Insomnia
Insomnia is when you have sleeping problems. It’s usually treatable by changing sleeping habits.
Insomnia symptoms
- Finding it difficult to fall asleep
- Waking up multiple times during the night
- Staying awake at night
- Waking up early and not able to go back to sleep
- Find it hard to sleep during the day even when you are tired
- Hard to concentrate during the day
Insomnia causes
The common causes are:
- Stress, depression, or anxiety
- Noise
- The room is too cold or hot
- Uncomfortable mats
- Alcohol, nicotine, or caffeine
- Drug use
- Jet lags
- Working shifts
Insomnia treatments
A doctor will help you identify the cause of your insomnia and refer you to treatments accordingly. The doctor may refer you to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) therapist to help with your thoughts and behaviors that keep you from sleeping. They may also prescribe you a sleep clinic if you have sleeping disorder symptoms like apnoea.
Doctors rarely prescribe sleeping tablets to treat insomnia since they have severe side effects and are highly addictive. Doctors suggest sleeping pills only if:
- Insomnia is horrible
- Other treatments haven’t worked
They prescribe the pills only for a few days or weeks at the most.
Insomnia self-treatments
- Wake up and go to bed at a standard time
- Relax at least one hour before sleeping
- Ensure the bedroom is quiet and dark
- Do proper regular exercise
- Ensure your pillows, covers, and mattress are comfortable
- Don’t drink alcohol, coffee, or tea, and don’t smoke at least six hours before sleeping
- Avoid bright screens before going to sleep
- Do not sleep during the day
- Do not sleep after a bad night’s sleep; stick with your routine
Reviewed by – Dr. Priyanka, MBBS MD Microbiology
Page last reviewed: 23 JUNE 2022