It is true that from time to time we all experience disturbed sleep. Maybe we have a presentation or a new job starting the next day, maybe it’s out of excitement or fear? Anxiety, stress, temperature, noise. All in all we all have and all will experience nights where we find it difficult to drift off into a peaceful, restful slumber.
However it is when these nights become more frequent and more intrusive to your day to day that may start causing you problems. Maybe when you crawl under your duvet expecting to sleep, you instead lie awake for what feels like hours on end, or perhaps you fall asleep quickly but wake up constantly throughout the night, finding each time more difficult than the last to fall back to sleep. As a result you wake up feeling exhausted, unrefreshed, downright miserable, less productive and even unwell. You may be suffering from a sleep disorder such as insomnia.
Below i have outlined a few common symptoms of sleep disorder
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Inability to stay asleep for the night
- Waking extremely early in the morning
- Feeling tired and unrested after a night of sleep
It is estimated that one third of adults in the western world experience symptoms of Insomnia at any given time, with 10% suffering with chronic insomnia.
Insomnia is very disruptive to our daily functions and not only affects our overall mood but our energy levels, concentration and most concerning our health.
This can have devastating impacts on both our personal and professional relationships. Common consequences include:
- Daytime sleepiness
- Poor memory
- Trouble concentrating
- Fatigue & lack of energy for day to day activities
- Mood swings, irritability, anxiousness and low mood
Chronic insomnia can also lead to other long-term risks of developing;
- High blood pressure
- Cardiovascular disease
- Obesity
- High blood sugar
- Mental health disorders including depression and anxiety
Common Triggers
Often insomnia is a symptomatic meaning it can occur without a clear, identifiable cause, but it will become especially heightened or triggered during stressful, significant times, both good and bad. It can also be a result of medications or conditions such as Thyroid disease, arthritis, reflex, mental health disorders or age. Other possible causes include;
- Pain from illness or injury
- Shift work or irregular sleep schedules
- Stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine or drug use (both prescription and recreational)
- Alcohol consumption, especially close to bedtime
- Eating too much in the evening or right before bed
Prevention
Both prevention and treatment should address the underlying, root cause of the problem, but often addressing triggers mentioned above can help. Sleep hygiene tactics help enormously, as do mindfulness and relaxation therapies. Other proven forms of treatments for those suffering severely include Cognitive behaviour therapy for Insomnia (a specific course of CBT addressing behaviours, though patterns and emotions connected to sleep, helping us get to the root cause), supplements and meal plans to enhance and promote our sleep hormones and lastly sleep medications which should always be last resort and under the care of your primary health care practitioner.
If you have difficulty maintaining sleep, or you would like to enhance your quality and quantity of sleep, join my VIP list for my upcoming online course, Restless to Fully Rested. This is a self paced, complete roadmap to achieving a perfect night’s sleep for those who suffer with disordered sleeping patterns.
This course benefits all age ranges and gives you a fool proof, step by step plan to tackle your poor sleeping habits, enhancing your work life, productivity, mental and physical health and wellbeing and personal relationships to name a few things.
This is recommended as first line treatment for those suffering from poor sleep quality (who have NOT been diagnosed with an official sleeping disorder), and wish to tackle sleep woes once and for all through a combination of CBT-I techniques, meal and supplement plans and calming techniques at their fingertips.
If you’re interested in finding out more, follow the link below and you will be first in line to hear about the launch, with *exclusive* discounts and savings ONLY accessible to you!