Symptoms of Insomnia

Insomnia is a fairly common issue for many. To treat insomnia, you must know what triggers it. Sometimes it’s lifestyle choices, your diet, possibly a mental illness, or an unknown underlying cause. Everyone has experienced sleepless nights at some point in their life. It can become a real problem if you experience this most nights, however. Insomnia typically causes one to have extreme difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or both. Many find that even on those nights they can actually fall sleep, they wake up in the middle of the night for no apparent reason and cannot fall back asleep regardless of how exhausted they feel.

How Should Insomnia Be Treated?

Insomnia can be treated in many ways. Though many immediately think of prescription medication, most physicians agree it’s best to try other natural alternatives first. For example, if you have made a habit of watching TV or using your phone, you need to stop immediately. The artificial light makes it difficult for your brain to determine whether or not it should begin the first stage of sleep process which is the release of melatonin. You should consider how active you are as well. Those who have sedentary careers and lifestyles often don’t tire themselves out which results in excess energy. The more tired you are, the harder you will sleep. Another thing to consider is your diet. It’s best to avoid caffeine and high sugar foods as they can increase energy at an exaggerated rate.

What Causes Insomnia?

There are some causes that can be a bit harder to treat. If you find that you feel stressed out or anxious, it may be time to take a look at what issues can be eliminated or at least alleviate to some degree. Sometimes an underlying mental illness could be the cause of insomnia. If you feel or suspect you may be having symptoms of an anxiety disorder, depression, or the alike you can request an assessment from your physician to help determine if it’s a contributing factor.

Prescription and OTC Medications for Insomnia

Certain prescription medications such as Lunesta or Ativan is needed in some cases where all else fails. However, most find that it works best to change some lifestyle choices in order to better supplement the medication. For some, an over the counter sleep medication may help or alternative medicine such as CBD drops. There are natural sleep aids such as melatonin that can help you fall asleep within 20 minutes to an hour depending on the type of melatonin you choose. It’s always best to discuss all of your symptoms and concerns with a doctor to help determine what may be causing insomnia. Even with over the counter supplements, you should ask your pharmacist or doctor if it’s appropriate to mix one medication with another as some could have unwanted side effects.