A LOOK AT THE SLEEPING CONDITION CALLED INSOMNIA
Insomnia is one of those classified by the Diagnostic Statistical Manual -IV (DSM-IV) as a primary sleep disorder, further placed under dyssomnias, or abnormalities in the amount, quality or timing of sleep. Insomnia is generally characterized by the difficulty in falling or staying asleep or by a sleep that fails to restore a person's energy or alertness.
A mixture of difficulty in initiating sleep and experiencing disruptions while sleeping are usually observed in people who suffer from insomnia. Oftentimes, they are still unable to go to sleep even though they lie in bed for so long. Because they could not sleep, they often get distressed and aroused. This also leads to increased irritability, which makes falling asleep even more difficult. This begins a conditioning process in a way that their bed or their bedroom becomes associated with increased arousal or irritability. They also tend to be more anxious and worry more about their difficulty in falling asleep which further increases the arousal and irritability of the person.
For most people who suffer from insomnia, sleeping in unfamiliar places or venues, such as hotel rooms, may even be easier. This is in contrast to the difficulty in sleeping in unfamiliar places by those people who do not suffer from insomnia. Occasional problems in getting to sleep is actually normal, reported to be experienced by 50% of adults. The probability to develop insomnia also rises with age but goes down with socioeconomic status. Older people tend to be more prone to insomnia.
Experiencing the symptoms of insomnia for at least a month is necessary before a person can be diagnosed with insomnia. The condition, before it can be diagnosed as a disorder, should also be severe enough to cause disturbance or impairment of a person's daily activities and normal functioning. The insomnia should not also be caused by another mentail, medical or substance-related condition.
Insomnia can be treated by various medical approaches such as benzodiazepines, delta-sleep-inducing-peptide, melatonin, antihistamines and antidepressants, with a proven effectivity. Among these, the highest effectiveness rates have been recorded for benzodiazepines and zolpidem (or Ambien) while tryptophan and antihistamines have been noted as having the least clear benefit. Other experts also recommend the use of behavioral therapies. These include stimulus-control therapy, designed to eliminate or reduce behaviors that can disrupt regular sleeping pattern.
Another behavioral approach is sleep restriction therapy or the initial restriction of the amount of time a person suffering from insomnia can try to sleep during nighttime. Relaxation exercises can also be used together with other cognitive behavioral programs. It is also helpful to educate people on the effect of diet, exercise, and substance use on sleeping patterns. In cognitive behavioral interventions, a person's cognitive framework or mindset like "I can never go to sleep quickly" will be challenged and counteracted upon.