The Sleep Thief: Insomnia

Do you find it difficult to get enough sleep? Do you wake up in the morning feeling that you were not refreshed with your night's sleep? If you answered in the affirmative then you're probably suffering from insomnia.

It has generally been accepted that enough sleep at night serves to give the body a few hours of rest and relaxation to prepare it for the next day's foray into varied activities. People who do not get enough sleep may become irritable or may have the urge to sleep at different times of the day to compensate for the sleep deprivation. Lack of sleep has also been connected to higher risks of accidents especially among motorists and to physical illness.

Insomnia may be transient, lasting only for a few nights; intermittent, occurring at times but not continuously; or chronic, happening almost every night for weeks on end. Although no single cause for insomnia can be pinpointed, certain possible causes can be determined. These causes include drinking too much alcohol or drinks with caffeine, eating at late hours, excessive smoking, health problems, certain medication, uncomfortable sleeping accommodations and mental or psychological stress. When a person with insomnia does not have any of these causes, then he/ she is most likely suffering from primary insomnia, a condition which needs expert help.

While medication has been an acceptable means to aid insomniacs, the possible resulting dependency has made the use of alternative treatments crucial. These alternatives are called sleep hygiene measures. Avoiding alcoholic or caffeinated drinks as well as smoking can do wonders for those who lack sleep. It is also suggested that insomniacs should try to avoid taking morning cat naps, eating rich late night snacks and worrying over mental or emotional concerns. It may also help to drink warm milk, take a warm bath and listen to calm music.

Psychological interventions are also available to treat insomnia. Among the most common being cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). This therapy seeks to correct misconceptions people may have about sleep. Such misconceptions include such beliefs as: people should sleep for eight hours a day, everyone has the same sleeping habits, insomniacs do not have the ability to sleep, the lack of night sleep should be compensated by morning cat naps, rest is equivalent to lost sleep, insomnia is due to advancing age and insomnia is due to chemical imbalance.

It is not true that everyone should sleep for eight hours. The uniqueness of individuals apparently extends to sleep habits and conditions. Some people are perfectly all right with just a few hours sleep or with sleeping under unconventional circumstances. The lack of sleep at night should also not be compensated with morning sleep. This will break a body's natural cycle. Since morning is used for sleeping, the more that a person may then be unable to sleep at night. Resting is also not the same as sleeping because resting means that even though the body is not moving, the brain may be undergoing the same degree of mental work or stress. It is also not true that insomnia is due to aging or chemical imbalance. Other factors such as medication and possibly psychological states in older people are most likely the real causes of insomnia. The occurrence of chemical imbalance may not be an actual cause of insomnia but may be used when other explanations are unavailable.

Of course, if all else fails, especially for those with primary insomnia, expert help should be sought.