Insomnia: Symptoms, Signs, Treatment

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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.

REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT

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