Doleful Tales of an Insomniac

Copyright 2005 Gobala Krishnan I tried with all my might but I just could not stay awake. My eyelids grew heavier by the moment until I finally caved in and dozed off. When I was abruptly awakened 15 minutes later, by an old lady poking my ribs with her fancy umbrella, I realized that I missed my stop again. This is the third time in this whole week that I slept off during my bus ride and failed to get off at the supposed destination. It was not o?nly during the bus rides that I slumbered. I also dozed off during lectures, during lunch breaks, in the shower, while talking to my mom o?n the phone; well almost any place that left me feeling comfortable. Perhaps it was time for me to take o?n those extra lectures o?n sleep therapy after all. Insomnia is an awful thing to go through. The inability to fall asleep and the difficulty to initiate and maintain sleep can be quite irksome. What is Insomnia? Insomnia is classified as the difficulty of falling asleep or staying asleep which later causes impairments in daytime functioning. Insomniacs often complain of problems in concentrating or focusing, feeling depressed, irritable, moody or anxious, and incapability to function optimally in the workplace, at home or even at school. Read All About It: Insomnia Can Cause Weight Gain & Diabetes Lack of sleep can considerably damage our health, as much as unhealthy eating habits or infrequent exercise can affect our immune system. Studies have shown that when somebody suffers from insomnia, aside from affecting their level of concentration and alertness, there is also an increased risk of them contracting other serious health problems such as, weight gain, diabetes and obesity. Apparently, sleeping actually plays a role in our metabolism whereby, a lack of sleep will cause such problems. According to a 2003 poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, two-thirds of Americans report frequent sleep problems. This means a majority of Americans may be suffering from deleterious health effects due to sleep deprivation. 3 Types of Insomnia A person can suffer from many different kinds of insomnia. Insomnia can be categorized as transient, intermittent or chronic. Transient Insomnia lasts from a single night to a few weeks and can be caused by jet lag, temporary stress, excitement, illness, or even a change in your sleep schedule. If these episodes of transient insomnia occur notably frequent, then it is said to be Intermittent Insomnia. Prolonged stress (such as financial troubles, job change, or the death of a loved o?ne) is o?ne of the most common factors that cause intermittent insomnia. If intermittent insomnia is not treated as soon as possible, there is a high chance of it turning into Chronic Insomnia, also known as long-term insomnia. Chronic insomnia occurs every night, o?n most nights and might last a month or more. So, how do you treat insomnia? Each case of insomnia is treated differently according to that particular person's needs. There are various methods that can be used for treatment such as, behavioral modification, following good sleep hygiene practices, light therapy, and even medication. If you are suffering from insomnia, do not attempt to self-meditate yourself with sleeping pills as that would be highly impractical. The wise thing to do is to consult your physician about further treatments o?n insomnia. For the time being, practice healthy sleeping habits and keep yourself fit to ensure that you do not lose a wink when it is bedtime.