, treating the condition may cure your insomnia.
Chronic health conditions that cause insomnia can be managed with changes in treatment, in turn managing or preventing insomnia. Talk to your doctor about changing medications or treatment plans if a drug you’re taking is causing insomnia.
Home remedies for chronic insomnia
There was Artvigil 150 that can treat or prevent chronic insomnia. One important option for treatment is known as sleep hygiene. This calls for changes in patterns of behavior to help improve your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Try the following tips:
Avoid caffeine, especially later in the day.
Avoid alcohol use and smoking cigarettes before bed.
Engage in regular physical activity.
Don’t take naps.
Don’t eat large meals in the evening.
Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on days off.
Complications
Sleep is as important to your health as a healthy diet and regular physical activity. Whatever your reason for sleep loss, insomnia can affect you both mentally and physically. People with insomnia report a lower quality of life compared with people who are sleeping well.
Complications of insomnia may include:
Lower performance on the job 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
Prevention
Good sleep habits can help prevent insomnia and promote sound sleep:
Keep your bedtime and wake time consistent from day to day, including weekends.
Stay active — regular activity helps promote a good night’s sleep.
Check your medications to see if they may contribute to insomnia.
Avoid or limit naps.
Avoid or limit caffeine and alcohol, and don’t use nicotine.
Avoid large meals and beverages before bedtime.
Make your bedroom comfortable for sleep and only use it for sex or sleep.
Create a relaxing bedtime ritual, such as taking a warm bath, reading or listening to soft music.
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