Insomnia is growing in its prevalence in society. The majority of insomnia in the general population is now at 9.1%. Particularly in adolescents and young adults, it has been found that up to 20% have some form of insomnia at any one time. It has also been shown that, in the general population, 4% of women and 6% of men have symptoms and excessive daytime sleepiness, which is a predictor of severe insomnia.

The stress experienced by people when they are trying to sleep may further worsen their condition. Mental and physical stress can cause changes in the brain that could make it difficult for the person to sleep. When stress is added, it can worsen the symptoms of both.

What Is Insomnia?

Insomnia is defined by one or more nights of shorter than desired sleep, with symptoms including difficulty initiating sleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, and early morning awakening. It can be acute (lasting less than one month) or chronic (lasting more than six months). In addition to sleep disturbances, other symptoms include mood disturbances (e.g., depression), impaired daytime functioning, and fatigue, among others.

It has been found that people with insomnia have higher rates of stress which can lead to increased anxiety in some people, which is in turn compounded by the additional lack of decent restful sleep.

The Role Stress Plays in Causing Insomnia

Numerous studies have been conducted in this area, and much research is underway. Stress affects brain function which can cause people to have trouble sleeping at night. Some studies show that stress can cause people with insomnia to experience more severe symptoms than those who aren’t suffering from stress, and also suffer chronic sleep deprivation because of their stresses. Also, it indicates that stress can be a factor in the development of insomnia in the first place.

The relationship between stress and insomnia

A person who experiences high levels of stress is vulnerable to developing problems with sleeping. There are multiple ways that stress can cause a person to have problems sleeping. One of them is due to the body’s release of adrenaline and other such chemicals when a person is stressed out. These substances cause one’s blood pressure to rise and raise one’s heart rate. The heart rate increases because this stimulates the heart, making it beat faster, which in turn causes more blood to flow through one’s system, making it so hard to find sleep. Due to this condition, the body remains restless, leading to sleeplessness.

The relationship between stress and insomnia

Tell-tell signs you have insomnia

  1. You wake up in the middle of the night, even though your sleep is not disturbed
  2. You find it hard to fall asleep and wake up more often than usual
  3. You need help maintaining sleep, even when going to bed simultaneously each night
  4. You get up during the night and cannot go back to sleep and would like to go back to sleep but are unable to do so for any reason
  5. You are sleepy during the day
  6. You need help concentrating, remembering things, and being less effective at your job
  7. You feel an increased anxiety that is not associated with anything in particular
  8. You feel frustrated and find it hard to cope with things that used to be manageable before you had it
  9. You take more time doing simple tasks than before you started having it (e.g., getting dressed)
  10. Your ability to have fun and enjoy yourself declines due to a lack of energy

Impact of insomnia on mind and body

Sleeplessness takes its toll on the mind and the body and can cause mental and physical health problems as follows:

  1. Feelings of anxiety and depression and increased levels of irritability
  2. Slower cognitive function
  3. Decreased quality of life due to inability to perform daily activities
  4. Weight gain or loss
  5. Heart problems and breathing difficulties such as sleep apnoea (a disorder that causes suffocation and snoring)
  6. Increased risk of being involved in motor vehicle accidents due to driving drowsiness
  7. Risk of increased accidents/reduction in performance at work
  8. Increased likelihood of negative coping mechanisms e.g., alcohol consumption because some people use this substance to fall asleep (despite the reality that alcohol consumed within the hours before bedtime may cause sleeplessness rather than help resolve it).

How to look after yourself when suffering from a bout of insomnia

Some things can be done to look after yourself when suffering from a bout of insomnia:

  1. Take regular naps if you find sleeping difficult at night
  2. Try to reduce stress as much as possible
  3. Seek alternative stress management methods such as relaxation techniques
  4. Improve sleep quality by keeping a regular bedtime and wake time. If you typically go to bed at 10 pm and wake up at midnight, then try limiting your rest by an hour each night and see if this makes a difference in your ability to fall asleep at night
  5. Ensure your bedroom is dark and quiet. Dimming or turning off the lights may help you fall asleep, as will removing any distractions from the room (e.g., installing an alarm clock with a built-in snooze button)
  6. Try not to worry about anything that might make it hard to fall asleep. Worrying will only serve to make matters worse, and it may lead to feelings of stress that can disrupt sleep even further – so try not to let anything get in between you and your ability to fall asleep at night
  7. Seek professional help from a Stress Management Coach
  8. Try alternative therapy e.g., ‘Cognitive Behavioural Therapy’ (CBT) – this technique is used to treat various problems, including insomnia. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can help you identify your thoughts and beliefs and work on changing these thought patterns.

Can we help you?

Leave us your information and one of our coaches will contact you.

