What Causes Insomnia – And How To Recognize It?
Most of us have suffered from insomnia at one time or another – in fact, around 25% of Americans have occasional difficulty in falling or staying asleep; while around 10% of Americans suffer from so-called chronic insomnia. Chronic insomnia is defined as not sleeping well for at least a month.
The symptoms of insomnia are fairly well known to most of us. Insomnia is defined as not only a difficulty in falling asleep, but the inability to stay asleep or finding yourself waking up frequently or too early. And if you are routinely tired or irritable during the day, you are probably not getting enough sleep.
Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders and can be caused by a number of things. Alcohol, caffeine, the wrong types of food – or simply a disruption of routine or too much stress can all be contributing factors. Smoking is a stimulant and can also cause insomnia.
Whereas exercise is commendable, exercising too close to bedtime can tend to keep you awake. Certain medical conditions can cause insomnia and as most women who have experienced it will verify – menopause can also cause sleepless nights.
Having distractions such as reminders of work or a television in your bedroom can also keep you awake. Sleeping in after a late night may cause you to have trouble sleeping the following night – some experts advise getting up at the same time each day, even on weekends and holidays.
Be selective in what you eat and drink before you go to bed – fatty and spicy foods can cause heartburn, which can prevent falling asleep. Food and drink that contain tyramine cause the release of a brain stimulant, norepinephrine, which can help to keep you awake. Tyramine can be found in many common products such as cheese, nuts and red wine.
Other factors can also cause insomnia - shift work and jet lag can affect your ability to get a good night’s sleep. Supposedly it takes a day to fully recover for each hour’s difference in time - therefore if you travel across a 5 hour time zone, it will take 5 days to fully recover. Most experts advise that the only real solution to jet lag is to immediately adjust your schedule to the new time zone.
There are several solutions to insomnia varying from changing your routine or diet, to medication, sleeping pills and natural remedies. Experts recommend 7 or 8 hours of sleep every night – if you are one of the many people who don’t come close to that, you may want to try to do something about it.
About the author:
Do You Suffer From Insomnia? Would you like to know how to have better sleep? Find out now! Visit my site at: http://www.helpmyinsomnia.com - your resource for detailed information on products and treatments for better sleep and stress relief. The author, Kurt LeRoy, has had a lifetime interest in natural, herbal and alternative health products and techniques to eliminate necessity of prescription and otc drugs.
Tags: Insomnia, insomnia cure, insomnia treatment, sleeping problems, sleeping trouble
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