Insomnia Treatment
Insomnia is a widespread sleeping disorder caused mainly by depression and anxiety. Insomnia results in inadequate sleeping due to frequent wake-ups in the sleeping time. A person who is suffering from insomnia often undergoes tremendous mental and physical stress.
Fortunately, there are various insomnia treatment methods developed over the period of time to treat different kinds of insomnia. Insomnia caused by respiratory disorder like asthma is treated by intensification of asthma therapy and abolition or substation of medications that were responsible. Light therapy which is called as Chronotherapy is used in the treatment of insomnia caused by DSPS.
Treatment of Insomnia caused by depression and anxiety often includes therapies for treating these two disorders. Once depression and anxiety are cured insomnia also subsides automatically. It is because it was found that depression and anxiety are primarily caused by insufficient sleeping. When therapy is aimed at sleeping it eliminates the symptoms of insomnia. Other types of insomnia therapy include behavioral therapy, sleep hygiene and some specially prescribed drugs.
Some activities or practices that affect the individual’s sleeping pattern are referred as Sleep Hygiene. Insomnia patents normally have very poor sleep hygiene. Maintaining standard wake-up time is one the good hygiene sleep practice. People who have inadequate sleep during week days are often tempted to get up very late on the weekends. But insomniac patients need to maintain standard wake-up time whether they go to bed early or late.
Another important insomniac treatment method is completely refraining from stimulants like caffeine, nicotine and alcohol as these stimulants provoke awakening during the mid night. Caffeine not only prevents getting sleep but also cause frequent awakening. These two stimulates stay in effect at least for next 24 hours so the chances of sleep getting affected are more. Due to these reasons Insomniac patients should avoid taking coffee and tea which contain a great amount of caffeine.
People who consume alcohol have sedative effects for two to four hours after consumption. There may also be a hangover for next one or two days, if the consumption is very heavy. During this period an alcoholic person faces frequent arousals and unsound sleep. Therefore, Alcohol consumption should be completed stopped by insomniac patients.
Medications like theophylline, beta agonists like inhalers and steroids are administered before sleeping to eliminate these stimulants.
Routine exercise before bed time can instigate sound sleep for insomniac patients. These people need to avoid working from the bed like reading, playing cards, talking on telephone and similar activities and use bed only for sleeping. And taking food and drinking while on bed should be completely avoided. Insomniac patients should refrain from watching television and listening to loud music while on the bed. But listening to mild background music can lead to good sleep.
Sleep restriction therapy is often used in the treatment of insomnia. Under this method restrictions are imposed on the time spent on the bed for sleeping. When a patient is awakened while sleeping, it increases his anxiety and leads to sound sleeping.
Apart from the above said therapies there are plenty of over-the-counter medications for sound sleeping. There are benzodiazepines to treat some specific conditions of insomniac patients.