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Amber Luck

What Causes Insomnia?

Although insomnia can occur without any apparent cause—this is called primary insomnia—people who have sleeping problems are more often than not experiencing secondary insomnia. Secondary insomnia is actually more of a symptom of another problem than a disorder in and of itself, and it often lasts no longer than a few days or weeks, until the underlying cause is addressed.

Temporary insomnia is usually the result of a stressful event, physical discomfort from an injury or illness, a disruption in your sleeping environment (such as an unfamiliar bed, or your neighbors having a karaoke party in their backyard), or a change in your sleep schedule from jet lag or picking up a late shift at work.

Sometimes, however, even secondary insomnia can persist for months or years. Chronic insomnia can often be attributed to depression, anxiety, or stress; these are the three most common causes of insomnia. But chronic insomnia can also stem from an underlying medical problem—respiratory, cardiovascular, and digestive problems can be especially bothersome at night—or the use of alcohol, tobacco, or drugs (legal or otherwise). Finally, long-term insomnia can often be chalked up to something as basic as a lack of regular physical activity or poor sleep habits. In these cases, the suggestions to the right will be particularly useful.

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How to Get Rid of Insomnia

Can you name at least one of the three people who hosted USA Up All Night? Have you ever watched an infomercial all the way through? Are you aware that a night spent in bed with the sheets twisted around your legs while you change position frequently and groan and sigh at regular intervals isn’t always something to brag to your friends about? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then you might be suffering from insomnia. Other symptoms of insomnia include difficulty falling asleep, waking often during the night, and waking up earlier than you want to in the morning.

Most of us occasionally have trouble sleeping, and doctors have a name for that: “temporary insomnia” can last anywhere from one night to a few weeks. “Chronic insomnia,” on the other hand, can be a problem for months or years at a time. Both types of insomnia are undesirable because sleep deprivation, even in small doses, can impair your memory, mood, and motor coordination during the day. And that can wreak havoc on your job, your social life, and your safety. Fortunately, the most effective treatment for both temporary and chronic insomnia is behavioral. That means you can help yourself sleep better just by changing your sleeping habits and your attitude toward sleep. Here I’ve assembled the changes most commonly recommended by people who know about these things.

Behavioral Treatments for Insomnia

Natural Remedies for Insomnia

Valerian root has been used as an herbal cure for insomnia since ancient times. It is safe and has few side effects. Some people claim that a single dose of valerian gives them immediate insomnia relief, but it’s usually considered most effective when taken every night for at least one week at a time.

Melatonin is a hormone produced naturally in the brain, in part to regulate sleep cycles. It is also available as a nutritional supplement, which is especially effective for insomnia caused by jet lag or irregular shifts at work.

Tryptophan is the chemical in turkey that is often blamed for the collective American coma following Thanksgiving dinner. It seems to work by increasing levels of melatonin and calming serotonin in the brain. Although it was temporarily banned by the FDA due to questions about its safety, l tryptophan is currently available as a dietary supplement.

Establish a circadian rhythm. That means always going to bed at about the same time, even if it’s luau night at your favorite bar. And it means getting up at the same time every morning, including your day off. Your brain learns your bodily habits and adjusts to them. If you regulate your sleep schedule and avoid taking naps during the day, you should eventually find yourself getting sleepy around your usual bedtime and waking up only when you want to in the morning.

Limit your time spent in bed to time spent sleeping—and maybe having sex. Seriously, your brain is like Santa Claus: it sees everything you do and keeps a record. If you use your bed to do wakeful things like reading, watching TV, or getting work done, then when you finally climb into bed hoping to sleep, you’ll be subconsciously keeping yourself awake to do all those other things. Also, when you do find yourself tossing and turning, you should get up and do something soothing, like reading or listening to music, until you feel sleepy enough to go back to bed. Otherwise you’ll start to associate your bed with sleeplessness, and voila!—it’ll come true.

Exercise regularly. Lots of studies have indicated that people who exercise at least 20 minutes a few times a week fall asleep more quickly and wake feeling more rested, though doctors sometimes disagree over why this works. The important thing, though, is that it does work. Just make sure you’re getting your exercise in the morning or afternoon; exercising within three or four hours of your bedtime can actually cause insomnia.

Make your sleeping environment conducive to sleep. Your bedroom should be dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature. If you share a bed with someone who snores, buy some nasal strips. If you have a dog that takes up three-quarters of the bed and a cat that sleeps on your head, shut them out of the room, even if you feel bad about it. The most important consideration in the bedroom is your ability to sleep there.

Watch what you eat and drink before bed. Eating a large meal late in the evening will not only promote weight gain, but can also make it hard to sleep. If you drink too many fluids before going to bed, your bladder will wake you up all night, and if there’s caffeine in those fluids, you probably won’t fall asleep in the first place. Caffeine can stay in your system for quite a while, so it’s best to avoid it for several hours before you try to sleep. And while a glass of brandy before bed might seem like a relaxing way to help yourself sleep, having alcohol in your system can actually make you sleep less deeply and wake up still feeling tired.

Insomnia Medications

We’ve all seen the commercials. A bedroom flooded with blue moonlight. A fluffy down comforter. Attractive people in the depths of sleep so blissful they’re smiling. In their sleep. Yeah, that’s not real. No doubt, prescription sleep aids will put you to sleep. But virtually all of them are temporary solutions. So far, only Lunesta has been FDA approved for long-term use; other sleeping pills can only be used for six to eight weeks at a time to prevent patients from developing a tolerance or becoming addicted. Also, any medication for insomnia should be combined with the behavioral changes detailed above. Behavioral remedies for insomnia are effective for most people, so it makes sense to try them before going the pharmaceutical route. Of course, behavioral changes alone might not make you sleep better immediately, tonight, this very second, the way a sleeping aid will, but there are also no side effects.

Since drugs for insomnia work in your brain, depressing your nervous system or adjusting the levels of natural chemicals that govern sleep cycles, they can have unintended effects on anything controlled by your brain—that is, your whole body. Many people taking prescription sleeping aids report daytime anxiety, nausea, memory loss, dizziness and fatigue. And these are just the most common side effects. Others can be scary or bizarre: some people have hallucinations or get up in the night to eat or drive and have no memory of it in the morning. Then, when people stop taking an insomnia drug, they sometimes experience withdrawal or “rebound insomnia,” meaning they can’t sleep when they want to. Again. So although insomnia drugs might provide immediate relief when you first begin making the behavioral changes that can cure insomnia, they are not themselves the cure.

Disclaimer: By following any advice given on this site you hereby waive the author of any responsibility for any injury or damage that you may cause to yourself, others, or property.