Insomnia: Symptoms, Signs, Treatment

Insomnia

You get home after a long day, crawl into bed, exhausted. And wait to fall asleep. And wait. And wait. There’s just not much worse than tossing and turning, waiting for sleep, only to still be awake when the sun rises. Or, another version of insomnia involves bouts of falling asleep and waking back up again, which isn’t any more restful than simply not sleeping. All in all, whether it’s a chronic condition or intermittent, insomnia is miserable and impacts all aspects of your life, both physical and mental. At Arcara, we offer treatment for sleeping disorders.

What Is Insomnia?

nsomnia is a form of disordered sleeping characterized by difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep or waking up too early. Most people who have insomnia still feel tired after waking up, even if they’ve gotten their full eight hours of sleep.

Insomnia can lead to decreased energy and mood swings and can interfere with health and work performance. Insomnia tends to disturb people’s quality of life overall.

Stress from work or a traumatic event may cause short-term insomnia that will disappear on its own. Insomnia that lasts for over a month usually needs to be treated with significant lifestyle and daily habit changes.

Symptoms Of Insomnia

Insomnia symptoms can include:

  • Difficulty falling asleep
  • Repeatedly waking up during the night
  • Waking up too early
  • Feeling tired after a full night’s sleep
  • Daytime fatigue
  • Irritability, depression, and anxiety
  • Brain fog, difficulty focusing, and difficulty remembering
  • Increased errors or accidents at work and in life

Types Of Insomnia

Acute insomnia

  • Lasts up to one month
  • Occurs due to situational stress from work, school, or other life events
  • Generally disappears once the stressor disappears

Transient insomnia

  • Lasts for less than one week
  • Caused by stress, changes in the sleep environment, or as a symptom of depression

Chronic insomnia

  • Persists for over a month
  • Often associated with medical and mental health conditions
  • Tends to affect people with an underlying risk of insomnia

Treatments For Insomnia

There is no one cure for insomnia. Insomnia treatment usually requires changes in lifestyle and daily habits. Good sleep habits that can help eliminate and prevent insomnia include:

  • Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule; try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
  • Exercising
  • Regulating or eliminating medications that can contribute to insomnia
  • Limit or avoid napping
  • Reduce or eliminate alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine intake
  • Avoid eating large portions of food before bed.
  • Create a comfortable sleeping environment. Try to use your bed for sleep only.
  • Limit screen time before bed. Try not to watch TV, play video games, or spend time on a mobile device. Reading or listening to music are better ways to wind down before bed.

If lifestyle changes do not lead to improved insomnia symptoms, consult your doctor. Mental health disorders or underlying medical conditions may be the culprit. If you are interested in learning more about insomnia or request an appointment in our locations in Westborough and Boston, fill out our online intake form or call us directly.

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We have offices in Westborough, Boston. Fill out our online intake form or call us directly.

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