Insomnia

Insomnia:

Insomnia is defined as “difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep”. Nearly 30-50% people have sleepless nights, it may be due to improper sleep habit. It may be either due to inadequate quantity or quality of sleep. Insomnia is not a disease itself it’s a symptom which can vary from people to people. It can be seen in all age groups. If it lasts for more than 3 weeks one should visit the doctor as it may be due to some disease process and also may interfere with one’s daily activity.

It is classified according to the duration of symptoms presented:

• Transient Insomnia- less than one week

• Short-term Insomnia- lasting 1-3 weeks

• Chronic Insomnia- more than 3 weeks.

Causes of Insomnia: May be due to situational factor, medical or psychiatric causes or sleep problems.

• Transient or short term: jet lag, changes in shift work, Stress, acute illness, withdrawal from drugs, alcohol, sedatives or other medicines.

• Chronic may be due to psychiatric causes or physiological.

• Psychiatric: anxiety, Mood Disorder, Depression, Schizophrenia

• Physiological (medical causes): Chronic fatigue syndrome, Chronic pain syndrome, Acid peptic disease,Asthma,Obstructive sleep Apnea, Tumors, Strokes, Parkinson’s disease and many more.

• Drugs related: Blood pressure medicines, Medicines for depression, anxiety; some over the counter cold or asthma medicines.

Treatment:

It depends on identifying the cause factor and treating one. Generally treatment includes both non-medical and medical aspect.

• Non-medical treatment and Behavioral Therapy: Maintaining sleep hygiene (regular bed time; no drinks, coffee at bed time; no smoke; no TV or worries and Relaxation therapy. These methods work most of the time not requiring medication.

• Medicine: Drugs according to the medical causes such as antidepressant for Depression. Antihistamines, Sedatives etc.