The Top 3 Reasons for Insomnia and Recommended Tips to Help

For many people insomnia can be a battle these days, and if you are not a sufferer you may not appreciate the effects it can have on the body. If you have suffered from any type of sleep disorder in the recent past, it’s quite possible that the problem will recur or worsen given the present state of our economy. Typical surveys report that around 60% of people are lying awake at nights, or waking up in the middle of the night unable to get back to sleep.

In the Great Britain, sleeplessness is the most common cause of mental health problems. One out of ten Britons can’t fall asleep at night, and it’s usually the chronic form. Also according to statistics, one in three of us will experience night-time periods of restlessness at least 3 times in our lives. In fact, according to sleep specialists at the University of Surrey, sleeplessness is probably the world’s most common health problem, mainly originating from some underlying health cause or mental anguish.

Yet, what is further disturbing news about this unnatural sleepless trend is that most people accept it as a condition to simply live with, which is confirmed by the surveys. Based on these studies, less than half of people with sleep deprivation consider mentioning their disturbance to a family doctor.

The Top 3 Reasons for Insomnia

A recent survey conducted showed the extent of night-time restlessness among a wide cross section of the population. To start off, the top 3 reasons for insomnia are:

    Work-related stress
    Medical condition (example: arthritis, anxiety, Parkinson’s disease, or depression)
    Financial difficulties

No surprises there! The list is also in order of the most frequent occurrence. On average, problem-sleepers suffer their condition for as long as 12 years.

The Most Common Remedies Used for Insomnia?

Further to the survey, people were asked what short-term measures were used to get some shut-eye. Of those who participated, 40 per cent said common over-the-counter drugs were helpful, though they were not considered the best choices. A more effective option was prescription medications, in which 70 per cent of participants were satisfied.

Desperation for even the smallest amount of rest is, however a common reaction to reaching for a sleeping pill, although you may naturally be opposed to drug treatment as the answer. There are unfortunately consequences to this action involving serious drawbacks to popping nightly doses of chemical sleep aids.

Studies have found that a significant number of people were overusing prescription drugs, taking them at least 27 nights out of a month.

Most prescription night-time aids are approved for a maximum of 10 days. Any longer time-frame promotes certain risks such as: rebound insomnia, dependency, and side effects, like next day grogginess.

Physicians will tell you that if you are not careful with sleeping pills your body will soon forget how to go to sleep on its own.

Given these risk factors, other alternatives are worth considering. There are numerous suggestions to getting-in a few Z’s such as herbals, removal of stimulants from the diet, to having a nice warm glass of milk just before bed; but do these options really work? You can be the judge; here are a few specifics on alternative sleep aids:

    Take a warm bath – throw in some Epsom salts and baking soda too. These two mineral properties are said to help us relax and remove toxins at the same time
    Get a massage – if not a full body massage, a short back rub and scalp massage does wonders to soothe and remove tension
    Listen to soft soothing music: sounds of the rhythmic ocean, whale cries or the steady pattern of a heart beat are said to be helpful
    Drink herb teas before bed–try a cup of chamomile, anise, or fennel tea to relax the body
    Herbal tinctures such as Valerian and Passion Flower (Passiflora) are safe sedatives and relaxants. (Valerian should be used for about 3 weeks at a time as the body tends to get used to it. It can be re-introduced after 1 week).
    Lavender essential oil has been a popular choice for those with mild occasional insomnia. Rub one drop onto each temple. Remember more is not necessarily better. Use this way for headaches and tension, which may also be a cause of insomnia.
    Drink a hot cup of cocoa—it contains tryptophan, a catalyst to serotonin a natural relaxant
    Drink unsweetened cherry juice 30 minutes before bed. Cherries are high in melatonin, a substance the body uses for sleep regulation.
    Do some Chi Gong exercises before bed-time. These gentle meditative exercises will relax the body and mind as opposed to conventional exercises.
    If your insomnia is due to an over-active mind or worrying, try some meditation before bed to calm the mind and help you think more rationally.

The overuse of medications and use of stimulants such as alcohol, caffeine and nicotine which are known antagonists in the body are best avoided or eliminated from your lifestyle.

There are other recommendations made by specialists, most of which are known to help.

Recommended Tips to get you into Slumber-land

Self-Hypnosis/auto suggestion audio therapy

These audio aids offer a highly effective way to promote sleep permanently. By regularly listening to the right suggestions, the body and mind begins to be re-educated about how to promote healthy restful sleep. This method requires no effort and is totally safe. Good results can be seen in as little as 7 days.

White Noise

Studies are also reporting positive results from “white noise” machines in which 40 per cent of those who tried one of the devices said they helped them sleep better.

A white noise machine makes a sound like a Hoover and is about the size of a pudding bowl but considerably heavier and is reasonably priced, considering its purpose. It is designed to block out disturbances or mask offending noises allowing you to sleep in peace.

