Things You Can Do to Help Folks With Insomnia
If you have loved ones who suffer from insomnia and want to learn how to help insomnia victims like them, you might find this article useful.
Arguably the most well-known sleep disorder worldwide, insomnia affects roughly a fourth of the population. Characterized by difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep, insomnia can cause sleep deprivation in individuals, which in turn weakens their ability to think clearly and to focus. In addition, sleep deprivation caused by insomnia inhibits emotion control, making people more irritable.
Insomnia is one of the most prevalent sleep disorders among adults for a good reason. People who suffer from insomnia may start to dread spending another night trying to fall asleep. This creates feelings of anxiety, which in turn worsens their ability to sleep. This process, wherein a health condition causes behaviors that further worsen the existing health disorder, is rightfully termed a positive feedback loop. As people become more affected by insomnia, the stress they receive further reduces their ability to sleep.
If your loved ones seem to be stuck in this never ending cycle of sleeplessness, what can you do?
First, examine their lifestyle. Do they have hectic schedules? Do they have high-paced, demanding jobs? If so, then they may have high stress levels, which in turn may be causing their insomnia. Trying to limit their exposure to stress triggers by changing their lifestyle may prove to be very effective in managing their insomnia.
Next, check their sleep hygiene status. If you have never heard that term before, sleep hygiene simply refers to certain behaviors which help promote good sleep. Examples include proper and consistent sleep schedules, limited exposure to artificial light, and avoidance of drinks which contain caffeine. If your loved ones have poor sleep hygiene, then a few simple changes in their routine will go a long way in treating their insomnia.
If their insomnia lasts for more than four weeks or seems to be having drastic effects on your loved ones’ lives, it may be time to visit your doctor. Make sure to give the doctor any available information, focusing on your loved ones’ lifestyle and sleep hygiene status. Depending on how severe the symptoms are, the doctor may recommend further investigation, behavioral treatment, or use of medication. Additionally, the doctor may give general advice on how to help insomnia victims similar to those mentioned above. Whatever the doctor’s decision, make sure that you and your loved ones’ fully cooperate. The last thing you want to do is cause more stress for someone who has trouble sleeping at night.
Finally, remember that insomnia is treatable. If you follow the steps above, this sleep menace should eventually disappear, leaving your loved ones free to enjoy the refreshing sleep they deserve.
Disclaimer: The author of the article is not a doctor. See a doctor first to make sure your diagnosed correctly. The article is not intended to provide any diagnosis or cure. Again, see a doctor to be properly diagnosed if you need too.
For more information on sleep disorders and insomnia, please visit: http://www.tipsonfallingasleep.com
For more information on sleep disorders and insomnia, please visit: http://www.tipsonfallingasleep.com.
Author Bio: For more information on sleep disorders and insomnia, please visit: http://www.tipsonfallingasleep.com
Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: insomnia