Can Insomnia Be Cured? Acute Insomnia Vs Chronic Insomnia

Author: Paulami Dam, Junior Research Fellow

Often people are searching the web with insomnia is killing me; insomnia is ruining my life; insomnia for a week; insomnia with COVID-19; and so on. Is it really insomnia or just a number of subsequent nights of poor sleep? At first, you have to know the difference between these two. Sleep could be hard to come by if you're worried, agitated, sad, or scared at bedtime. You could discover that you stay awake in your bed for a long time or you wake up countless times. Sleep deprivation has a huge impact on your everyday life as well. It makes you irritated, clumsy, and restless the next morning.  

 

OCCASIONAL SLEEPLESSNESS VS INSOMNIA

We all have experienced sleepless nights during several points of life, whether it was the night before your result-out, your grand wedding day or simple tensions from your office works when frustration and stress had engulfed your good night's sleep. But what if sheep-counting becomes your daily routine and still sleep never comes to you easily? The first one is occasional sleeplessness and the second one can be referred to as insomnia. Occasional sleeplessness is common and usually provoked by stress factors such as workplace stressors or relationship issues. Occasional sleeplessness or acute insomnia seems to last only a few nights or a few weeks which normally go away as the stress factors are removed. Signs of chronic insomnia generally appear for around three nights per week for three months or more. Up to 35 per cent of the surveyed adult age group experiences acute insomnia, whereas 10 per cent to 15 per cent suffer from chronic one (1).

 

GENERAL SIGNS

Wait here. You need to know if you have insomnia or anything else. Remember, insomnia is a general sleep disorder that includes -

• Difficulty in falling asleep,
• Difficulty in staying asleep,
• Waking up very early and inability in sleeping back,
• Feeling of drowsiness the whole day after being awake,
• Irritability, bad mood, anxiety, trouble-focusing, trouble-remembering & increased errors.

Insomnia and anxiety are often related. It may deplete your stamina, enthusiasm, mood, brainpower as well as your health, work productivity, and overall quality of life.

 

WHEN INSOMNIA STRIKES? WHY INSOMNIA HAPPENS? CAUSES OF INSOMNIA

When insomnia hits, it may be the only ailment, or it may be accompanied by additional complications. Lifestyle factors are as follows -

• Unbalanced work timetable (e.g. associated with night shifts or late-night studying)
• Stress (e.g. associated with work, education, finance or family)
• Extreme use of alcohol, tobacco or caffeine
• Lack of exercise
• Eating too much before bed
• Excessive screen-time before going to bed
• Irregular sleeping routine or bad sleep schedule

Moreover, insomnia is frequently associated with other mental health issues. Insomnia can be a symptom of psychological disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Depression often causes chronic insomnia. Health conditions such as persistent pain, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease, cancer, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease etc. are linked with insomnia. Hormonal fluctuations in women are also the enemies of good sleep.

 

WILL INSOMNIA EVER GO AWAY? CAN INSOMNIA BE CURED?

Insomnia can be cured. If you're having the above-mentioned symptoms, go to your doctor. Your doctor will inquire about your lifestyle, your coffee, liquor, and tobacco consumption, along with the prescribed drugs you're on. Your doctor may advise diagnostic tests to check any latent illnesses that could be the source of your insomnia. Good news! Your insomnia can go away. There are a variety of therapy choices available and your doctor knows how you should be treated. Including several prescribed medications (i.e. sleeping pills etc.), herein, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a good option for the treatment of insomnia. 

Nevertheless, changing your poor sleeping habits can fight insomnia and encourage good sleep (2). 

• Maintain consistent sleeping time every day including weekends.
• Increase your physical activities and follow an exercise schedule
• Avoid power-naps during daytime
• Avoid a gala dinner and consumption of caffeine, nicotine and alcohol
• Limit the screen-time (phone, television or laptop) before bed.
• Make your psychology by using the bedroom only for sleeping. Make it a dark, silent, cool environment.
• Establish a soothing sleep routine, such as having a warm bath, reading a book, or listening to calming music.

If you're having trouble sleeping, don't hesitate to get assistance from your doctor. They might be able to provide you advice on how to deal with difficulties that are interfering with your sleep. Many people who suffer from insomnia find that modifying their food, lifestyle, and nightly rituals helps them sleep better.