Behaviours to change to minimize the chance of another period of sleeplessness

Certain behaviours increase the likelihood of developing sleeplessness again in the future, so you must try to stop these if you are a sufferer. These behaviours include:

  1. Caffeine during the evening can disrupt your efforts to fall asleep, so avoid it if possible
  2. Avoiding computers and television before bed – it might seem like a good idea to get some work done on the computer or watch a little TV before bed before going to sleep, but this can cause anxiety which may lead you to be unable to fall asleep
  3. Try and avoid unhealthy coping mechanisms to try to get you to sleep

Top tips to rid yourself of this troublesome sleep disorder

  1. Stick to your bedtime and wake time. Try limiting your sleep by an hour each night and see if this makes a difference in your ability to fall asleep at night
  2. Do something relaxing before going to sleep – such as reading a book or taking a warm bath
  3. Try not to ruminate about anything that might make it hard to fall asleep – this will only disrupt your sleep and make you unable to sleep again
  4. Avoid alcohol and caffeine during the evening – these substances can disrupt sleep, so try avoiding them as much as possible

Conquer burnout and stress

Reducing stress and recovering from burnout can be quite the challenge. With the help of our professional coaches, we are convinced that a full recovery is within reach. Our years of experience has taught us what stepping stones will help you reach your goal more effectively and how to make sure the changes you make will be of help to you for the rest of your life. Let’s turn your burnout or stress into your best life ever.

FAQ’s

There are many types of insomnia, including:

  • Transient/short-term insomnia – this is a form that may affect a person from time to time and the person does not experience it often
  • Acute insomnia – this type of disorder last a few days up to a month
  • Chronic insomnia – this is when trouble sleeping is experienced three days a week for up to a month and can be categorized into chronic primary (where there is no identifiable cause of sleeplessness) and chronic secondary (comorbid insomnia) where this type of disorder co-exists with another condition or disorder.
  • Onset insomnia – trouble initiating sleep
  • Maintenance insomnia – this is where a person has difficulty staying asleep or waking up too early and difficulty going back to sleep.

Many people find that learning to sleep better is the best way to prevent insomnia, for instance by having a healthy sleep routine.

Anxiety, depression, stress, and alcohol are some examples of insomnia causes

If it interferes with your daily life, you should ask your healthcare provider if professional treatment is needed. They can help you find the treatment that will work best for you. Treatments for sleep problems vary depending on the cause and type of sleep problem. Some treatments focus on improving sleep habits whereas other therapies treat the underlying condition or disorder. Your healthcare provider will determine the best treatment for your situation.

References

  1. Mayoclinic.org – Insomnia – found on 28/12/2022
    Link to page on mayoclinic.org
  2. Sleepfoundation.org – Stress and Insomnia – found on 28/12/2022
    Link to page on sleepfoundation.org
  3. NCBI.gov – CHRONIC INSOMNIA AND STRESS SYSTEM – found on 28/12/2022
    Link to page on ncbi.gov

Similar Posts

67 Comments

  1. You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this matter to be really something which I think I would never understand. It seems too complex and very broad for me. I’m looking forward for your next post, I will try to get the hang of it!

  2. fantastic post, very informative. I wonder why the other experts of this sector do not notice this. You must continue your writing. I’m confident, you have a great readers’ base already!

  3. I truly appreciate this post. I’ve been looking all over for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You have made my day! Thank you again

  4. hello!,I love your writing so so much! percentage we communicate more about your article on AOL? I need an expert on this area to resolve my problem. May be that is you! Looking forward to peer you.

  5. Hi, I think your site might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your website in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, fantastic blog!

  6. I have been browsing online more than 3 hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It’s pretty worth enough for me. Personally, if all web owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the web will be much more useful than ever before.

  7. Whats Happening i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I’ve discovered It absolutely helpful and it has helped me out loads. I am hoping to give a contribution & assist other users like its helped me. Good job.

  8. It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d without a doubt donate to this brilliant blog! I guess for now i’ll settle for bookmarking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to new updates and will talk about this blog with my Facebook group. Chat soon!

  9. Hi there, just became alert to your blog through Google, and found that it is really informative. I am going to watch out for brussels. I will be grateful if you continue this in future. Numerous people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!

  10. I would like to thnkx for the efforts you have put in writing this blog. I am hoping the same high-grade blog post from you in the upcoming as well. In fact your creative writing abilities has inspired me to get my own blog now. Really the blogging is spreading its wings quickly. Your write up is a good example of it.

  11. It’s truly a nice and helpful piece of info. I am satisfied that you just shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.

  12. I like what you guys are up too. Such clever work and reporting! Keep up the excellent works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it will improve the value of my website 🙂

  13. Very interesting details you have remarked, appreciate it for putting up. “Death is Nature’s expert advice to get plenty of Life.” by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

  14. This blog is definitely rather handy since I’m at the moment creating an internet floral website – although I am only starting out therefore it’s really fairly small, nothing like this site. Can link to a few of the posts here as they are quite. Thanks much. Zoey Olsen

  15. Good V I should certainly pronounce, impressed with your site. I had no trouble navigating through all the tabs and related info ended up being truly easy to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Quite unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, web site theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Nice task..

