Uploaded on Jan 5, 2023
Suffering from a sleepless night can make you feel tired and grumpy. If it goes on for a few days, insomnia can cause numerous problems. Aside from headaches and mental well-being issues
What are the possible ways to diagnose and treat insomnia
What are the possible ways to
diagnose and treat insomnia?
Suffering from a sleepless night can make you feel tired and grumpy. If it goes
on for a few days, insomnia can cause numerous problems. Aside from
headaches and mental well-being issues, it can lead to complications like
increased chances of accidents and lower job performance. Thus, you should
diagnose and treat this sleep disorder as early as possible. Here is all you
need to know about this!
How can you diagnose insomnia?
If you are suffering from sleepless nights, you may have insomnia. Here is how
you can determine whether you have this condition:
Physical exam:
If the cause of this sleep problem is unknown, doctors recommend patients
undergo a physical exam to find out the medical condition that may be
leading to this issue. At times, a blood test is conducted to check if you have
thyroid or other conditions resulting in poor sleep.
Sleep habits:
To determine if you have insomnia, your sleep expert may ask you some
questions related to your sleep habits. He may even ask you to fill out a
questionnaire to understand your sleep-wake pattern and level of daytime
sleepiness. Some patients also prepare a sleep diary for a couple of weeks to
help with the diagnosis.
Sleep study:
For patients who do not have clear signs of insomnia or symptoms of another
rest disorder like sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome, undergoing a
sleep study may be recommended. These tests monitor and record several
body activities like brain waves, heartbeat, eye movements, breathing, and
body movements to make the diagnosis.
How can you treat insomnia?
CBT:
To help treat sleeplessness, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an
effective treatment. The cure assists with controlling or eliminating negative
thoughts so you can fall asleep. The aim is to recognise and challenge beliefs
that affect your ability to rest. A few strategies doctors use as part of CBT to
treat this condition are relaxation techniques, light therapy, staying passively
awake, stimulus control therapy, and sleep restrictions.
Meds:
While doctors do not recommend relying on sleep pills as a permanent
solution for treating insomnia, they can assist with the permanent solution.
They can help insomnia patients in falling and staying asleep. But, you should
consider the side effects like daytime grogginess, increased risk of falling, and
getting addicted before opting for this cure. Besides sleep pills, other sleep
drugs that can enhance your sleep include Lunesta and Zaleplon.
Lifestyle changes:
Making some lifestyle changes can help you catch up on good-quality rest.
Insomnia patients are recommended solutions like sticking to a sleep schedule,
checking medications, avoiding daytime naps, limiting caffeine consumption,
avoiding daytime naps, and staying active during the day to sleep better.
Other treatments:
Some other cures for insomnia are melatonin supplements, acupuncture, yoga,
tai chi, meditation, and valerian consumption. These solutions can enhance
your sleep quality so you can wake up refreshed the following day.
Insomnia is a common sleep problem that can prevent you from falling or
staying asleep. Those with the condition should not worry much as the sleep
disorder is typically curable despite your age.
Thank You
Comments