7 Facts On Insomnia That You Should Know

You are probably aware of the term insomnia and are currently facing these issues each day. But what is the true meaning behind this word? Insomnia is related to difficulty in sleeping, being constantly awake, tired after waking up, and many more.

According to a study, more than 30 percent of adults experience at least one type of insomnia. Some of you might have realized it or not but the effect of this problem is that you will always feel fatigued, moody, unfocused, and have several other problems.

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Here are some facts that you should know about insomnia.

1. There Is More Than One Type of Insomnia

Insomnia is not only about the difficulty in sleeping from the start or also known as sleep-onset insomnia. If you usually woke up and hard to go back to sleep, this is known as sleep maintenance insomnia.

If you wake up earlier than you should have and cannot go back to sleep, this is known as early morning awakening insomnia. Insomnia can also be labeled as something that frequently happens. Chronic insomnia is when someone has difficulty in sleeping and it occurs more than 3 times a week for more than 3 months.

If it is anything less than that it will be known as short insomnia or adjustment insomnia.

2. Insomnia is More Than Just Sleep Difficulty

The impact of sleep difficulty that is currently being experienced is also considered insomnia. Some of the common effects that can happen are being easily exhausted or feeling tired in the middle of the day.

In fact, you can also experience other effects like depression, anxiety, unfocused, forgetfulness, and very moody. These will increase the chances of you making a mistake and accidents can easily happen. These feelings can go on for so long as you don't get enough sleep.

3. Some Insomnia is Due To Habits

Any of these habits can be like drinking caffeinated drinks late at night, looking at your smartphone or screen before going to sleep or even having a heavy meal which can cause insomnia.

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Not just that but consuming certain drugs or alcohol just to help you sleep can sometimes make it even worse. Even though it makes you sleep faster and leaves you in a deep sleep much longer, it also prevents your REM sleep. REM sleep(rapid eye movement) is the sleep cycle that stimulates an important part of the brain which produces and maintains memory.

4. Insomnia Can Lead To Death

There is one disturbance to the brain which is known as fatal familial insomnia(FFI). It occurs due to the abnormality of the PRNP gene(prion protein) causing the protein to be folded improperly which accumulates in the thalamus and starts to knock the nerve cells.

One of the main symptoms of brain damage is long-term insomnia for more than several months. Despite FFI rarely happening it can still cause death. The patient usually dies within 6 months to 3 years before the FFI occurs.

5. Not All Can Be Treated With Pills

Taking sleeping pills can help you sleep at ease but it will not help you identify what is the cause of your insomnia or even stop it from happening. But Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia(CBT-I) may be able to help you.

This therapy teaches us to know and do some changes that can influence our sleep. While everyone will have their own problems, the sleep therapist can draft a specific action plan that can help each of us sleep much better.

6. Some Functions Normally Despite Having Chronic Insomnia

Some people might be able to live normally even though they are experiencing very chronic insomnia to the extent that they cannot sleep at all. In 1915, a Hungarian soldier named Pauk Kern could not sleep at all due to his heavy wound.

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His health did not deteriorate aside from having common headaches intermittently. Ever since then, Kern lived without sleep until he passed away in 1955. The same thing also happens to a small number of people.

They lived normal lives despite not closing their eyes for a short nap.

7. Anyone Can Experience Insomnia

This condition can literally happen to anyone. Even some of the popular people throughout history like Franz Kafka, Vincent van Gogh, Abraham Lincoln, Marilyn Monroe, and Margaret Thatcher have experienced insomnia.

There have been more women complaining about sleep disorders compared to men as well as those who live in a big city will have a higher chance of having insomnia. We can see in metropolitan cities like New York where its citizen will have trouble sleeping.

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