Insomnia and Hypersomnolence Explained

I have suffered from insomnia and hypersomnolence ever since I was a young child. My mother used to tell me I would lay in my crib as a baby and entertain myself, but that I rarely slept more than about four hours at a stretch. As an adult, that hasn't changed much in the best of circumstances. But when faced with writing deadlines, my other responsibilities and stress, as well as minor aches and pains, I find I can go days at a time with very little sleep, and yet, I'll feel tired and lethargic constantly.

The reason for this is that I'm either not sleeping or not getting good quality sleep when I do. This problem is a lot more common than many know. I once was involved in a sleep study group, and the doctors running the study talked about brain wave activity and the reasons why we might not be sleeping well.

In that study, I learned some valuable tips for sleeping better, getting better quality of sleep, and curing occasional insomnia. I decided to share some of these tips with you.

Insomnia and Hypersomnolence Symptoms

Insomnia is a lot more than just not being able to sleep. Insomnia can also include not being able to sleep when you are supposed to sleep, and not being able to stay asleep once you've gone to sleep for the night. If you're not sleeping well, some common symptoms will include:

* Tired feeling
* Lethargy
* Inability to fall asleep
* Inability to stay asleep
* Muscle aches and pain
* Dizziness
* Confusion and trouble concentration

Hypersomnolence is indirectly related to insomnia, in that people who suffer from insomnia might also suffer from the symptoms of hypersomnolence, but some people who have hypersomnolence might not experience insomnia at all. The symptoms of hypersomnolence include:

* Feeling tired, even right after waking
* Feeling tired when you know you shouldn't be
* Sleeping more than you should
* Sleepy and groggy feeling even when rested
* Falling asleep without warning

Both conditions can cause other symptoms, both physical and mental, and both conditions can cause emotional problems and even changes in moods. In fact, the changes in mood can be marked and drastic.

People who suffer from insomnia and hypersomnolence will have increased feelings of stress and respond poorly to stress. Memory impairment will also be evident as well as making simple mistakes they otherwise wouldn't have made. Reflexes and reaction times will slow as well.

The most marked mood change will be irritability. When a person is tired and cannot get rest or quality rest, irritability is quite common.

Lack of sleep and tired feelings are dangerous, both to mental stability and physical health. Sleep, and quality sleep especially, is important to physical well-being. If you're suffering from insomnia or hypersomnolence, please see your health care professional immediately.

If you're not interested in taking medication to help with sleep, there are other alternatives your health care professional can discuss with you. I take a sleep medication as well as do other things to help me get to sleep and stay that way. It has worked, moderately, for me so far and it has drastically improved the quality of my life as well as the quality of my work.

Mostly, my family is happier being around me now! Don't be afraid to ask for help with sleep disorders.