Insomnia

What causes insomnia?

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder where you have difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or both. Men and women with insomnia often lie awake for long periods during the night, wake up too early, and feel as though they haven’t had any rest at all.

Insomnia is a fairly complex condition with many possible causes:

• Alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine: stimulants and depressants prevent or interrupt sleep
• Stress: worrisome events or situations may keep you up at night
• Disrupted schedule: travel and other changes to your regular schedule interfere with your body’s natural rhythms
• Medications: many over-the-counter and prescription medicines interfere with sleep
• Poor sleep habits: too much screen time at night, uncomfortable sleeping environment, a partner who snores, etc.

Insomnia also increases with age. Even though you still need as much sleep as you did when you were younger, it’s less restful, and you’re more likely to wake up frequently during the night.

What health problems does insomnia cause?

During sleep, the human brain processes all of the information and experiences you were exposed to during the day. It’s also the time where there’s a more significant release of growth hormones, which cover everything from regenerating the body’s cells to making your hair grow.

The body’s immune system also regulates itself during sleep, powering up to fight off infection and disease.

Insufficient sleep can lead to short- and long-term health and processing issues, including:

• Decreased reaction time, increasing the risk of accidents
• Increased risk of long-term conditions like heart disease and high blood pressure
• Mental health disorders like anxiety and depression
• Poor performance at work or school

How is insomnia treated?

Before Dr. Gelbert treats insomnia, she performs a full wellness checkup and physical examination to determine what underlying factors are keeping you awake. She may also order blood work and other tests to rule out certain conditions.

There are several safe and effective supplements and medications to restore good sleeping patterns over the short-term. Lifestyle modifications can also help restore long-term healthy sleep patterns and improve your physical and emotional wellbeing.

Behavior modifications include:

• Creating a calm and comfortable sleeping space
• Keeping a consistent bedtime
• Limiting alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco use

Dr. Gelbert treats men and women with insomnia on a case-by-case basis. A good night’s sleep can make you feel like a new person. Get to the bottom of your sleep problems with Dr. Gelbert. Call or click to book your appointment today.