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Anaesthesia => Psychiatry => Insomnia
Insomnia
Insomnia, condition in which a person has difficulty getting sufficient sleep, or falling asleep.
It can be caused by pain, an overactive thyroid gland, diabetes mellitus, violent muscle twitching, eating a heavy meal, or drinking beverages containing alcohol or caffeine before going to bed, but experts estimate that in many cases the cause is a psychological one, such as stress or loneliness. After events such as the death of a loved one or loss of a job, a person may experience sleep difficulties for a while as a result of anxiety. Environmental conditions such as noise and inadequate heating, or poor mattresses, beds, and pillows may also prevent the onset of sleep or interfere with its overall quality. Many people recover their normal sleep rhythm spontaneously, but others, particularly if suffering from depression, may develop chronic (long-term) insomnia. Napping during the day may throw off the sleep pattern further. Many people also believe they need far more sleep than is necessary for good health.
Sleeping pills, known as hypnotics, vary in their effect on the brain. Minor tranquillizers may be prescribed for a few nights to restore the sleep cycle and to reduce anxiety, but they are not meant as a long-term treatment. Barbiturates are rarely used, and are only for very severe insomnia. Currently the most effective therapy is to identify any problems that may be preventing sleep and to attempt to solve them, meanwhile reducing the person's anxiety about the insomnia itself. Relaxation therapies, meditation, increase in daily exercise, and improving sleeping facilities are often seen as viable alternatives to drugs.
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