Cognitive behavioural therapy

This type of therapy changes attitudes that intuitively changes behaviour. It is used as an effective treatment for chronic insomniacs. On the cognitive side of the treatment you are taught to recognise hindrances to getting a restful night’s sleep and to change those perceptions that are the underlying cause of your insomnia.

On the behaviour side of the therapy, it helps you develop good resting habits, avoiding actions that keep you from sleeping well.

Sleep hygiene

This form of therapy involves changing basic lifestyle habits that influence sleeplessness. This may include viewing your bedroom as a sanctuary by creating an inviting, relaxed atmosphere, achieved through a few modifications such as:

Changing the bedding frequently
Removing the television and laptop out of the room
Avoiding all work related activities and eating in bed
Generally, you are barring almost all non-sleep activities from the bedroom. Also, you will be taught to maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Further changes are taught that help you relax closer to bedtime which includes ways to wind down an hour or two before bed.

Online Sleep Therapy Programme

New online sleep therapies claim to work just as well as having a one-on-one series of sessions with your specialist. The courses are about 5 weeks long; they include downloadable sessions and ultimately mimic the doctor/patient relationship.

Researchers are giving the thumbs up on this treatment, engineered by doctor Gregg Jacobs, an insomnia specialist at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He basically took the treatment programme that he delivers in a face-to-face format at the office and turned it into an online format.

It is described as safe, anonymous, and affordable. The online therapy has helped 75 per cent of patients who were chronic insomniacs, all reporting significant improvements.

What is the Main Reason for Sleeplessness?

Insomnia is defined as: difficulty getting to sleep, difficulty staying asleep or having non-refreshing sleep. In the mornings, not only do you feel groggy, but un-refreshed sleep also takes a toll on your health. It removes your ability to function because it saps your energy level, making you moody, unable to think, and destroying your quality of life.

The main reasons for sleeplessness are usually complex, and it may be difficult to pinpoint any one cause. It can be caused by physical factors as well as psychological ones. Often there is an underlying medical condition that is at the root of chronic insomniacs, while transient insomnia is often due to recent changes or events in our lives. Some of the more prominent causes of sleep deprivation include:

    Medical conditions: brain lesions and tumours, stroke, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnoea, asthma, arthritis, obstructive pulmonary disease, acid reflux disease, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, as well as temporary aches and pains.
    Drugs, alcohol, and medications: caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, anti-depressants, allergy medicines, anti-histamine, cocaine, heart and blood pressure medication, weight loss medicines, and fluoroquinolone antibiotic drugs.
    Psychological disturbances: stress, anxiety, depression and schizophrenia.
    Disruptions in circadian rhythm: jet lag, hot and cold environment, high altitudes, and work-shift changes.

Some signs and symptoms of insomnia are easier to detect than others; these symptoms are typically indicative of underlying medical factors:

    Waking up several times during the night
    Lying awake for a long time before falling asleep
    Daytime exhaustion and sleepiness
    Tension headaches
    Gastrointestinal problems
    Awakening earlier than desired
    Still feeling tired after a night’s rest—un-refreshed sleep
    Worrying about sleeping
    Being uncoordinated, developing an increase in errors and accidents

How much sleep is enough varies from person to person. Most adults need between 7 and 8 hours of peaceful rest at nights.

Who Gets Insomnia?

Sleep deprivation can affect all age groups and is more common in adult women than in adult men. Still, there are people more likely to suffer from insomnia than others. These include:

Young adult students or adolescents
Travellers and flight crew
Shift workers
Pregnant women and new mothers
Menopausal women
Drug users
Individuals with mental health disorders and chronic pain
The inactive elderly, who tend to cat-nap during the day
Although as we get older fundamental changes occur that impacts normal cyclic patterns such as menopause and circadian rhythms, however, we don’t have to accept fatigue and sleepless nights. Simple changes in our daily routine can help.

Diagnosis of Sleep Disorder

A visit to your health clinic for a diagnosis of your condition is recommended for chronic non-sleepers. At the doctor’s office, a physical exam is usually conducted to detect signs of a disorder. A physician may also screen for psychiatric disturbances, alcohol and drug use.

Needless to say, sleep disorders are difficult to assess, therefore to rule out other illnesses, a sleep specialist usually conducts a diagnostic session. What this means is, as a patient you will encounter a host of questions about your medical history and sleep patterns. Keeping a sleep diary will better help your physician establish causes and hasten the start of therapy.

We all understand that sleep is important and how we feel in the morning when we don’t get enough of it. The reality check of not sleeping becomes even more sobering when we recognise that it’s not possible to be healthy without it—and just like nutrition—it is essential to a normal functioning body. Therefore insomnia over long periods of time needs to be prevented, treated with the same significance as diet and exercise.