Insomnia
Some people with insomnia have trouble falling asleep, such as wake up throughout the night, struggle to fall back asleep. These disturbances typically happen at least 3 times each week.
- Acute insomnia: lasts less than a month
- Chronic insomnia: lasts over a month
Insomnia affects both the quantity and quality of sleep, which makes it hard for individuals to reach the restorative levels of sleep. This cause daytime sleepiness and fatigue, and over time—feelings of irritability, anxiety, and depression.
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Content:
1. Cause
2. Sleep-Wake cycle
3. Treatment
4. Reference
1. Cause
can be a primary problem or associated with other condition
a. Stress
- keep mind active at night, which making it difficult to sleep
b. Disrupting body's circadian rhythms
- Circadian rhythms act as an internal clock, guiding such things as
- sleep-wake cycle
- metabolism
- body temperature
- Disrupting body's circadian rhythms can lead to insomnia.
- Causes include
- jet lag from traveling across multiple time zones
- working a late or early shift
- frequently changing shifts.
c. Poor sleep habits
- Including
- irregular bedtime schedule
- naps
- stimulating activities before bed
- an uncomfortable sleep environment
- using bed for work
- eating or watching TV or other screens just before bed
- These can interfere with sleep cycle
d. Eating too much late in the evening
- cause one to feel physically uncomfortable while lying down, eg
- heartburn
- a backflow of acid and food from the stomach into the esophagus after eating
- These may keep awake
e. Mental health disorders
- Anxiety disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, may disrupt sleep
- Awakening too early can be a sign of depression.
f. Medications
- certain antidepressants and medications for asthma or blood pressure
- contain caffeine and other stimulants medicine, eg,
- pain medications
- allergy and cold medications
- weight-loss products
g. Medical conditions
- Include
- chronic pain
- cancer
- diabetes
- heart disease
- asthma
- gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- overactive thyroid
- Parkinson's disease
- Alzheimer's disease
h. Sleep-related disorders
- Sleep apnea
- stop breathing periodically throughout the night
- Restless legs syndrome
- causes unpleasant sensations in legs and an almost irresistible desire to move them
i. Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol
- Coffee, tea, cola and other caffeinated drinks, Nicotine in tobacco product are stimulants
- Alcohol may help fall asleep, but it prevents deeper stages of sleep and often causes awakening in the middle of the night
j. Aging
- Insomnia becomes more common with age
k. Biological factor
- ↑ Cortisol
- role in waking up
- more sensitive
- wake up easier
- Menopause
- ↓ Estrogen
- ↓ Progesterone
2. Sleep-Wake cycle
Sleep-wake cycle refers to 24 hour daily sleep pattern which consists of approximately 16 hours of daytime wakefulness and 8 hours of night-time sleep.
3. Treatment
a. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia
- help to control or eliminate negative thoughts and actions that keep one awake
- Cognitive part: Recognize and change beliefs that affect ability to sleep
- Behavioral part: develop good sleep habits. Strategies include
- Stimulus control therapy
- remove factors that condition your mind to resist sleep
- Relaxation techniques
- Progressive muscle relaxation, biofeedback and breathing exercises
- reduce anxiety at bedtime
- control breathing, heart rate, muscle tension and mood that can relax
- Sleep restriction
- decreases the time spend in bed and avoids daytime naps
- causing partial sleep deprivation
- Once sleep has improved, time in bed is gradually increased.
- Remaining passively awake
- Also called paradoxical intention
- aimed at reducing the worry and anxiety about being able to get to sleep by getting in bed and trying to stay awake rather than expecting to fall asleep
- Light therapy
- For those fall asleep too early and then awaken too early, can use light to push back your internal clock
b. Prescription medications
Eszopiclone (Lunesta)
Ramelteon (Rozerem)
Zaleplon (Sonata)
Zolpidem (Ambien, Edluar, Intermezzo, Zolpimist)
Side effect:
- daytime grogginess
- increasing the risk of falling
4. Reference
https://youtu.be/LUt42r5-5AE
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355167
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