Sleep problems like chronic insomnia are believed to run in families. In fact, about 35% of those who suffer from insomnia have a family history of sleep disorders, and the mother is said to be the most commonly affected. But because there are so many factors involved in triggering these disorders, medical experts have yet to identify a specific genetic component of this condition.
Possible Causes Of Chronic Insomnia
It has been observed that people with this condition have abnormal levels of certain brain chemicals like melatonin. The surge of human growth hormone, which is commonly associated with deep sleep, is also observed to be significantly blunted in sufferers. On the other hand, stress hormones like cortisol are seen in very high levels in these individuals, especially if their condition is brought about either by aging or psychiatric illness. High cortisol levels can trigger insomnia because it reduces the amount of REM sleep, which is very important for one to get good quality sleep.
Another observation that is unique to those who suffer from sleep disorders is that they have high levels of immune factors called cytokines during the day and lower levels at night. These are the factors that bring about the symptoms of fatigue and the shift in their levels is supposed to be in reverse order. People who get healthy sleep every night have low levels of cytokines during the day and higher levels at night.
Most cases of chronic insomnia are brought about by underlying causes that are psychological or psychiatric in nature. The most common of these causes are anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder. In fact, experts agree that sleep disorders are an integral part of depression and mental disorders, with 90% of patients suffering from insomnia. Treatment, therefore, must not focus only on medication but on behavioural therapy as well.
Treatment Tips
Following are tips on how you can use both medical and behavioural treatment to its best advantage.
In the use of sleeping pills and other prescription drugs, be sure to use it only as prescribed and only in the prescribed dosage. And because sleeping pills are designed for short-term therapy, it is best to avoid using them for more than three weeks. Taking sleeping pills beyond this period may only lead to drug dependence and worsen your condition. In case the pills cause grogginess during the day, notify your doctor immediately.
As regards behavioural therapy, the first step is to establish a regular sleeping schedule. Make sure that you go to bed and get up at a specific time each day, including weekends. Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages after noon and start exercising regularly; just make sure that you do not exercise right before going to bed. Keep your bedroom dark and quiet, and use your bed only for sex and sleep so that you will only associate it with relaxation. Ditch smoking and learn relaxation techniques like meditation or Yoga. With the right combination of pills and behavioural adjustments, pretty soon you should be able to say goodbye to chronic insomnia for good.
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