Insomnia
Insomnia services offered in Boynton Beach, FL
Insomnia Q & A
What is insomnia?
You have insomnia if you have any of the following:
- Difficult falling asleep
- Finding it hard to stay asleep
- Waking frequently during the night
- Not falling back to sleep (after waking during the night)
- Waking early and not getting back to sleep
Insomnia is classified as short- or long-term. Short-term insomnia lasts a few days to months, while long-term, or chronic, insomnia goes on for three months or longer.
What causes insomnia?
Insomnia often starts when you’re under stress. Any concerns, from relationship troubles and financial shortfalls to problems on the job, can keep your mind occupied and prevent you from sleeping.
Many people have lifestyle habits that disrupt their sleep. For example, consuming caffeine late in the day and eating a heavy meal or drinking alcohol close to bedtime may cause insomnia.
You’re also more likely to struggle with sleep if you use electronics, watch TV before bedtime, or keep any lights on during the night.
However, if you have chronic insomnia, chances are it’s due to an underlying health problem, such as:
- Sleep apnea
- Heart failure
- Chronic pain
- Restless legs syndrome
- Mental health disorders
People with mental health disorders often have trouble sleeping. At the same time, struggling with insomnia increases your risk of developing a psychological condition. Half of all those with insomnia also have anxiety, depression, and stress.
How is insomnia treated?
The gold standard treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). CBT-I involves proven techniques, such as:
- Managing thoughts (learning to control negative thoughts)
- Stress management (identifying stressors and following a stress management plan)
- Stimulus control (removing things that keep you awake)
- Relaxation training (ways to calm your body and mind)
- Restoring sleep hygiene (changing habits that affect sleep)
- Purposefully staying awake (rather than fretting because you can’t sleep)
- Restricting sleep (avoiding naps and limiting the time you spend in bed until your sleep improves)
Prescription medications may also help with insomnia. However, these medications are only used for a short time because they can cause dependence. They can also cause side effects, such as grogginess during the day.
Don’t wait to get help for insomnia. Call MindSpa Psychiatry or request an appointment online today.
