Insomnia

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that can last for as little as a few days, to as long as many years. People with insomnia have a hard time falling asleep and/or staying asleep.  They can find themselves waking up too early and not being able to fall back asleep. 

It can be frustrating to feel tired while also not being able to sleep. A lack of sleep can cause a negative impact on your school, work and social activities.  Lack of sleep alone can also cause mood and anxiety disorders.

Insomnia symptoms can include:

• Difficulty falling or staying asleep at night
• Waking up during the night or waking up too early
• Not feeling well rested after a night’s sleep
• Tiredness, sleepiness or impaired functioning during the day
• Persistent worries about sleep

Anyone can experience insomnia, however it appears to be more common among women, the elderly, and those with chronic mental or physical conditions. 

Nearly 40% of adults with insomnia also have a behavioral health condition like depression or anxiety. In fact, research has shown that depression and insomnia may have common causes that make people vulnerable to both conditions.

Our team at Eappen Clinic can help you make sense of the conditions that may be contributing to your insomnia and help you get back to sleeping and feeling well again.

Insomnia can be treated in a number of ways. Your treatment might include talk therapy and medications. 

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is one therapy that can make a positive difference. CBT-I helps you change your thoughts and behaviors around sleep and can be as effective in the short term as medication.  

For some people, insomnia treatment can be as simple as avoiding television, computer and phone screens right before bedtime. Sometimes the temperature in the room or the light coming through the window is all that needs to be adjusted to help you get to sleep. There are many things that you might need to try to improve your “sleep hygiene.”

Medication can also be used to treat insomnia. These can include antidepressants or sedative-hypnotics.  There are potential side effects with each type of medication option (ranging from weight gain, to addiction risk), so it is important you weigh the risks and benefits of each option before making a decision.

Treatment time varies based on the treatment.  If you’re working on changing your thoughts and behaviors around sleep with CBT-I, it can take longer to see results compared to using a medication.

It may also take to find a medication that works well for you. It’s important to communicate with your team about what’s working and not working as you navigate treatment. 

If you occasionally have sleepless nights, but are able to get your sleep schedule back on track, you probably don’t need to be treated for insomnia. If your sleepless episodes last for a month or more or don’t respond to basic changes in sleep hygiene, you may benefit from treatment.

At Eappen Clinic, we can help you understand whether your sleep problems warrant treatment.  If they do, we will discuss all available treatment options, starting with those that involve the least risk.  Your first appointment with us is a detailed evaluation. At the end of your evaluation, you’ll leave knowing the next steps.  Let’s work together to help you sleep well again.