Q. What is Insomnia?
Ans. Difficulty in either getting sleep or maintaining normal sleep is called Insomnia.
How much sleep is sufficient for different age groups:
- Newborns (0-3 months): 14-17 hours each day.
- Infants (4-11 months): 12-15 hours.
- Toddlers (1-2 years): 11-14 hours.
- Preschoolers (3-5 years): 10-13 hours.
- School-age children (6-13 years): 9-11 hours.
- Teenagers (14-17 years): 8-10 hours.
- Younger adults (18-25 years): 7-9 hours.
- Adults (26-64 years): 7-9 hours.
- Older adults (65+ years): 7-8 hours.
Types of Insomnia:
1. Acute insomnia:
Small episodes of difficulty in sleeping. Acute insomnia can affect any person irrespective of any predisposing factors. It is usually caused by a life event such as a stressful change in a person's job or long journey. Often acute insomnia resolves without any treatment.
2. Chronic insomnia:
Long-term difficulty in sleeping is called chronic insomnia. Insomnia is usually considered chronic if a person has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep for at least three nights per week for three months or longer. Some people with chronic insomnia have a long-standing history of difficulty in sleeping.
3. Comorbid insomnia:
Insomnia that occurs in association with another condition like Pain, anxiety, and depression.
4. Onset insomnia:
Difficulty in falling asleep at the beginning of the night.
5. Maintenance insomnia:
Difficulty in maintaining sleep, i.e sleep is initiated without difficulty but patient wakes up frequently leading to overall uncomfortable sleep.
Effects of insomnia on an individual:
- Difficulty falling asleep.
- Difficulty staying asleep (waking up during the night and having trouble returning to sleep).
- Waking up too early in the morning.
- Unrefreshing sleep (also called "non-restorative sleep").
- Fatigue or low energy.
- Cognitive impairment, such as difficulty in concentrating.
- Mood disturbance such as irritability.
- Behavioural problems such as feeling impulsive or aggression.
- Difficulty at work or school.
- Difficulty in personal relationships including family, friends, and caregivers.
- Medical diseases: Diabetes/ Coronary artery disease/ obesity/ hypertension/ indigestion etc.
- Insomnia can be caused by psychiatric and medical conditions, unhealthy sleep habits, specific substances, and/ or certain biological factors.
It's important to first understand what could be causing your sleep difficulties.
Examples of conditions that can cause insomnia are:
- Nasal/ sinus allergies.
- Gastrointestinal problems such as reflux.
- Endocrine problems such as hyperthyroidism.
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease.
- Chronic pain
- Low back pain
- Psychiatric conditions: mania, schizophrenia etc.
- Excessive work tension/responsibilities.
- Poor lifestyle
- Drug/alcohol abuse.
Tips for sound sleep:
- Stick to a sleep schedule, even on weekends.
- Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual.
- Exercise daily.
- Evaluate your bedroom to ensure ideal temperature, sound, and light.
- Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillow.
- Beware of hidden sleep stealers, like alcohol and caffeine.
- Most importantly turn off electronic gadgets before going to bed.
When to take medical help:
- Disturbance of daily routine work.
- A significant decrease in work efficacy.
- New medical diseases.
- Deterioration of general health/ fatigue or low energy.
- Cognitive impairment, such as difficulty concentrating.
- Mood disturbance, such as irritability.
- Behaviour problems, such as feeling impulsive or aggression.
- Difficulty in personal relationships, including family, friends, and caregivers.