Barnaby here, and unfortunately I must report a temporary relapse back into the symptoms of insomnia. For those of you new to my story, I’ve been posting on here for quite some time about my travails with chronic insomnia. Many of the usual causes of insomnia including clinical depression and sleep apnea have been ruled out in my case, and I tried a wide variety of sleep treatments. Recently, hypnotherapy for insomnia was proving to be quite helpful. I went for a stretch of around two weeks without experiencing symptoms of insomnia, but the past few nights I was not so lucky. I reverted back to my dreaded tossing and turning throughout the night, and I have become quite tired at work during the day.
For those of you who are still unaware, the most common symptoms of insomnia include:
- Frequent waking up in the middle of the night
- Taking more than an hour to fall asleep
- Waking up long before necessary in the morning
- Feelings of anxiety and a short temper during the day
- Tiredness even after thinking you slept through the night
Independently, not every symptom of insomnia indicates that insomnia is actually present. Everyone occasionally has trouble falling asleep, and most people are at least occasionally tired during the day. However, when these symptoms of insomnia occur on a frequent basis, then insomnia might prove to be the correct diagnosis. Unfortunately, diagnosing insomnia is far easier than treating it. In my case, I have been through a plethora of suggested cures — none to any avail. Hypnotherapy for insomnia had begun to help, but the jury is still out on whether my insomnia is gone for good. I’ll update everyone again soon,
I just wanted to pop back over and clarify what seems to be a point of confusion. Many CantSleep readers appear to be in search of a singular “test” which definitely shows if you have insomnia, and if so, what the root cause of it is. Unfortunately, there is no such test. If there was, my own insomnia would have been assuaged months ago. However, there are tests which can identify — or rule out — some specific causes of insomnia. Most salient of these is a sleep apnea test. Sleep apnea can be definitively identified via a sleep apnea test. These tests are administered by professionals, and oftentimes you must spend the entire evening being monitored (I have gone through this myself). In my case, the sleep apnea test came back negative. However, there is no test to determine what truly is the cause of my particular sleep issues.
Insomnia can arise from a variety of causes. Some of these are physical, while others are mental. Stress can trigger bouts of insomnia, and depression has been identified as a main cause behind many cases of chronic insomnia. As indicated, physical conditions like sleep apnea can be the root cause of sleep problems. Unfortunately, there is no one easy test which can ascertain whether the cause of a particular case of insomnia is due to physical or mental issues. Many seem to confuse what they read about a sleep apnea test interpreting it as being a generic test for insomnia.
So, in terms of my own sleep problems — I have been continuing with my hypnotherapy with my great therapist, Sharon. I am beginning to notice improvements, and several of the past nights have been pretty much insomnia-free. Sleep is coming back into my life and it is a great feeling. Hopefully some of you reading this now can soon find the relief that I think I have come upon. I’ll provide further updates soon,
There are now a plethora of sources for insomnia information, but, unfortunately, many provide less than objective advice. These days, when seeking information most turn to the Internet — and the volumes of information on the Internet ensure almost every question can be answered. However, within this voluminous information there exists myths, confusion and even outright falsehoods. Some websites purporting to convey insomnia information exist solely for the purpose of selling you a specific product — whether you need it or not. For example, a given source for insomnia information might say that sleep apnea is always the cause of chronic insomnia, and then they subsequently try to sell you a CPAP mask. The truth is that only a small portion of those with sleep problems truly have sleep apnea, and that the particular site was misleading you solely for the purpose of parting you with your hard earned money.
This phenomenon is salient within all arenas of knowledge conveyed over the Internet, however, within the realm of insomnia information it is especially prominent. Consequently, readers need to be especially discriminating — and skeptical — when seeking health information online. There exists several reputable sources which are universally recognized as providing objective information. However, these sites usually cover a wide range of health topics and give short shrift to insomnia information. Sources like CantSleep.com focus solely on insomnia information, and one of the reasons I felt comfortable sharing my story here is that you can easily see CantSleep isn’t pushing a diagnosis on anyone or suggesting that one form of treatment is better than another. The bottom line is, when seeking insomnia information digest what you read with a large grain of salt.
