Coping with insomnia

How much sleep an individual gets and needs varies greatly from person to person. Sleep patterns change as we get older and can be affected by a number of factors such as exercise, diet, environment and how comfortable the bed we are sleeping in is. Nearly everyone at some stage in their life will experience difficulties sleeping , however for some people this becomes a recurrent or chronic problem which impacts on the individual’s wellbeing. Insomnia describes an ongoing pattern of difficulty either getting to sleep or sleeping for long enough to feel rested and can affect a person’s life greatly and is extremely frustrating. Insomnia can last for several weeks, months or even years despite having plenty of opportunity to rest each evening.

Onset insomnia is the most commonly known type of insomnia and affects a person’s ability to fall asleep in the first place. Other kinds of the disorder involve difficulties falling asleep after being woken up during the night (often due to noise or physical pain), or waking up unusual early in the morning. All of these types of insomnia lead the sufferer to wake up not feeling refreshed or rested and can cause performance and concentration problems which in the long term this can affect relationships and work.

Common causes of sleep disorder are stress and anxiety. When you are very worried about something it is hard for the mind to shut down and relax making it very difficult to fall asleep and stay sleeping. Insomnia can also be a symptom of an underlying medical cause which means it is important to rule out any possible medical and psychological causes before deciding on what treatment to use. If you are worried about any medical issues which may be causing your sleep disorder you should visit your GP or another health practitioner for advice on what to do. Tell your doctor if you are taking any medicines, as some prescription medications can cause insomnia. Your GP may refer you to a sleep disorder specialist.

Treatments such as sleeping tablets may be prescribed by a doctor for short term use, but not intended as a long term solution. For the long term you should maximise your chances of getting a good nights’ sleep by making sure you have a comfortable mattress, consider changing your bed if it is not right for you.

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