What is Insomnia: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

• Written by Anjali Sharma

  Reviewed by Rashmi Rai

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What is Insomnia?

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder which makes it hard to fall or stay asleep. This also leads to waking up early and not being able to sleep again. Insomnia gradually results in draining your energy and making you feel tired. Lack of quality sleep also affects your health, work performance and quality of life. Most of the adults require 7 to 9 hours a night to function properly.  Acute insomnia can last from about 1 night to a few weeks. It gets chronic when it happens at least 3 nights a week for 3 months or more.

Types of Insomnia 

The most common types of insomnia are:

1. Primary Insomnia

Primary insomnia is when your sleep woes aren't tied to other health issues or concerns. It's a standalone problem.

2. Secondary Insomnia

Secondary insomnia arises from other health conditions such as asthma, depression, arthritis, cancer, or heartburn. It can also be triggered by pain, medications, or substance use like alcohol.

You might also come across some specific terms:

• Sleep-onset Insomnia is all about struggling to initiate sleep, making it hard to doze off.
• Sleep-maintenance Insomnia is staying asleep through the night or waking up too early.
• Mixed Insomnia is quite taxing. Both falling asleep and staying asleep are challenging.
• Paradoxical Insomnia tricks your perception, making you feel like you're sleeping far less than you are, creating a puzzling sense of sleep deprivation.

Insomnia Symptoms

Contrary to popular belief, insomnia is not a once-in-a-blue-moon kind of problem. Try to identify the insomnia symptoms, as it would help you manage your condition better.  

• Insomniacs often struggle to initiate sleep, spending extended periods lying awake in bed.
• Individuals with insomnia may wake up multiple times during the night and have difficulty returning to sleep.
• Insomnia can lead to daytime drowsiness and fatigue, affecting concentration, mood, and overall cognitive function.
• Some individuals with insomnia may experience physical discomfort, muscle tension, or headaches.
• Insomnia can lead to gastrointestinal problems, such as indigestion and acid reflux.
• It reduces immune function.
• Persistent emotional changes include increased irritability, sadness, or heightened anxiety.
• A lack of drive and persistent feelings of tiredness.
• Difficulty staying on task and making decisions.
• Impaired motor skills result in an increased risk of accidents or mistakes.
• Preoccupation with the inability to fall asleep leads to a vicious cycle of anxiety and sleeplessness.
• Dependence on substances to induce sleep.
• Experiencing headaches, often related to stress and muscle tension.
• Insomnia can impact social interactions, job performance, and educational pursuits, as the individual is consistently tired and unfocused.

Common Causes of Insomnia 

Now, let us come to the question of what causes insomnia. While it may be difficult to pinpoint just one reason, people may be unable to sleep due to various causes. Listed below are some of the most common causes of insomnia.

1. Family History (Genetics): Insomnia often appears to have a familial link, suggesting that certain sleep traits and conditions, including insomnia, may be inherited.

2. Brain Activity Differences: Some individuals with insomnia exhibit differences in brain activity or chemistry that can affect their ability to sleep. These variations still need to be fully explained.

3. Medical Conditions: Physical health can significantly impact sleep. Temporary illnesses like minor infections or injuries, as well as chronic conditions such as acid reflux or Parkinson's disease, can disrupt sleep. Conditions that affect your circadian rhythm, your body's internal sleep-wake clock, also play a role.

4. Mental Health Conditions: Approximately half of those with chronic insomnia also have another mental health condition, like anxiety or depression.

5. Life Changes: Both short-term changes like jet lag, sleeping in an unfamiliar place, and adapting to a new work schedule (especially shift work) and long-term changes like moving to a new residence can affect sleep patterns.

6. Habits and Routine: Your daily sleep habits, or sleep hygiene, can influence insomnia. Factors include napping, bedtime, caffeine consumption, and other behaviours.

7. Media technology: Using media technology before bedtime, particularly in young people, and screens after lights-out can disrupt sleep patterns.

8. Medications: Medications, such as corticosteroids, statins, alpha-blockers, beta-blockers, SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), antidepressants, ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors, ARBs (angiotensin II receptor blockers), cholinesterase inhibitors, nonsedating H1 agonists, and even certain combinations of supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin, may lead to or worsen insomnia.

Insomnia can stem from a wide range of physical and psychological factors like:

• Disruptions to the body's internal clock include jet lag, shift work changes, or changes in daily routines.
• Whether the room is too hot, cold, noisy, or the bed needs to be more comfortable.
• If caregiving responsibilities interfere with sleep.
• Inadequate physical activity
• Disturbing dreams or night terrors.
• Such as cocaine or ecstasy.

