Many individuals confuse insomnia with sleeping sickness. Insomnia is not a disease but just symptoms of lack of sleep. Sleeping for shorter periods of time, failing to sleep immediately after getting a sleep interruption, failure to sleep immediately after going to bed are all symptoms of insomnia.
There are usually three categories of insomnia all of which depend on the period that the symptoms last. Transient insomnia usually gives one sleepless night for a short period. Transient insomnia lasts for about a day to one week. Acute insomnia, on the other hand, usually gives sleepless nights for about a week to three weeks. Chronic insomnia leads to the individual having sleepless nights for months.
Insomnia can be caused by many different factors. It can be a result of factors other than body and brain relaxation. This could be a result of consuming too much caffeine, medication, fear, stress, anxiety, and even mental tension. The sleeplessness can also be caused by depression, dietary allergies, mental or even physical stress. Having excess work and pain can also lead to insomnia. It is imperative for one to understand the exact causes of insomnia in order to receive the best medication. Detecting the causes of insomnia usually helps the doctor in determining the best medication for the sleeping disorder.
Treatment of Insomnia
One of the most popular methods of treating insomnia is by taking sleeping pills. They have been proven to induce sleep with their sedative property. Herbal medicine like valerian, hops, lavender, and chamomile can also be used in inducing sleep. The marijuana plant has also been proven to induce sleep when taken. The major blow to the use of Cannabis Sativa as a sleep-inducing drug is that it is illegal in most countries across the world.
There are also other remedies that can be applied when at home to help solve the problem of insomnia. Some of the home remedies include:
1. Drinking a glass of milk before sleeping- milk usually contains tryptophan. Tryptophan is a natural sedative that helps to induce one to sleep. By drinking milk before sleeping, one is able to fight the problem of insomnia. Warm milk has been used in the past to help people get to sleep.
2. Exercising regularly – having exercise more regularly helps to relieve the problem of insomnia. Exercise improves blood circulation and removing toxins that could harbor sleep.
3. Having a controlled diet – in order to allow proper night sleep, one should take a heavy lunch and light dinner. The gap between dinner and sleeping should be three hours to avoid the discomfort of a filled stomach.
4. Avoiding worries, phobia, or stress before sleeping can help solve the insomnia problem.
5. Creating a habit of waking up early and sleeping at specific times.
6. Meditating – the quality of sleep you get heavily depends on the relaxation of the mind and the body. Meditating helps one to have the needed relaxation to have sound sleep.
7. Taking a warm bath with aromatherapies – the aromatherapies helps in relaxing the mind and muscles that induce sleep.
The above remedies are usually not clinically proven but have used with success to work for some insomniacs. The results obtained by using them may vary from one individual to another. Acupuncture can also be tried as a remedy for sleeplessness. When the problem persists for more than two weeks, it is best that the insomniac seeks medical assistance.
Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355167
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia/treatment
https://www.healthline.com/health/insomnia