Insomnia is a sleep disorder in which you find it difficult to sleep well. During insomnia, you may undergo the following situations:

·         trouble falling asleep or staying asleep or both

·         waking up several times in the night or waking up early in the morning

·         feeling exhausted and fatigued the whole day even after sleeping for hours at night

We all experience these symptoms at some point in our lives. If these symptoms are occasional then there is nothing to about. Because you go through so much stress and anxiety which is one of the main reasons for sleep disturbances. But if you start experiencing these symptoms more often, then you need to pay attention. Because poor sleep affects every aspect of your life. It affects your overall health, mood, working efficiency, relationships, and many more.

Considering all these things, it becomes very necessary to treat insomnia. This article will give you an overview of the symptoms, causes, and effects of insomnia on your health. Along with that, you will also learn different methods to treat insomnia.

What are the causes of chronic insomnia?

As you know everything happens for a reason. Several physical and psychological reasons may cause insomnia. in most of the cases, the cause of insomnia is temporary. But those reasons may have long-lasting effects on your sleep and overall health.

Stress is one of the most common causes of insomnia. Every one of us undergoes some amount of stress every day which is normal. But when this stress becomes out of control, it starts affecting your life. Stress and sleep share a bidirectional relationship in which both are affected by each other.

In some cases, underlying health conditions may be a reason for causing insomnia. Health issues make you uncomfortable and may alter your sleep cycle. Besides these, there are several other reasons for causing insomnia including:

·         Jet lag, shift work, or any other reason for alteration in the body’s internal clock

·         Bedroom being too hot or cold, noisy, excess lighting, or uncomfortable bedding

·         Caffeine and alcohol consumption in the evening

·         Doing heavy workouts in the evening

·         Having bad dreams or nightmares

·         Using screens at bedtime

·         Chronic pain may cause insomnia and sleep apnea as well

·         Having chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD)

·         Having mental health issues like anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia

Besides these reasons, there are a few natural conditions that may change your sleep patterns. For example, hormonal changes during menopause may lead to night sweats which may disturb your sleep.

What are the symptoms of chronic insomnia?

Disturbed sleep is the main symptom of insomnia. But that’s not all, insomnia has many other symptoms as well which include:

·         Daytime sleepiness and fatigue

·         Difficulty in working, studying, or performing any activity due to excessive drowsiness

·         Low energy and disturbed mood

·         Irritability, tension, and headaches

·         Using medicines and alcohol for sleeping

·         Lack of focus, and coordination which may lead to injuries and accidents

Health complications caused by chronic insomnia

Sleep is an essential element in maintaining optimal health and overall wellness. Sleep plays a vital role in regulating all the functions of your body and mind. So, when you don’t get sufficient quality sleep, both your body and mind suffer. Poor or lack of sleep has very negative effects on your overall health.

Heart health: Poor sleep has the worst effects on your heart. Because poor sleep increases the effects of stress on your heart. It will increase the risks of hypertension, increased heart rate, and inflammation. Moreover, lack of sleep slows down blood circulation and inflammation which increases the risk of stroke and heart attack.

Weight gain and Obesity: It is often noticed that people tend to put on weight when they don’t get quality sleep. Lack of sleep increases the production of ghrelin hormone in the stomach, making you feel hungry. Due to the excess production of ghrelin, you feel hungry again and again and eat more than too junk food. unhealthy eating habits will lead to weight gain resulting in obesity.

Anxiety and Depression: You may feel irritated when you don’t sleep well. If the sleep disturbance lasts long, it may lead to clinical depression. Sleep cycle and mood both are regulated by the melatonin hormone. When you don’t sleep well, melatonin levels decrease, causing low mood.

Brain functioning: Even one sleepless night has very bad effects on brain functioning. You feel irritated, less focused, fatigued, and short-tempered when you don’t sleep sufficiently. Lack of sleep affects your creativity, decision-making, and problem-solving skills, and overall brain functioning.

Besides these effects, poor sleep also affects your immunity. You become prone to infections and diseases. Along with that, poor sleep affects your reproductive health. Because lack of sleep lowers the levels of testosterone and estrogen.

Treatment methods for chronic insomnia

Considering the harmful effects of insomnia on your health, you should focus on treating it. You can treat insomnia with several methods. These methods include natural remedies, lifestyle changes, relaxation methods, and medications. FDA has approved certain medications to treat insomnia. Here, we will discuss some of the best medications that treat insomnia well.

Two types of medications are more often used to treat insomnia – benzodiazepines and z-drugs. Medicines belonging to these classes are very effective in treating insomnia. These medicines are also known as sleep medicines. The working mechanism of medicines of both these classes is the same. These medicines work by enhancing the activity of GABA neurotransmitters in the brain. GABA has a calming effect on the brain. It reduces anxiety which is one of the reasons for insomnia.

Moreover, these medicines induce drowsiness and sedation. These will make you less alert and sleepy. Along with that, these medicines reduce the activity of CNS. Reduced CNS activity will help you in falling asleep. Benzodiazepines that treat insomnia are – Xanax, Diazepam, Lorazepam, and Clonazepam.

However, Z-drugs are more effective and safer in treating insomnia than benzodiazepines. Because benzodiazepines have more side effects than z-drugs. Moreover, they tend to form a habit or cause dependance if you use them for a long time. Z-drugs that work great for insomnia are zopiclone and zolpidem.

Summary

People generally don’t consider sleep important. But as I have mentioned above, it is one of the most essential things to live a healthy life. So, you should focus on getting quality sleep to function well. Insomnia, a sleep disorder has become very common these days. Lack of sleep has very harmful effects on your health affecting the quality of your life. Benzodiazepines and z-drugs are some of the most effective medicines in treating insomnia. So, if you are facing issues in getting a good night’s sleep, buy sleep medicines for that.