It’s Barnaby here, and I’d like to continue my discussion about hypnotherapy as a sleep treatment. As I disclosed in my last post here, I’ve decided to focus on hypnotherapy as a potential solution for my chronic insomnia. I just had my second session with my therapist, Sharon. Afterwards, she had a few spare moments, and we discussed the history of hypnotherapy and how it works. I was fascinated to find out that the use of hypnotherapy dates back thousands of years all the way back to the ancient Sumerians. Although it has been used for thousands of years, science has yet to figure out exactly how it works. Sharon explained that much of how the human brain functions is still an utter mystery. One of the most important functions — necessary for life itself — is the brain’s ability to regulate your sleep cycle.
Those with chronic insomnia like us often have a really hard time pinpointing the exact cause of our sleep problems. This results in a quest for a sleep treatment entailing myriad tests and almost a trial and error methodology of solving the issue. Unfortunately, in my case, it has been all errors during my trials. Nothing I have tried so far has worked, but my hopes are high that hypnotherapy might prove to be an effective sleep treatment in my case. Sharon conceded that many who benefit from hypnotherapy do so because of the placebo effect. This relates to the power of the human mind to cure a malady — purely from the belief that a sleep treatment you are using will work. For this reason, I am keeping a positive outlook, and I am convincing myself that hypnotherapy will prove to be an effective sleep treatment for my insomnia. Candidly, I don’t care if my results are from the placebo effect or actually from the hypnotherapy itself. Just so long as it works allowing me to begin getting a full night’s sleep, I will be happy.
I wanted to thank everyone again for all the suggestions and advice sent in to me by CantSleep’s readers. One reader recently pointed out that migraine headaches can often be the cause of insomnia. I do occasionally get headaches, so this prompted me to research what constitutes migraine headaches symptoms. The following are the most salient migraines headaches symptoms:
– Moderate to severe pain effecting either one or both sides of the head
– Head pain which increases with physical exertion
– Nausea which accompanies head pain
– Head pain of a throbbing nature
– Strong sensitivity to light and/or sound
There can actually be migraine headaches symptoms which occur prior to the onset of a migraine headache. These precursors to a migraine are termed “aura’s”, and they can include:
– A craving for candy or other sweets
– Drowsiness
– Insatiable thirst
– Feelings of depression
After perusing these migraine headaches symptoms and auras, I determined that I was not suffering from migraines. However, some of you might have insomnia which results from migraine headaches, and in order to ascertain this it is necessary to be fluent with the above list of migraine headaches symptoms. Seeing that migraines weren’t the cause of my insomnia, my quest for the cause — and cure — for my chronic insomnia. Hopefully this will come soon.
Clinical depression entails both psychological as well as physical manifestations. Most of us are aware of the psychological signs of depression including feelings of sadness, hopelessness and emptiness. However, many are unaware that there are physical symptoms of depression. Remaining cognizant of these physical symptoms of depression allows one to know what to look for — and when to get help.
One of the most salient physical symptoms of depression relates to your sleep habits. Chronic insomnia could be caused by clinical depression. Conversely, some who suffer from depression sleep excessively and have a hard time dragging themselves out of bed. An abrupt change in sleep patterns can often prove to be the first of the physical symptoms of depression to arise. Constant fatigue and exhaustion also are indicative to poor sleeping, and they are also independent physical symptoms of depression in their own rights.
Many who are clinically depressed experience other ailments including frequent headaches, back pain as well as other aches and pains throughout the body. Obviously, not all minor aches and pains are due to depression, but when taken in context with other psychological symptoms of depression they can yield helpful clues when it comes to a depression diagnosis. Some patients with depression actually experience chest pains as one of their physical symptoms of depression, and in the most severe instances it can be mistaken for a real heart attack.
A sudden change in weight is also a salient physical manifestation of clinical depression. This can be in either direction — rapid weight gain or alternatively unexplained weight loss. Clinical depression can also entail digestive problems including nausea and/or constipation. As with other physical symptoms of depression, many of these can be attributed to other ailments or just the daily rigors of life — however, when they occur consequent to sleep pattern changes you should take notice.
Clinical depression entails different signs for each individual. What might be physical symptoms of depression in one person might be harmless minor maladies in another. In the end, only a qualified mental health professional can make an accurate depression diagnosis. If you think you are experiencing some of these physical symptoms of depression, then the time to act is now.
Clinical depression is exceedingly difficult to diagnose because it manifests itself differently within each patient. Depression signs and symptoms can vary widely, however, when they last beyond brief periods these indicators should be scrutinized with an eye towards whether they warrant further investigation. Being upset because of a break-up with your partner or losing a job is perfectly normal — not all depression signs and symptoms are a concern when exhibited within a justifying context and brief in duration. However, experiencing these otherwise normal negative emotions for extended periods of time should give pause for concern, and — in some scenarios — they can constitute possible depression signs and symptoms.
