My Health Digest
My Health Digest
These are diseases that result in changes in the way you sleep. A sleep disorder can affect your overall health, safety, and quality of life. Sleep deprivation can affect your ability to drive safely and increase the risk of other health problems
Causes of insomnia
- medicines
Medicines that may affect sleep include antidepressants, medicines to treat heart diseases and blood pressure, anti-allergic medicines, stimulants and corticosteroids.
- Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol
- It is known that coffee, tea, cola and other caffeinated drinks are stimulants.
- medical problems
Chronic pain from breathing problems or frequent urination may cause insomnia. Other medical problems associated with insomnia include:
- Arthritis
- cancer
Congestive heart failure
- Diabetes
- Diseases of the lungs
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Hyperthyroidism
- Brain attack
- Parkinson’s disease
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Acquired insomnia
This type may appear in the case of severe anxiety about lack of sleep and trying to sleep too much. Most people with acquired insomnia sleep better when they are not in their natural environment or when they are not trying to sleep, such as while watching TV or while reading.
- Aging
Complications of insomnia
Sleep is as important to health as eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Sleep disturbances for any reason can affect a person both mentally and physically. People who suffer from insomnia complain of a poorer quality of life compared to people who sleep well.
Complications of sleep disorders include:
- Poor performance at work or study.
- A slow reaction time when driving a vehicle and a high risk of accidents.
- Psychological disorders such as depression or an anxiety-related disorder.
- Excess weight or obesity.
- Weak immune system.
- Increased risk of developing and exacerbating chronic diseases.
Behavioral Therapy
Behavioral therapy teaches new sleep habits and provides tools to help make the sleeping environment more comfortable for sleep. Behavioral therapy is often recommended as a first step in solving insomnia
Behavioral therapy includes:
- Teaching good sleep habits.
- Relaxation methods and techniques.
- Cognitive therapy.
- Control of stimuli.
- Define sleep.
- Light therapy.
- Medications.
Insomnia treatment
Changing sleep habits while addressing the factors that cause insomnia may restore to many people their ability to sleep well, by simple steps such as: going to sleep at a fixed hour and getting up at a fixed hour that will contribute to deep sleep and wakefulness within hours day, and if these measures are not feasible, the doctor may recommend sedative or hypnotic drugs.
Drug Therapy
Taking sleeping pills may help. These include:
- Zolpidem
- Eszopiclone
- Zalbulun
- Ramilton
Doctors usually advise not to rely on medical drugs for more than a few weeks, while there are new drugs that are allowed to be taken for an indefinite period of time, if a person suffers from depression in addition to insomnia, the doctor may prescribe antidepressants with a hypnotic effect such as Trazodone, Doxepin