Insomnia is otherwise known as sleeplessness, a common sleep disorder, and a second most common mental disorder in which one may either finds it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep continuously for a few hours. Any healthy adult needs 7 to 8 hours of sleep during night to be metabolically functional and active. If anyone can’t sleep for that period of time this symptomatically speaks about the presence of insomnia. Insomnia affcts both physical and mental state of a person and reduces the productivity and working capacity. This affects your metabolism, therefore health, quality of life and work because you feel drained, fatigued and exhausted all the time.
Insomnia Meaning:
Insomnia simply means the condition of being unable to sleep.
Prevalance of Insomnia
A study shows that over 33% of Indian population and 10% of 7,577,130,400 people in the world suffer from insomnia.
This could be falling asleep after waking up in the night, couldn’t fall asleep at all, or waking up with nightmares and then finding it difficult to sleep later.
When the adequate sleep is missing, you wake up tired.
Etology
The commoncauses of insomnia are stress, major disturbing life events, genetic vaiants and the structure andfunctionof brain. The vulnearable brain circuits responsible for arousal and emotional
regulation keep active than those of circuits regulating circadian and sleep regulation.
Types and Causes
There are 2 types of insomnia.
- Shortterm or acute or adjustment insomnia is a short episode of difficulty sleeping. This can be due to a short lived stress, new environment, lit up sleeping spaces
loss of a loved one, a disturbing medical diagnosis, or cessation from an addictive (prescribed also) drug, sudden change in a job or breaking a relationship,
(Seperation /divorce).
Many women experience acute insomnia during pregnancy, postpartum and menopause.
Acute insomnia can be for less than 3 months and fades on its own. However, it may lead to chronic insomnia.
- Chronic insomnia can be described as difficulty sleepring for atleast 3 days in a week for 3 months in a row.
Chronic insomna affects morethan 10% of Indian population. It can be primary and secondary.
Primary chronic insomnia can also be called idiopathic insomnia may not have a particular cause or an underlying medical condition.
it arises on its own but disturbs the daily life.
Secondary insomnia can also be called comorbid insomnia may occur with underlying
medical conditions such as Hyperthyroidism, Parkinson’s disease, sleep apnea, and diabetes, Anxiety, stress, depression, ADHD, PTSD, Chemotherapy,
extensive sonsumption of caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, roatational shifts and jet lag. Secondary insomnia is difficulty falling asleep or restoration
of sleep after waking up in the night.
Symptoms
Difficulty falling asleep,
Difficulty in restoration of sleep after waking up during night,
Feeling tired cranky, exhausted, depressed anxious and sleepy during day,
Waking up early and could maintain that 8 hours sleep
Difficulty concentrating, paying attention, driving, and commiting erors at work.
Risk Factors
The common risk factors of insomnia are lifestyle, advancing age, being female (sex), stress, family history of insomnia.
Diagnosis
Following steps help diagnose insomnia.
- Physical Exam: Physical exams helps to look for signs of medical conditions which are related to insomnia. sometimes a blood test may help in
ruling out hypo or hyper thyroidism or other medical conditions (such as UTI) related to lack of sleep.
Reviewing sleep habits: Your healthcare provider may ask you to fill a questionnaire to know about your patterns of sleep, and waking up, daytime sleep, etc.
Your doctor may suggest you monitor your sleep and record the timings in a jounal for 2 weeks.
Sleep Study: if the above two steps didn’t help in the diagnosis, you may have sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome. You may be monitered and recorded for
various activities such as brain waves, heartbeat, body movements, eyemovments, brain waves and creathing to name a few.
Prevention
Maintain consistency in bedtime and waking up time including weekends,
Involve in some day activities refraining sleep,
Check your medication to see if they are contributing toinsomnia,
Try to cease nicotine, limit your caffeine and alcohol,
Avoid binge eats, and beverages before going to bed,
Create a bedtime ritual to relax your brain which may include taking a warm shower,
Reading a book or listening to slow and sober music.
Treatment
After going through different phases or episodes of insomnia you donot have to suffer or put up with it. The priciple of homeopathy analyzes the individual causes
of a person and is treated according to the symptoms. The different types of insomnia is addressed seperately in homeopathy thereby noside effects. Because homeopathy is a 200 year old medical science,
working with naturally derived remedies, stimulating body’s natural healing processes makes the medicine work in harmony with the body in restoration of sleep cycle.
unlike other types of medicine, which interacts with hormones and affects the other organ systems of the body disrupting the hormones, causes imbalances, homeopathy
heals the hidden and unresolved and underlying issues of the body. Homeopathy does not affect the physical and psychological aspects. Your homeopathic doctor may wean
you gradually or intermittently while resolving insomnia forever. Homeopathy is very well known for resolving chronic seconday sleep which may never disturb you again
all your life.
Homeopathic medicine targets the problem while dealing with insomnnia. In homeopathy there is medicine to help you fall asleep even for the later phase of sleep, the
kind of insomnia which troubles due to stress and anxiety. There is medicine for insomnia caused by grief, loss of a loved or, change in a relationship. Nuxvomica
helps in preventing the trouble falling asleep after waking up aroung 3 or 4 am. Arsenic album helps in alleviating insomnia due to worries. Homeopathy medicine also helps in alleviating
the sleeplessness experienced in elderly. The best part of using homeopathy is that there are no side affects. Yourdoctor ca provide the best dose and type of medicine
best which suits for you.
Dr.Care Homeopathy are the chain of best homeopathy clinics available across India with several branches of world class expert doctors and expertise to help bring
health back to our societies and communities. Dr.Care also targets Autism at its best adding life to years and years to life.