  16. Hi there very cool blog!! Man .. Excellent .. Superb .. I’ll bookmark your web site and take the feeds additionallyKI am satisfied to find so many helpful information right here in the put up, we’d like develop extra strategies on this regard, thank you for sharing. . . . . .

  17. An impressive share, I just given this onto a colleague who was doing a little analysis on this. And he in fact bought me breakfast because I found it for him.. smile. So let me reword that: Thnx for the treat! But yeah Thnkx for spending the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love reading more on this topic. If possible, as you become expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more details? It is highly helpful for me. Big thumb up for this blog post!

  18. I like the valuable information you provide in your articles. I’ll bookmark your weblog and check again here frequently. I’m quite certain I’ll learn a lot of new stuff right here! Good luck for the next!

  19. I have been surfing online more than three hours nowadays, yet I by no means discovered any attention-grabbing article like yours. It is pretty worth sufficient for me. In my opinion, if all website owners and bloggers made good content material as you did, the web will be much more helpful than ever before.

  20. Woah! I’m really enjoying the template/theme of this blog. It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s very difficult to get that “perfect balance” between superb usability and appearance. I must say you’ve done a awesome job with this. In addition, the blog loads very fast for me on Opera. Excellent Blog!

  21. I will right away seize your rss feed as I can’t to find your email subscription link or newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Kindly let me understand in order that I may just subscribe. Thanks.

  22. I’m still learning from you, but I’m trying to achieve my goals. I absolutely enjoy reading all that is posted on your blog.Keep the posts coming. I loved it!

  23. Valuable info. Fortunate me I discovered your web site by accident, and I’m shocked why this coincidence did not came about in advance! I bookmarked it.

  24. This is the right blog for anyone who wants to find out about this topic. You realize so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I actually would want…HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a topic thats been written about for years. Great stuff, just great!

  25. Thank you for the sensible critique. Me and my neighbor were just preparing to do a little research about this. We got a grab a book from our local library but I think I learned more clear from this post. I’m very glad to see such wonderful info being shared freely out there.

  26. This blog is definitely rather handy since I’m at the moment creating an internet floral website – although I am only starting out therefore it’s really fairly small, nothing like this site. Can link to a few of the posts here as they are quite. Thanks much. Zoey Olsen

  27. Have you ever considered creating an e-book or guest authoring on other sites? I have a blog centered on the same subjects you discuss and would love to have you share some stories/information. I know my readers would appreciate your work. If you are even remotely interested, feel free to send me an e mail.

  28. naturally like your website however you need to take a look at the spelling on quite a few of your posts. A number of them are rife with spelling issues and I find it very bothersome to tell the reality on the other hand I will certainly come back again.

  29. My brother recommended I might like this web site. He was totally right. This post actually made my day. You cann’t imagine simply how much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!

  30. Very nice info and right to the point. I don’t know if this is actually the best place to ask but do you people have any thoughts on where to hire some professional writers? Thank you 🙂

  31. Having read this I believed it was really enlightening.
    I appreciate you finding the time and energy to put this information together.
    I once again find myself personally spending a significant amount of time both
    reading and posting comments. But so what, it was still worthwhile!

  32. magnificent put up, very informative. I’m wondering why the other specialists of this sector don’t realize this. You must continue your writing. I’m confident, you have a great readers’ base already!

  33. Thank you, I’ve just been looking for information about this topic for ages and yours is the greatest I have discovered so far. But, what about the conclusion? Are you sure about the source?

  34. I will immediately grab your rss feed as I can not find your email
    subscription hyperlink or newsletter service.
    Do you’ve any? Kindly permit me know in order that I may just subscribe.
    Thanks.

  35. I’d have to examine with you here. Which is not one thing I usually do! I take pleasure in reading a post that may make folks think. Additionally, thanks for permitting me to comment!

  36. Hey! Someone in my Facebook group shared this website with us so I came to give it a look. I’m definitely enjoying the information. I’m book-marking and will be tweeting this to my followers! Terrific blog and brilliant design.

  37. Undeniably consider that which you stated. Your favorite reason seemed to be at the internet the easiest thing to remember of. I say to you, I certainly get irked whilst other folks think about issues that they plainly don’t realize about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top as well as defined out the whole thing without having side-effects , other people could take a signal. Will likely be again to get more. Thanks

  38. Wow, marvelous blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your website is magnificent, let alone the content!

  39. Hey there I am so grateful I found your site, I really found you by error, while I was looking on Bing for something else, Regardless I am here now and would just like to say many thanks for a remarkable post and a all round enjoyable blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to read it all at the moment but I have book-marked it and also included your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read a lot more, Please do keep up the excellent job.

  40. Thanks a bunch for sharing this with all people you actually recognize what you’re talking about! Bookmarked. Kindly also visit my web site =). We may have a hyperlink alternate contract between us!

  41. I like what you guys are up too. Such clever work and reporting! Carry on the superb works guys I¦ve incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it’ll improve the value of my website 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *