Facts on Insomnia

Insomnia (poor sleep) affects about 1 in 5 people in the UK.

In this article:

What is insomnia?

Diagnosis

How Chemist Online can help

Symptoms

Effect on your life

Advice & Support

Causes

Treatment

What is insomnia?
People with insomnia are unable to enjoy a restful night’s sleep. Due to a number of possible causes, insomnia sufferers find it extremely difficult to get off to sleep and, as a result, this can affect them during the daytime.

Insomnia can be categorised into two types:

Primary insomnia (where there is no obvious underlying cause), and

Secondary insomnia (sleep problems due to a medical condition)

Symptoms
Symptoms of insomnia include:

an inability to fall asleep

periods of wakefulness throughout the night

waking up earlier than planned in the morning, and

feeling unnaturally tired upon waking

Causes
As well as things such as caffeine and alcohol consumption, nicotine, and medication side-effects, causes of insomnia can include:

stress

worry and anxiety

turmoil due to relationship problems and parenting issues

depression

dementia

illness

being too hot or too cold in bed

an uncomfortable bed

pain & discomfort (e.g., asthma)

environmental noise

shift work, and

jet lag

Insomnia can also be caused by eating late at night.

Diagnosis
If you are suffering from the aforementioned symptoms, and techniques to combat insomnia have all proved unsuccessful, then make an appointment with your GP. He or she may refer you to a psychologist trained in assessing your condition and able to recommend a range of therapeutic treatments (such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) which may help.

Effect on your life
If you suffer from insomnia you may find that you do not function as well in the daytime as someone who benefits from a restful night’s sleep. For example, you may become irritable, find it difficult to concentrate when doing things such as reading, driving, participating in conversations and focusing upon your work. Unsurprisingly, people with insomnia often complain of feeling chronically tired during the daytime and of being in an unbreakable cycle of lost days due to sleepless nights.

Treatment
Treatments for insomnia can include:

vitamins such as melatonin (which should only be taken with medical supervision)

the amino acid L-tryptophan

herbal remedies, and

acupuncture

Note: Sleeping tablets are not commonly prescribed for insomnia, except as a short course to help someone sleep after a period of recent trauma.

Although there is no cure for insomnia as such, as well as the above treatments there are lots of things you can do to promote better sleep and overcome insomnia. For example:

Reduce caffeine (not just in the hours prior to bedtime, but also throughout the day)

Avoid eating a heavy meal, drinking alcohol or smoking for a few hours before bedtime

Take steps to ensure that your bedroom is a restful environment – a welcoming, quiet and relaxing room at a comfortable temperature

Try to wind down with a set routine before going to bed. (Avoid activities which are mentally stimulating or demanding at this time.)

If you simply can’t get off to sleep, don’t remain in bed and brood or fret over the situation. Instead, get up and read for a while, or watch TV in another room.

Perhaps most important of all is to try to get into a routine of day and night so that your natural body clock and rhythms recognise a definite, set pattern. Your body and mind will soon become attuned to this structure and it should make restful sleep something that gradually absorbs you as bedtime draws nearer each night. It will also help you to wake refreshed and able to go about your daytime tasks and activities without feeling chronically tired.

How Chemist Online can help
Through this website we have a range of treatments available to buy that can help with insomnia, such as: Nelsons Noctura which contains a unique selection of homeopathic remedies, specifically combined to bring soothing relief from sleeping problems. We also have Sen bamboo & ginseng+11, a natural formula that has been used for centuries in China to alleviate emotional distress, hypersensitivity, and insomnia that may have persisted for many years.



www.chemistonline.co.uk


Advice & Support
Insomnia Helpline
Tel: 020 8994 9874
E-mail: info@medicaladvisoryservice.org.uk


This information and advice is not intended to replace the advice of your GP or chemist. Chemist Online is also not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based upon the content of the Chemist Online website. Chemist Online is also not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does it endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites.


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