Insomnia Diagnosis

Diagnosing insomnia involves evaluating your sleep patterns, daily routines, and overall health to determine the causes of your sleep disturbances.

• Medical History and Lifestyle Assessment: A doctor gathers a detailed medical history and understanding of your lifestyle. They will ask about the nature of your sleep problems, such as difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early. The doctor will also inquire about how long you've experienced these issues and how they affect your daily life, such as causing fatigue, mood changes, or reduced productivity.
• Physical Examination: A physical exam is performed to check for medical conditions that could be contributing to insomnia. For instance, chronic pain, thyroid disorders, or respiratory issues are common factors affecting sleep.
• Mental Health Assessment: Since insomnia is often linked to mental health conditions, such as anxiety or depression, your doctor may evaluate your emotional well-being. Identifying and addressing psychological factors can be crucial in managing sleep disorders.
• Actigraphy: In some cases, a device called an actigraph is used to monitor your sleep-wake cycle over several days or weeks. It is worn like a wristwatch and tracks movements to provide insights into sleep patterns.

Impact of Insomnia on Overall Health

Insomnia and sleep deprivation can have a wide-ranging impact on your overall health. It could lead to an increased risk of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, heart attack, and stroke.

Let us discuss in detail about the impacts of insomnia on overall health:

• Mental Health: Insomnia usually increases the risk of depression, anxiety, and substance misuse. It can also result in confusion, frustration, and lower quality of life. 
• Physical health: Being sleep-deprived causes fatigue and may also result in chronic health conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, and obesity.  
• Cognitive function: Lack of sleep makes it harder to learn, focus, remember things, and solve problems. It also reduces the reaction time and, therefore, makes you more prone to making mistakes.
• Safety: There is a high risk of accidents while travelling in the case of long-term insomnia. As lack of proper sleep leads to fatigue and concentration problems. 
• Daily Performance: Insomnia makes it hard to remember things, concentrate, and make good decisions. Getting only 5 hours of sleep a night can lead to poor judgment and more risky behaviour.

Treatment Options for Insomnia

You have various options when treating insomnia, including therapy, medications, supplements, and natural remedies. Let’s take a look at the best insomnia treatment.

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT-I): CBT is a recommended method for treating chronic insomnia in adults. CBT-I, a specialised form of CBT, offers techniques to tackle insomnia.

A therapist can suggest the following:

• Stimulus control helps you avoid lying awake in bed and worrying about sleep.
• Sleep restriction, which adjusts your time in bed to enhance sleep quality.
• Bright light therapy uses light exposure to regulate sleep patterns.

2. Medications and Supplements: Your healthcare provider might prescribe medications like Lunesta, Ambien, or Halcion for insomnia. Moreover, over-the-counter sleep aids and supplements such as melatonin can also be considered. Melatonin, a natural hormone produced during the sleep cycle, might help you fall asleep faster. However, its long-term use safety is yet to be confirmed.

3. Lifestyle Changes and Home Remedies: You can try natural sleep aids like warm milk, herbal tea, or valerian. Besides, acupuncture, a traditional Chinese practice, can also help ease insomnia symptoms.

When to Seek Professional Help?

Insomnia can occasionally affect anyone due to stress, a change in routine, or lifestyle habits. Talking to a doctor, sleep specialist, or therapist can help identify the root cause of your insomnia and provide effective treatments, whether behavioural therapy, lifestyle adjustments, or medications. Here’s when you can seek a professional’s help for insomnia treatment.

• Chronic Sleep Difficulties: If you've had trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early for more than three nights a week over a period of three months or longer, it is time to consult with a doctor.
• Daytime Fatigue and Impaired Functioning: Seek help if insomnia is causing excessive daytime fatigue, making it hard to concentrate, impacting your mood, or reducing your productivity. 
• Emotional or Behavioral Changes: If lack of sleep is contributing to irritability, anxiety, or feelings of hopelessness, it is a necessity to address these insomnia symptoms with a specialised doctor.
• Dependency on Sleep Aids: Using over-the-counter sleep aids or alcohol regularly to fall asleep may indicate a deeper problem that needs professional attention.

Let’s Wrap It Up

Insomnia is a common sleep problem. We discussed how to cure insomnia using therapy, medication, and natural remedies. Always consult a healthcare professional before trying supplements or medications for insomnia, as they sometimes interact with other medicines and have potential side effects. 

Your health insurance policy can be vital in providing financial support for treatment, ensuring you can access the care you need without added financial stress.

>> Read More: What is Night Sweats: Know the Causes and Treatment

Disclaimer: The above-mentioned information is for reference purposes only. Refer to your policy documents for more information.