Insomnia, or lack of sleep, as it is commonly known, is a little-known condition. In fact, you will find that insomnia is both a symptom and a disease in itself and therefore its diagnosis is a bit problematic. There have been so many myths and fables that are connected with insomnia. If you suffer from this condition, it is really very important to get the correct information about insomnia in order to understand and treat your condition well. If you’ve been suffering from lack of sleep and have no idea what to do about your situation, it would be a good idea to seek information on insomnia from reputable sources, such as medical journals, your doctor, or websites of reputable organizations.

When you see your doctor about your sleep problems, you should ask him or her to discuss the different aspects of this disorder. When you discuss information about insomnia with your doctor, you should also ask about different options for treating the disorder. Keep in mind that natural treatments are generally preferred over commercially available sleep aids. Natural treatments do not have the unwanted side effects like those of pharmaceutical drugs. The natural treatment process is also cost effective. Another way to get reliable information about insomnia is to go online and browse some websites. When you do this, be sure to only use websites of organizations that are authoritative on the subject.

Insomnia or lack of sleep can be of two types, that is, (i) transient and (ii) intermittent. The first is when one experiences insomnia for a maximum period of 2-3 weeks; while intermittent insomnia is when this is repeated from time to time. This will mostly be a projection of an underlying problem, such as anxiety, depression, drug abuse, etc.

Childhood insomnia

Insomnia is something that affects young and old alike. Studies have shown that childhood insomnia has continuously increased throughout the United States in recent years. Experts attribute the rise in childhood insomnia to many factors at home, school, and in the neighborhood. If you have a child who suffers from childhood insomnia, you should try to help them get some sleep. The first thing you need to do to help your child get some sleep is to figure out what is keeping them up at night. If your child could not sleep due to some unfounded fear, you should try to be patient with him.

Children have very rich imaginations and things that you think are so unreasonable and unreal, could be very real to them. Never for one moment underestimate your child’s fear. One of the best ways to put a child to sleep is to read them some soft and relaxing bedtime stories. The soothing sound of your voice actually helps cure childhood insomnia. The human body responds well to schedules and rhythm. To help your child overcome childhood insomnia, you need to set a specific time for your child to go to bed.

hyperinsomnia

Generally speaking, there are two main types of insomnia, namely acute insomnia and chronic or hyperinsomnia. You will know that you are suffering from acute insomnia when you cannot sleep due to some apparent reason like noise, bright light, too hot or cold, incoming illness, recovering from illness, uncomfortable bed, etc. The other causes of acute insomnia are erratic sleep schedules, ie working night shifts, working late into the night, watching television that interferes with the body’s normal biological clock. Normally, removal of irritants and minor home remedies would suffice to cure this type of insomnia.

Hyperinsomnia or chronic insomnia is quite difficult to manage or cure. This is usually the result of a serious underlying problem, or an illness itself triggered by some anxiety or serious health problem (which can be neurological, medical and/or psychiatric). Most of the time, hyperinsomnia would be related to some psychiatric problem and therefore would require long and careful tests for a proper diagnosis. Reports show that hyperinsomnia accounts for more than 45 percent of cases.

The other main cause of hyperinsomnia is drug abuse, not necessarily narcotics. There are many medications, some as innocent as decongestants and antidepressants, that can cause long-term insomnia. The other culprits could be coffee (and any caffeinated drink), steroids (prescribed by the doctor), beta blockers, and even sleeping pills (withdrawal symptoms when stopped). It is best to follow medical advice and treatment for hyperinsomnia.

chronic insomnia

Chronic insomnia is a complicated condition in which the patient has difficulty falling asleep or getting restful sleep for more than a month. Depression is one of the main causes of chronic insomnia. Other causes include diseases such as arthritis, heart problems, kidney problems, respiratory diseases, Parkinson’s disease, hyperthyroidism, sleep apnea, and various other conditions. The constant experience of mental stress and the excessive use of stimulants such as caffeine (coffee, tea, etc.) are also responsible for causing chronic insomnia.

Treatment of chronic insomnia consists of diagnosing and eliminating the underlying medical/psychological disorders. Stopping or minimizing behaviors that aggravate insomnia are also part of treatment plans. The doctor may prescribe sleeping pills for temporary use, but long-term use is not allowed. Different behavioral techniques are used to treat chronic insomnia. These include techniques such as relaxation therapy, sleep restriction therapy, reconditioning, and the use of bright light.