Causes, Treatment & Effective Home Remedies For Insomnia

Nothing comes close to a good night’s sleep. Getting sufficient sleep is essential for everyone irrespective of their age to maintain good health. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society recommends more than 7 hours of sleep for adults aged 18 to 60 years. Even one night of disturbed sleep affects your productivity the next day.

Adequate sleep enables healing and rejuvenation. It also helps balance the hormones. Lack of good night sleep indicates insomnia. Let’s discuss insomnia causes, types, treatment and home remedies for insomnia.

What Is Insomnia?

Do you find it hard to fall asleep at night? Do you wake up early in the morning and not sleep after that? These are the signs of insomnia. Insomnia is a condition that refers to difficulty falling asleep in spite of being in a safe and dark environment suitable for sleeping. This sleep disturbance interrupts your activity the next day. Insomnia causes disturbance in your mood, health, energy, work and overall quality of life.
 

Types Of Insomnia

There are two types of insomnia namely acute and chronic insomnia. In acute insomnia, the lack of sleep lasts for less than six weeks, whereas in chronic insomnia sleep disturbances occur for three nights a week for more than six weeks. 

What Are The Main Insomnia Causes?

There are many insomnia causes, including noise, changes in daily routine, erratic work hours, stress in a relationship and so on. Along with difficulty in falling asleep, insomnia causes one to wake up in the middle of night and makes it hard to go back to sleep. This constant disturbance leads to tiredness upon waking up in the morning. Let’s see some of the most common insomnia causes:

1. Hormones involved in sleep pattern:

When it is dark around you, your body releases the hormone melatonin that induces sleep. A healthy person sleeps at night and stays awake in the morning due to adequate functioning of melatonin hormone. 

Using bright light at night like TV and smartphones disrupt melatonin production and is one of the leading insomnia causes.

Cortisol is a key stress hormone that lowers at night and spikes in the morning when you wake up. Being stressed out in the evenings increases the cortisol levels and stops your body from releasing melatonin.

2. Medications that act as insomnia causes:

Many medications interfere with sleep patterns. Inform your healthcare practitioner if you are taking any of these medicines:

• Medicines for depression
• Asthma medication
• Steroids
• Thyroid medications
• Medications to remove congestion and allergies
• Medicines that help reduce blood pressure (atenolol, bisoprolol, metoprolol, etc.)
• Diuretics (furosemide, torsemide, etc.)

3. Other substances that cause insomnia:

• Alcohol 
• Coffee
• Black/green tea
• Soda
• Energy drinks
• Ginseng
• Tobacco
• Weight loss supplements

4. Medical conditions that disturb sleep pattern:

If you have any of these following medical conditions, you are more prone to insomnia:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• PTSD
• Panic disorders
• Heart failure
• Substance abuse

Insomnia Treatment:

Medications For Insomnia Treatment:

1. Benzodiazepines: Studies have shown that benzodiazepines are effective in inducing sleep in young as well as older adults. It acts on the GABA receptor on the brain to reduce anxiety and produce sedation.

2. Melatonin receptor agonist: These medicines work similar to the hormone melatonin that occurs naturally in our bodies. They bind to the melatonin receptors and induce sleep. However, you should not take this medicine if you are trying to become pregnant.

3. Anticonvulsants: Medications like gabapentin and pregabalin, used for treating seizures are also effective in treating insomnia. However, you should avoid taking these medicines if you have severe kidney impairment.

4. Antipsychotics: Antipsychotics like quetiapine and olanzapine are commonly prescribed to treat insomnia. These medications increase the sleep time, but should be used with caution in patients with dementia, low blood pressure, constipation or heart problems.

Psychotherapy:

Behavioral treatment is indicated as the first-line treatment for insomnia. It improves sleep outcomes in adults in the long run. It involves incorporating healthy sleep patterns, relaxation training, limiting screen time, etc.

Sleep Is Such A Luxury, Which You Can’t Afford:

Being an Insomniac can affect your day to day activities. Try to follow proper sleep habits, such as limited naps and a consistent bedtime schedule. If insomnia lasts for months, you should approach the doctor and follow those instructions to overcome this condition.