Insomnia: Causes, Symptoms, and How to Sleep Better

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Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that affects millions of people. If you frequently struggle to fall asleep, stay asleep, or wake up too early and can’t return to sleep, you may be experiencing insomnia. Understanding the causes, symptoms, and proven treatments is the first step toward getting a better night’s rest.

Definition of Insomnia

• Persistent difficulty in falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking too early—often leading to daytime fatigue and reduced concentration.
• Types of Insomnia:
  • Acute insomnia: Short-term, often triggered by stress or life events.
  • Chronic insomnia: Lasts three months or more, occurs at least three times a week.

How Do I Know If I Have Insomnia?

Ask yourself these questions:

• Do you have trouble falling asleep at least three nights a week?
• Do you wake up often during the night or too early in the morning?
• Are you exhausted or irritable during the day?
• Is your memory or concentration negatively affected by poor sleep?
  

If you answered “yes” to several, you may have insomnia. For a diagnosis, consult your healthcare provider.

Why Can’t I Sleep? Common Causes of Insomnia

• Stress: Work, relationships, financial worries, or anxiety disrupt restful sleep.
• Lifestyle: Irregular sleep schedule, late-night screen time, excessive caffeine or alcohol.
• Health issues: Asthma, heart disease, chronic pain, menopause, or other medical conditions.
• Medications: Some medicines for depression, high blood pressure, or epilepsy can interfere with sleep.
• Sleep environment: Noise, light, uncomfortable bedding or fluctuating temperature.

How to Sleep with Insomnia: Practical Solutions

Evidence-Based Tips to Fall Asleep and Stay Asleep:

• Create a relaxing bedtime routine: Try reading, listening to soft music, or deep breathing before bed.
• Stick to a regular sleep schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same times daily—even on weekends.
• Keep electronics out of the bedroom: Blue light from screens can disrupt sleep.
• Optimise your sleep environment: Make your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. Use blackout curtains or a white noise machine.
• Limit caffeine and alcohol: Avoid caffeine after midday and alcohol late in the evening.
• Exercise regularly: Daily activity helps you fall asleep faster but avoid vigorous exercise close to bedtime.
• Get up if you can’t sleep: If you’re awake for 20 minutes, leave bed and do something calming in another room until sleepy.
• Relaxation techniques: Progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, meditation, and body scan exercises calm the body and reduce sleep-related anxiety.

Insomnia Treatments

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i): The gold-standard treatment, CBT-i teaches you to change thoughts and behaviors that keep you awake. It’s effective for both falling asleep faster and staying asleep longer.
• Prescription sleep aids: Medicines like Temazepam, Nitrazepam, Zolpidem or Diazepam may help in the short-term but are not recommended for long-term use due to risks of dependency.
• Address underlying conditions: Treat health problems (e.g., pain, depression) that contribute to insomnia.

How to Help Insomnia: When to Seek Help

If your sleep problems persist for more than a few weeks and affect your daytime life, talk to a healthcare professional. Treatment is available, and recovery is possible.