Insomnia Disorder refers to dissatisfaction with sleep quantity or quality. It can be differentiated from the general sleep difficulties faced by people, based on the significant impairment it causes to ones personal, professional and social life.
According to DSM-V, around one-third of the adult population reports insomnia symptoms. Also, the diagnosable duration is 3 months wherein the sleep difficulty occurs at least 3 days a week.
It can be manifested in different forms. Sleep-onset or Initial Insomnia refers to difficulty in initiating sleep. Sleep-maintenance or Middle Insomnia point towards the difficulty in maintaining sleep and involves recurrent awakenings throughout the sleep period. Finally, there is late Insomnia which involves the inability to go back to sleep upon early morning awakening.
Being a night owl, a term highly popular among the millennials is very different from being an insomniac. Oxford dictionary defines night owl as “a person who is habitually active or wakeful at night”. Therefore, a night owl simply has a different sleep schedule not that such a person finds it difficult to initiate or maintain sleep in any manner.
Risk Factors
Following are a few possible factors which may contribute to the prevalence of insomnia.
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Environment – excessive noise, sharp light, uncomfortable climate and other such stressors in ones surrounding can impact sleep patterns.
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Temperament – individuals with high irritability, worry-prone personality or tendencies such as overthinking may suffer from sleep problems.
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Genes and Physiology – such patterns may be shared in the family and are also influenced by physical health and body habits.
Life Style Changes
Some small daily routine adjustments may result in better sleep.
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Staying Active/Exercise – daily physical activity even for half-hour may help restore the balance. Indulging in exercise can ensure a good night’s sleep as the body gets tired and requires rest. Exercising just before bed will be counterintuitive as it will stimulate the body.
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Relaxation – Practices to calm one’s body and mind before going to bed are very helpful. Techniques like meditation, chanting, breathing exercises (pranayama) etc. can be employed. Avoid using mobile or other gadgets at bed-time.
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Avoid or limit caffeine, nicotine and alcohol.
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Avoid taking naps during the day or limit them.
Insomnia may be present as a symptom of another medical condition or even be comorbid. Therefore, seeking professional help in case of any kind of impairment due to disturbed sleep is essential.
Importance of Professional Counseling: A friend or family member may listen to you, but they aren’t professionally, technically qualified or experienced to offer you professional advice. If you wish you can contact us at MindTribe to receive help from our team of expert psychologists.
About MindTribe.in.
MindTribe Founder Dr. Prerna Kohli, India’s eminent psychologist, established the company to leverage the strength of the online to make counseling affordable and accessible to everyone. MindTribe provides counseling, workshops, support groups, forums, and eLearning.
About the Author.
Aarushi Panwar is a counselor at MindTribe.in. You can learn more about her by clicking here
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of MindTribe.in, the Founders, or management team.
Acknowledgement: All images used are open source and from Unsplash.