What Is Insomnia
What is Insomnia? A Quick Answer Guide
Anyone looking for solutions to sleep problems has asked what is insomnia? Insomnia is a chronic sleep disorder that has two basic facets: trouble falling asleep and trouble staying asleep. Insomnia is a fairly common problem today, and many Americans use prescription medications to help them sleep.
When answering the question what is insomnia, it is important to point out that there are two different classifications of insomnia: primary and secondary. Primary insomnia appears by itself and the sleep difficulties are not related to any other problem or illness. Secondary insomnia occurs as a result of some other sickness or life situation and is really just a symptom of another problem altogether.
Both primary and secondary insomnia have the same symptoms:
> Trouble falling asleep
> Trouble staying asleep or waking frequently during the night
> Waking up before you are completely rested
> Feeling tired even when you first wake up
> Not being able to sleep despite being tired.
Symptoms of insomnia can be chronic, which means they last a long time, or they can happen every now and then. Non-chronic insomnia is frequently related to some outside influence, and often times this is related to an increase in stress.
There are a number of things that can lead to insomnia, not the least of which is too much stress. This can be a long-term situation or something that happens during certain life situations. Major life changes like the death of a loved one, divorce or separation, moving or changing jobs can all cause elevated stress levels that lead to a period of insomnia. Even smaller stressors like a big presentation at work or a major exam at school can come with a time of insomnia.
Sickness can also be a significant cause of this sleep disorder. This can include both physical illnesses as well as mental and emotional problems. In fact, mental stress can be a major contributor to problems sleeping. Other insomnia causes can be things like too much light or noise in the bedroom, or even the room temperature being too hot or too cold.
There are also certain types of medications that are known to cause sleep problems. These include:
> Cold and allergy medicine
> Drugs used to treat depression
> Medications for the treatment of asthma
> Some high blood pressure prescriptions
Another question that goes along with what is insomnia is how to treat insomnia. The first step is to see a doctor, but the answer is not always taking sleeping pills. This is especially true with secondary insomnia. It is important to find out what is causing the trouble sleeping and deal with that first. Many sleep issues can be alleviated by living a healthy lifestyle, which includes a balanced diet and regular exercise. Relaxation techniques are also extremely helpful to coax the body to relax, fall asleep and stay asleep for the entire night.