Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that affects millions of people. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that can make it hard to fall asleep, hard to stay asleep, or cause you to wake up too early and not be able to get back to sleep.”
Unfortunately, insomnia doesn’t only affect people at nighttime. It also can lead to daytime sleepiness, which can cause other issues like anxiety, depression, lack of focus, headaches, and more. Many people live with insomnia without ever seeking insomnia treatment.
Many studies have been done about insomnia, and while some show 10-30% of adults being affected, others note that it could be upwards of 50-60%!
Either way, the bottom line is that this issue affects millions of people every year. While many different things can contribute to insomnia, the primary causes generally include medical conditions, stress, and obesity.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. Fortunately, there are treatments available, and remember, if you suffer from insomnia, you are most definitely not alone.
Take the first step to better health and better sleep by visiting a sleep specialist today. A sleep specialist like Dr. Gingras can help by performing diagnostic testing and recommending insomnia treatments on a case by case basis.
Types of Insomnia
Insomnia can affect anyone, from children to the elderly and everyone in between. There are many reasons insomnia can occur and each case of insomnia can look different from the next.
For example, a teenager may suffer from stress-related insomnia and have trouble falling asleep, while an adult might have insomnia from a medical condition.
Here’s a more complete list of common insomnia causes
- Stress: Stress can lead to acute or chronic insomnia. If you are experiencing long-term stress, whether it’s over work, family, relationships, financial burdens, etc., you may notice it starting to affect your sleep.
- Depression/Anxiety: Depression and anxiety are two mental health conditions that can affect the whole body. People who have depression and/or anxiety often find themselves also suffering from insomnia. The comorbidity can also go the other way, and insomnia can lead to depression and/or anxiety.
- Sleep Apnea: Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder where breathing stops and starts throughout the night. You may not even realize you are doing it, but over time, it affects quality of sleep and can lead to insomnia. This disorder is especially prevalent in overweight adults.
- Medical Conditions: Certain medical conditions make sleeping a lot more difficult. These medical conditions include cancer, heart disease, GERD, Alzheimer’s, and more.
- Inconsistent Sleep Schedule: Something as simple as an inconsistent sleep schedule can lead to insomnia. This is common in adults who frequently travel to different time zones for work. It is hard for the body to adjust to the different time zones and the natural circadian rhythm is disturbed.
- Unhealthy Sleep Habits: Another type of insomnia is caused by unhealthy sleep habits. This can include things like napping too much during the day, being on the computer or watching TV right before bed, eating too late, etc.
- Medications: Certain medications can lead to insomnia, including drugs for blood pressure and antidepressants. Talk to your doctor if you think your medication might be the cause of your insomnia.
- Certain Substances: Alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine all cause insomnia. Cut back on using these substances or cut them out altogether for healthier sleep patterns.
Symptoms of Insomnia
Pay close attention to your body for signs of insomnia. Obviously, the most noticeable symptom is having trouble falling or staying asleep at night. In addition, be on the lookout for these common insomnia symptoms:
- Feeling tired during the day
- Falling asleep at inappropriate times (ex: during the workday, in class, etc.)
- Headaches in the morning
- Snoring
- Difficulties focusing or staying on task
- Waking up gasping for air (sign of sleep apnea)
- Anxiety and/or depression
- Feelings of irritability
Diagnostic Testing
Dr. Gingras performs diagnostic sleep studies to gain a better understanding of what exactly is going on while you are in your bed at night time.
Before the sleep study, you’ll have a consultation and need to answer some routine questions about your sleep issues and medical history. You will also have a physical exam. The doctor may also ask you to start keeping a sleep journal as a way to track insomnia and get to the root cause.
The actual sleep study will take place at Gingras Sleep Medicine’s laboratories. Patients will settle in and get comfortable in our home-like setting. The lab includes a memory foam queen-sized bed, TV, and WiFi.
Once it’s time for bed, our computerized video polysomnography equipment will begin to monitor you for sleep apnea and other sleep disorders. A sleep technologist will also monitor things like brain activity, blood oxygen levels, heart rate, eye movements, and more.
After the sleep study, a follow-up appointment will be scheduled to discuss findings and a plan for treatment.
Insomnia Treatment
When you are in the thick of it, insomnia can seem never-ending. Fortunately, there are many treatments available. It all boils down to the diagnostic testing and determining which treatment will work best for you.
Here are some of the treatments we recommend/offer at Gringras Sleep Medicine:
- Adenoidectomy
- Avoiding substances like alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, etc.
- Behavioral intervention
- Cognitive therapy
- CPAP
- Dental devices (help position the lower jaw and tongue to avoid sleep apnea)
- Improved sleep hygiene
- Medication
- Sleep position devices
- Tonsillectomy
- Weight loss methods
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: if you suffer from insomnia, please don’t lose hope!
Treatments have come a long way in the recent past, and we’re confident we can help you get back to a healthy sleep schedule. So if you have been consistently struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep, there is no time like the present to see a qualified sleep specialist.
At Gringras Sleep Medicine, we bring our wide array of experience and expertise to perform industry-leading sleep studies and build personalized insomnia treatment plans, aimed at getting you onto the road to recovery as fast as possible.
For more information about insomnia and how our sleep studies and treatment plans work, contact our team here at Gringras Sleep Medicine today.