Insomnia is a common health complaint that can have significant health consequences.
Most people experience insomnia symptoms at some stage in their lives, and surveys have shown that 13% to 33% of the adult population have either difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep.
People of any age can suffer from insomnia, but it is particularly prevalent in the elderly. It may be a short term affliction, or on-going which can lead to many health and social problems.
So why aren’t we sleeping?
Insomnia can affect you at different stages of your sleep cycle. You may have trouble getting to sleep initially, or might not be able to stay asleep for as long as you would like. You may also wake up during the night and experience difficulty in getting back to sleep.
Insomnia can have many causes, including the consumption of prescription drugs, chronic pain, stress in your work or personal life, depression and anxiety, or even the thought of not getting enough sleep itself.
There is generally considered to be two types of insomnia; acute and chronic.
Acute insomnia can be defined as sleep disturbance with symptoms occurring for less than 4 weeks. It can be brought on by events such as ill health, change of medication or stress. Once the causing event passes, sleep patterns will settle back to normal.
If a person shows the symptoms of insomnia for over four weeks, then the condition could be considered to of reached the chronic stage, in which case doctors may need to try a different approach.
Once someone has had difficulty sleeping for over 4 weeks, they usually begin to behave and think about sleep differently and in ways that perpetuate their sleep difficulties. They may fall into a cycle of relapse and remission, rather than resolution. This is considered chronicle insomnia.
For doctors, treatment of acute insomnia can be focused on avoiding or reducing the influence of the causing event, if possible, and perhaps the prescription of a complementary medication.
For the treatment of chronic sufferers of insomnia, the implementation of a management model may be required, and the skilling of patients on how best to manage their insomnia over time.
Long term sufferers should consider consulting a qualified sleep specialist, as the on-going effects of insomnia can be quite debilitating for the person and for those around them.
If you are having problems sleeping then you should talked to a doctor or sleep specialist straight away. You can find once close to you with www.doctors.com.au.