At some point in our lives, we have often fallen victim to poor sleep. Many times we attribute them to the fatigue of the day or simply do not give it importance, however, we may be suffering from insomnia.
This evil can go unnoticed, because because we are in such a hectic and changing world, we pay attention to external events, without observing ourselves.
Next, we present an article where we give you the most extensive information about insomnia.
What is insomnia?
Insomnia is a common sleep disorder, which causes difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, or it may cause you to wake up in the early morning and be unable to go back to sleep. Therefore, there are chances that you will still be tired when you wake up.
Insomnia can not only kill your energy and mood, it can also affect your daily life, work performance and quality of life.
Many older people experience short-term insomnia, lasting a few days or a few weeks, because of stress or a traumatic event. But some suffer from it in the long term, which lasts a month or more.
Insomnia is also called “the agrippnia“, and its most immediate consequences are daytime sleepiness, low concentration and difficulty maintaining an active life.
The classification of diseases of theWorld Health Organization (WHO), in its tenth revision (ICD-10), requires for the diagnosis of insomnia, that the difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep, or not having a restful sleep, lasts at least 30 days and that together, it is accompanied by fatigue during the day, a feeling of significant personal discomfort and social deterioration, Labour.
In this sense, according to a Study , “sleep disorders are a frequent reason for consultation, both in general medicine and in psychiatry”.
Another article concludes that there is a close relationship between one’s health and normal sleep, this because sleep fulfills various physiological functions necessary for the proper functioning of the organism such as: restoring homeostasis of The Central Nervous System and the rest of the tissues, restoring cellular energy stores, and storing and preserving data in memory.
Causes of insomnia
The causes that lead to insomnia are multiple, depending on its origin. We present the most relevant below:
Stress
The stress caused by worries derived from work, school, finances or family, among others, can keep the mind alert at night, making it difficult to sleep.
Traumatic life events, such as the death or illness of a loved one, for example, can also lead to insomnia.
Anxiety
disorders
Constant or intense anxiety can make the individual feel always on alert. According to aStudy , insomnia is associated with psychiatric disorders.
Emotional trauma
The person who suffers from post-traumatic stress, can have surprise reactions when they are touched from behind or passed close to them without wanting to. For this reason, they sometimes avoid crowded places. They are in a state of constant nervousness as if they were always on guard.
Another consequence is a constant state of restlessness and irritability. Symptoms that may present are difficulties concentrating and insomnia. Insomnia may reflect a person’s fear of falling asleep and waking up in the middle of a nightmare.
ToStudy indicates that “Chronic primary insomnia is linked in its onset to emotional factors or stressful events.”
Health disorders
Conditions associated with insomnia include chronic pain, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease, hyperthyroidism, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease, among others.
On the other hand, insomnia also produces restless leg syndrome, which causes a constant desire to move them, and apnea causes disturbances in the sleep cycle, leading to insomnia.
An article entitled “Update on the incidence and causes of primary and secondary insomnia” that among the most frequent determinants of secondary insomnia are medical conditions such as: cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, endocrine, rheumatic, neoplastic.
drug use
Over-the-counter drugs such as pain relievers, diet products, cold and allergy medicines that contain stimulants, as well as some antidepressants and medicines for asthma or blood pressure, disturb sleep.
Medications such as: Alpha-blockers, Beta-blockers, Corticosteroids, SSRI Antidepressants, ACE Inhibitors, Cholinesterase Inhibitors, among others, can cause insomnia.
Consumption of psychotropic and narcotic drugs
Also addictive substances like alcohol, marijuana and other drugs cause insomnia. Studies have shown that “both during use and in the withdrawal period, consumers have different sleep problems and, fundamentally, a more fragmented sleep.”
Schedule changes
Circadian rhythms act like an internal clock and regulate the circadian cycle, metabolism and body temperature, and their disturbance can cause insomnia.
Sedentary lifestyle
Physical activity produces a very large energy consumption, as well as the release of some hormones, such as endorphins. If there is no physical effort, we will not feel tired because we have not expended significant energy.
Exercise produces metabolites, which warn the body with a message that it needs to rest, and if we are tired we will not feel this need.
Endorphins are hormones that affect our relaxation and the sleep-wake cycle, and if they are not released properly, the body loses the facility to synchronize in these cycles.
A sedentary lifestyle has consequences that affect the possibility of suffering from insomnia. In anarticle from the “University of the Valley” , it was “shown that 75 percent of people who do some regular physical activity have a more restful sleep.”
Excessive coffee consumption
As a general rule, adenosine molecules bind with specific receptors, producing sleep. Caffeine limits the functioning of this chemical.
In an article titled “The Effects of Caffeine” he says that “caffeine, which helps increase attention span and decrease feelings of sleepiness. Therefore, it is not a myth but a scientifically proven fact.
Cigarette Consumption
Tobacco users, and therefore nicotine users, spend more time in stages 1 and 2 of NonREM sleep, which contributes to more irregular sleep, and less time in stage 3 sleep, which is the period where it occurs a relaxing and restful sleep.
