Understanding Insomnia: The Dying Sleep

Holistic Fitness | August 31, 2010 | Share

Enrique Iglesias has publicly stated that he is an insomniac, and that even heavy-duty pills are unyielding for him when it comes to sleep. Enrique, however, is not alone. Given the lifestyles of people these days the disorder, akin to the star, is quite popular with the youth as well.
According to the Insomnia Encyclopedia, Insomnia is a condition wherein the person suffers from the inability to obtain the requisite quantity or quality of sleep. The problem can be with either falling asleep or remaining asleep or sometimes both.
Insomnia manifests itself in three broad styles:
* Transient,
* Acute and,
* Chronic
The basic difference in all these styles is primarily the length of time the problem persists with transient insomnia lasting for about a week, acute about a month and chronic longer than the month
Symptoms
Insomnia occurs in patients, in one of the three patterns. Onset insomnia occurs when the person has difficulty sleeping in the beginning of the night, nocturnal awakenings or middle insomnia which includes waking up in the middle of the night and difficulty maintaining sleep or terminal insomnia which includes early morning waking up
Causes
Causes of insomnia are endless to list. It could be because of a simple reason like a jet lag, which can result in transient insomnia or because of an acute pain, which could translate into acute or chronic insomnia. Addiction to alcohol and drugs, clinical depression etc also contributes to the problem.
Insomnia among youth these days is caused mostly by increased levels of stress. The lifestyles of people, the work culture, and the exacting nature of the jobs demand more of every person. Stress related insomnia is very frequent in youth these days. Present day work culture that requires people to frequently adjust working in shifts is another reason for the aggravation of the disease.
Internet addiction has been cited as a recent reason for the disease’s contraction. Using internet at night or working on computer disturbs the sleeping patterns. Texting or talking on mobile late at night also contributes to the problem.

Effects
A very common effect of insomnia is dizziness accompanied by fatigue. The disease can also result into poor concentration, disorientation and impaired social interaction, slight memory loss etc. Extreme cases may also include depression which further results in insomnia creating a vicious circle.
Precautions and Cure
A healthy lifestyle is the key to avoid insomnia. An exercise regime, good eating habits, and getting rid of addictions like that of alcohol, drugs, caffeine and nicotine etc helps to being about a phenomenal change for starters.
Curtailing the use of computer and mobile phones around the time of sleep also helps to a great extent to get rid of transient insomnia.
Chronic insomnia is treated by clinical and behavioral therapies. While pharmacological treatment is effective in the beginning it does not have long term effects as the patient gets used to the hypnotic drugs. Long term effects are achieved by non-pharmacological treatments because they are natural therapies. Meditation, Relaxation therapy, sleep restriction therapy and cognitive behavioral therapies constitute the non pharmacological treatments leading to effective permanent cure for the disease.
Insomnia is a serious disorder but it is not an incurable disease or an inoperable tumor to be dreaded of. Among youth, the common reason for the disease is either the lifestyle or addiction. With strong will power and a little bit of exercise regime, the disease can be prevented from resulting into a chronic disorder. When it comes to insomnia that old age adage that says “Nip the evil in the bud” is a good one to follow. Being proactive about the situation and a strong determination can work wonders for an insomniac.

Kirti Misra