Is Insomnia Curable?

Insomnia is the condition where one cannot sleep or spends a lot of time in bed before sleeping. The only positive thing linked with this disorder is the fact that insomnia is curable. The common causes of insomnia include stress that comes about from school or work, as well as because of health issues that occupy the mind, preventing one from sleeping. Anxiety could also be another reason for causing insomnia along with other related disorders, like post associated disorders that result in lack of sleep. Likewise, depression can also affect one's sleep, leading to a lack of it or to a condition where one sleeps excessively.

Medical conditions, like having issues with breathing or a feeling to pass urine more often, or experiencing persistent pain could lead to insomnia. Some of the diseases that could also result in insomnia include arthritis, lung disease, cancer, stroke, and heart failure. Change in the environment or change in the routine of working disrupts the circadian rhythms; hence, one cannot get sleep when it is time to sleep. Poor sleep habits, including different sleep times, poor environment to rest, and doing activities on the bed can cause lack of sleep. One must always maintain a balance when it comes to their living pattern; people suffering from insomnia should always consume a healthy diet that is rich in proteins, minerals, and fibers, along with a strict workout session and sleeping pattern. All these measures, when followed strictly as a daily routine, will guarantee to show some positive results that will help cure insomnia.

People suffering from insomnia must avoid intake of any sort of drugs or medications without consulting their doctor or specialist, as some drugs also interfere with the sleeping patterns of an individual. These drugs include antidepressants, allergy drugs, stimulants, and heart and pressure drugs, which could lead to lack of sleep. Stimulants like caffeine and nicotine can also lead to a lack of sleep. Coffee and tea contain caffeine, which is a stimulant, while alcohol is a sedative that makes one sleep, but it awakens a person after he or she falls asleep.  

Insomnia could also occur due to too much eating in the late evenings or mid-nights, making one uncomfortable while lying down. Sometimes it causes heart burns that makes one feel uneasy during his sleep. For those who love to indulge in binge eating at night, they must make sure that they consume fewer oily and heavy foods. They must always opt for light snacks that are consumed two or three hours before sleeping. One must rigorously avoid directly going to sleep after consuming his meal; rather, he should go on a brief walk.

Insomnia sometimes becomes more pronounced with age. A lot of elderly people complain of not getting enough sleep at night. With the change in age, people tend to undergo a change in their sleeping patterns. As one gets older, even the slightest of noise could awaken and disturb him. Therefore, these people require more sleep, much like children. Lack of work to carry out during the day could also make someone sleepless at night. Changes in health could also lead to poor sleep habits, along with vulnerability to diseases, like arthritis and sleep apnea, which causes difficulty breathing. Over the counter drugs for the old could lead to a lack of sleep, also.

After the root cause of your insomnia has been examined by a specialist, the early stages of insomnia are treated with sticking to a specific routine of sleeping time. This is to enable the biological clock to work for one to rest at specific times. This mode includes an ample amount of instructions, which also includes avoiding sleeping during the day, as that could also help one to become tired by night, hence helping them to sleep well. Reduce the amount of nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine taken prior to sleeping to avoid waking up at night or delaying time before sleeping. While some may conclude that consuming alcohol and nicotine helps them to peacefully doze off in the night, the reality is that it later becomes a habit which takes control over the functioning of the body. This habit not only proves to be hazardous for the body, but it also displays some serious side effects, among which insomnia tops the list. Avoid late eating with high-fat content or foods containing acids, as this can disrupt one's peaceful sleep or make sleeping become uncomfortable. Extreme exercises can also result in a lack of sleep due to pain. A person suffering from insomnia must avoid exercising right before his sleeping time. They should opt for light weights and meditation, while maintaining a considerate gap before sleeping.

It is not only activities carried out at the daytime that affects sleep, but the bed behavior can also influence sleep. One should, therefore, ensure the bedroom is silent, dark, and out of the noise zone. Noise, light, and excessive heat can result in an inadequate sleep. Earplugs and blindfolds should be used in areas of excess light and noise. One must ensure that his environment is comfortable, cozy, and properly ventilated. He should avoid stress or any activity that inflicts pressure, and rather participate in the peaceful and fun activities, like knitting, checking out some articles, or listening to soothing soft songs, like blues, while using the lights dimly. The screens should also be off kept off television, tablets, computers, and smart phones, as well as any other gadgets which could impair the release of melatonin and hence affect sleep negatively. Rather than watching, one should instead listen to a tape or read a novel prior sleeping. Many reports related to insomnia state that the issue arises mainly because of psychological problems where an individual continuously lets his thoughts prevail and take over the control of his body. This thinking, rather over-thinking, may lead to depression and insomnia where a sufferer may feel the urge to sleep, but his mind won’t let him do so. To avoid this, the individual may divert his mind by indulging in light activities and meditations.