Insomnia: Definition And Symptoms

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What is insomnia?

Sleep is one of the most important parts of our health. It affects every aspect of our lives. Tons of people around the world suffer from insomnia – a sleeping disorder in which people have trouble sleeping. It is also known as sleeplessness. It may last for either a short period of time (days and weeks)so or for a long period of time ( more than a month).

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Insomnia can be two types: primary (when sleep problems aren’t linked to any other health condition) and secondary (when sleep problems are linked to other health conditions like depression, heartburn, asthma, etc.).

What causes sleeplessness?

It’s important to say what are the common reasons behind insomnia. As we already mentioned above, this disorder can be either primary and secondary.

Primary insomnia can be caused by stress (most people live in a very stressful environment and they constantly have to think about what to do first); the setting around (noises, lights); long staring at the screen before going to bed.

Mental health illnesses like depression and anxiety are some of the top reasons that can lead to secondary insomnia. The other ones include different medications (for allergies, depression, asthma, etc); some kind of pain; substances like alcohol, coffee or tobacco.

Symptoms to look out for if you think you have insomnia

Now that you already know a little bit more about insomnia itself, it’s time to talk about the symptoms. If you have trouble sleeping or if you think that you have some sort of the listed above problems and you are currently wondering do you suffer from insomnia, the list of symptoms below should give you the answer to you questions.

Try to be careful of your health even if only one of these symptoms seem familiar to you:

  • Falling asleep very difficult at night

It’s 3 AM. Again. Your eyes are wide open, staring at the ceiling. You turn around and close your eyes. You try to calm yourself down. And yet the sleep doesn’t arrive. You reach for the clock only to calculate how many hours are left until you have to get up. That sounds even worse than a nightmare but is one of the red flags of insomnia.

  • Waking up during the night or/and waking up too early

Waking up when you have finally fallen asleep can seriously damage your health because you interrupt constantly your sleeping cycles (one lasts around 90 minutes). This can lead to slower reaction speed; memory loss and even Alzheimer’s disease. Also waking up too early in the morning when you still feel tired is another sign.

  • Feeling tired

When you have a good night’s sleep you feel well-rested, calm and happy. You are productive and concentrated. But sadly things are not always this way. If you feel tired after you wake up and during the whole day, you are probably suffering from insomnia.

  • Feeling depressed and anxious

Depression and anxiety are one of the main reasons for insomnia, but insomnia can cause them too. Very often as a result of this sleeping disorder you feel tired almost all the time, therefore you start to feel negative emotions which can lead to mental illnesses.

  • Problems with concentration and memory

When you haven’t slept well you will start to feel tired and when you feel tired you are not able to stay concentrated and productive for a long period of time. You will also probably start to forget important things you have to do during the day. This can seriously damage your work.

  • Grumpiness

Everyone knows that feeling when the alarm keeps ringing but you can’t seem to get up. And when you finally do it, you literally hate everyone and everything because in fact everyone and everything looks stupid to you. The only thing you want is to go back to your comfy bed. Being moody and nervous can have a negative effect on your relationships with other people. That is another reason to consider some kind of help with your insomnia.

How to beat insomnia?

After we talked about the reasons behind insomnia and the symptoms you should look out for it, you probably wonder how to beat insomnia? There are a few tips that may work wonders if you are consistent and if you are ready to work hard to improve your sleeping habits. And now without further ado, let’s get going with the tips:

  • Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day and night

It is preferable to go to bed early every night and wake up early every day. Following a certain schedule when you sleep it’s as important as following one when you work. As a result of it, your body will start to work as a well-tuned clock. You will get tired at the same time every night and you will feel rested at the same time every day. The only obstacle here is to do it on the weekends too no matter how big the temptation of staying in bed until 11 AM is.

  • Be careful with your coffee consummation

The effects of caffeine can last from 4 to 6 hours, however sometimes coffee can continue to do its wonders up to 24 hours! That is why you should think before you drink another cup! It is recommended to drink just one in the morning. If you can’t survive without your second cup, make sure you drank it before 5 PM.

  • Reduce stress

Try to live a calmer life. Don’t overthink everything, enjoy your work and enjoy your weekends too! Try therapy if you feel like you need more help; go to yoga; try to meditate. Before going to bed, leave the stressful thoughts out of the bedroom.

Turn off all of your electronic devices at least one hour before going to bed

This is a crucial, yet often underestimated thing that affects your sleep very deeply. The reason for it is hiding behind the blue light that your electronic devices emit. Blue light is bad for both your vision and your brain because can affect your internal body clock. This way you are not able to fall asleep since your body gets confused and doesn’t know if it’s day or night.

Unfortunately, some people work long hours in front of the computer. They often don’t have the chance to rest their eyes before going to bed.

Dont’worry! There is a decision for this problem! Iris is a software that protects the eyes from harmful blue light. With Iris, you will get your work done and you will get your night’s sleep! It also works on all kinds of devices, even on smartphones!

If you really care about your sleeping habits and you don’t want to experience insomnia anymore, you should seriously consider downloading a program like Iris. It’s going to be a game-changer for your health and well-being!

Conclusion

People often neglect their sleeping habits because they think sleep will not influence them. The truth is that not getting enough sleep can lead to weight gain, lower productivity levels, depression, mood swaps and illnesses like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Therefore, insomnia can be a dangerous disorder. It should not be underestimated.

If you think that there is even the smallest chance you may suffer from it, it is advisable to take immediate action. Every single one of the symptoms must be taken into account. Try to incorporate some of the tips mentioned above in your daily routine and you should see the difference almost immediately!  

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