One Study states that “Once nicotine dependence develops, the body has adapted to maintaining stable levels of nicotine throughout the day.”
Similarly, the aforementioned study also indicates that “The most important symptoms of tobacco withdrawal syndrome are: insidiousness (desperation to smoke), dysphoric or depressed mood, irritability, restlessness, anxiety, insomnia, frustration, difficulty concentrating , increased appetite and constipation.
Alcohol consumption
In the article ” Generalities of alcohol use disorder “ , it is stated that alcoholism is a primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial and environmental factors that influence its development and manifestations.
The disease is commonly progressive and fatal. It is characterized by the impossibility of controlling alcohol consumption, despite the usually adverse consequences and distortion of thought.
types of insomnia
There are various classifications today. Here are the most common in the literature:
Chronic
This arises as a consequence of other pathologies and seriously impairs daily activity with serious physical and mental consequences. Chronic insomnia is defined as that whose suffering time is more than a month, and can last longer.
One Study establishes that “in chronic insomnia the patient describes complaints at the beginning or maintenance of sleep, with associated symptoms during the day”
Sharp
Work stress, family or traumatic situations are the most frequent reasons for this insomnia. Acute insomnia is characterized by a duration of less than 3 months, where it also affects the conciliation and maintenance of sleep.
One Study estimates that it may or may not appear in response to a precipitant, or as another symptom of a psychiatric disorder (anxiety is the most frequent), or as an effect of the consumption of some substance or drug.
of conciliation
The “Clinical Practice Guide for the Management of Patients with Insomnia in Primary Care”says that this type of insomnia generally occurs in young people, the most frequent form of insomnia being linked to drug use, medical problems, heart failure or some psychiatric-type disorders, such as anxiety disorders. It is characterized by a duration of less than three months.
Of maintenance
The patient has problems maintaining sleep throughout the night, due to the presence of frequent interruptions and/or periods of wakefulness. It frequently occurs in cases of mental and medical problems linked to aging, sleep architecture is altered and deep sleep time is decreased.
Early awakening
It occurs when the individual wakes up without the need for an external alert. They seem to have a biological clock that alerts them when to get up. It is an insomnia typical of melancholic depressions and the person cannot go back to sleep.
It usually happens before the time to start your daily activity day.
mixed
A combination of two or more types of those mentioned above appears. They occur together and constantly.
General
It is the most serious insomnia, because the number of hours slept is low. The patient takes time to fall asleep, cannot fall asleep and wakes up shortly after.
Treatment for types of insomnia
At present, the therapeutic management for insomnia has advanced a lot. Here we mention the most used, especially to treat initial insomnia and that are oriented to the minimum deterioration of the organism:
sleep at the same time
As part of the strategy to lead a healthy life, it is advisable to establish a sleep schedule. Remember that the estimated time to spend sleeping is between 7 and 9 hours at night.
wake up at the same time
Just as it is recommended to establish a time to start sleeping, you must also establish a time for the end of it. From then on schedule your day comfortably.
Avoid daytime naps
Afternoon naps usually don’t disturb your sleep, but if you already have insomnia or poor sleep quality, taking a nap could add to your insomnia problem. Long and/or periodic naps alter the sleep sky and can affect insomnia.
Avoid consuming stimulants in the afternoon
The consumption of stimulant substances so close to night can lengthen the state of alertness of the conscious, reducing the hours dedicated to sleep.
Avoid going to bed hungry or very full
During sleep, the body works on its recovery through many metabolic processes, and for which it requires energy. If you go to bed hungry, your body will require calories to carry out your metabolic processes, a situation that alters your sleep.
Opinions have recently emerged that meals at night, especially those that are abundant and that we eat before going to sleep, can alter the body and digestive processes.
Perform constant physical exercise
Physical exercise, in addition to conditioning the body, releases endorphins that give a feeling of happiness and also acts as a natural analgesic. This helps to fall asleep more easily.
Take a hot bath before bed
A hot shower helps relax muscles and stimulates blood circulation, improves the respiratory system and removes toxins from the skin. This creates a high sensitivity to the body to relax and enter a deep sleep.
Practice relaxation exercises
Yoga and meditation are activities that contribute to the relationship of both the body and the psyche . Its practice helps prepare us for sleep.
Adapt the room for rest
Undoubtedly, the influence of the environment provides elements for a relaxing sleep. Various factors such as having an adequate room temperature, a hygienic and tidy room, perhaps with a relaxing musical atmosphere, have a favorable impact on achieving sleep. This prevents extrinsic insomnia.
Go to a specialist if necessary
In cases where we fail to achieve restful sleep, seek advice on how to mitigate insomnia. Let’s go without fear to the consultation with a specialist.
University Professional in the area of Human Resources, Postgraduate in Occupational Health and Hygiene of the Work Environment, 14 years of experience in the area of health. Interested in topics of Psychology, Occupational Health, and General Medicine.