Insomnia can make it hard to focus.
The Symptoms of Insomnia Are Brutal
Insomnia is the inability to sleep sufficiently, despite the opportunity to do so. Those suffering from insomnia are unable to fall asleep and/or remain asleep. When a sleepless night turns into weeks and months, it can become crippling to one’s quality of life. Unfortunately, it is our most common sleep problem: forty-eight percent of Americans suffer from insomnia periodically.
The Symptoms of Insomnia Include:
- an inability to fall asleep.
- a difficulty returning to sleep.
- consistent trouble with exhaustion during the daytime.
- problems with concentration.
- anger issues, an inability to civilly interact with others.
Sleep is mandatory to safeguarding your physical and mental fitness. There’s no shortcuts-you have to sleep. Before you diagnose yourself an incurable insomniac, you should know the difference between the two main types of insomnia: primary and secondary.
What Are Primary and Secondary Insomnia?
Those suffering from primary insomnia have sleep problems that are not related to any other health issues. It is not attributable to a medical, psychiatric, or environmental cause. The roots of primary insomnias are sometimes hard to uncover and treat.
Secondary insomnia is when sleep problems are the result of something like pain, medication, a health condition or substance abuse. More specifically, secondary insomnia is insufficient sleep due to an externally imposed restriction of some sort. If you’re working too late or snorting lines of coke all day and then can’t get the sleep you need, you’re suffering from secondary insomnia.
Primary Insomnia Treatment: Stimulus Control
The accepted treatment for primary insomnia is stimulus control. It can also be effective for treating those suffering from secondary insomnia as well. The intent of stimulus control is to teach yourself that your bed is for sleeping only.
Stimulus Control? Here’s How It Works:
- Go to bed only when you’re ready for sleep or (if you’re lucky) sex.
- If you’re unable to sleep within 15 – 20 minutes, get out of bed and do something to occupy your mind.
- Maintain a consistent sleep schedule no matter how much you actually sleep.
- Avoid napping.
Secondary Insomnia Treatment: Find the Source
Consider the possible controllable external sources for your insomnia. Find the cause and then an appropriate remedy. The most common cause is strangely easy to ignore: you’re simply not allowing yourself enough time to rest. People are quite good at writing off the need for adequate sleep. It’s easy to cite the general responsibilities of life as necessary time sponges that can’t be avoided.
Think about your day. What different tasks and rituals do you perform? Perhaps you can be more efficient with these or even eliminate one or more. Find time for rest!
Insomnia: A Series of Rough Nights Can Turn Into a Problem
Insomnia always starts somewhere, but there’s no line in the sand. Generally it’s a gradual progression of worsening symptoms. If you’re having trouble getting through the day due to exhaustion you’ve got a problem on your hands. We are meant to wake up refreshed and feeling well-rested. Don’t kid yourself into believing that being tired is just “how it is.” Take control of your sleep and live a fuller life!