Some of the most salient depression signs and symptoms can be seen within your sleep habits. Although occasional bouts of insomnia are completely normal, chronic insomnia can be one of the symptoms of clinical depression. Conversely, oversleeping can also be supportive of a depression diagnosis. Clinical depression can interfere with our normal thought processes and result in losing concentration and the inability to make decisions. It is obviously difficult to discern whether these behavioral nuances are just personal eccentricities, or whether they constitute applicable depression signs and symptoms. A depression screening conducted by a qualified professional is able to differentiate between harmless vagaries of human emotions versus pathologies warranting a clinical depression diagnosis.
Feelings that nothing matters anymore — often characterized by helplessness, hopelessness and apathy — are telltale depression signs and symptoms. Clinical depression can be so overwhelming that those who suffer from it feel there is no escape — or even worse that the only escape is through death. Fixation with, or constant discussion about, death is a very concerning depression sign which justifies immediate mental health intervention. This apathy can extend to former interests including hobbies, studies, work — or even sex. A sudden and extended loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed are among the most common depression signs and symptoms.
A substantial change in appetite is also a sign of clinical depression. This can apply in either direction — both overeating as well as sudden weight loss. Having unexplained constant minor aches and pains can be quite normal, but it also can be indicative of depression in some circumstances. These depression signs and symptoms can be quite difficult to discern in the proper context, and only a professional mental health practitioner can make a definitive depression diagnosis. However, it is up to you to remain cognizant of what the initial depression signs and symptoms are in order to know when it is time to seek help.
The vast majority of us experience at least occasional insomnia — rare is the individual who can quickly and easily fall asleep every night. Everyday stresses, big upcoming events or excess caffeine can all be insomnia causes, and periodic bouts of it can be easily treated with lifestyle changes or over-the-counter sleeping pills. However, some suffer chronic insomnia which can prove to be a serious impediment to leading an active life. Chronic insomnia causes can be biological, psychological or environmental. Identifying the insomnia causes behind your sleepless nights is the most important first step allowing for selection of the correct treatment regimen.
Within the psychological realm of insomnia causes are anxiety, stress and depression. Those who suffer from depression often have chronic insomnia as a symptom which creates a vicious circle of the lack of sleep further exacerbating the depression. Psychological conditions which contribute to insomnia can often be treated by therapy or pharmaceuticals. Biological insomnia causes can include underlying conditions and diseases which prevent a full nights sleep. Sleep apnea is a prominent biological insomnia cause, and this condition can be treated with a variety of techniques.
Environmental insomnia causes can be as simple as an uncomfortable bed or pillow, or sleeping conditions which are noisy or not sufficiently dark. Addressing these environmental insomnia causes is often quite easy, and simple behavior changes can do the trick. Some behaviors like excessive caffeine consumption can contribute to biological insomnia causes, and this also can be addressed by changing the offending behavior. Although insomnia has many causes, the net result for all sufferers include daytime drowsiness, inability to concentrate and poor school or work performance. Consequently, identifying the insomnia causes behind your particular case is critical in order to prevent these often debilitating effects of insomnia.
Everyone has occasional bouts of sleeplessness. However, seeing you are reading this, the odds are high that you have a more chronic form of insomnia — and have a great desire for insomnia tips and advice towards helping you start getting a full night’s sleep. The best insomnia tips are often the most simple. Think about what you eat and drink within the 2 hours prior to going to bed. Do these foods and drinks contain caffeine? If so, you should cut them out. Some people find it difficult sleeping after consuming large amounts of sugar, so an easy pointer among all the insomnia tips is to cut out those sweets for at least 120 minutes prior to bed-time.
Many good insomnia tips relate to your sleep environment. Some people can sleep through a train roaring through their bedroom, while others of us are awakening by the slightest noise, movement or ray of light. Ensure that your sleep space is as dark, quiet and temperate as you can make it. A good tip could also be to try another pillow, or rearrange the direction of your bed. Small adjustments like these have been known to work wonders.
In some cases, applicable insomnia tips entail a more serious response. Sleep apnea is a major cause of insomnia, and if this is the reason for your sleepnessness, then you must address it immediately. Sleep apnea can lead to serious health effects including high blood pressure and cardiovascular issues. Depression has also been tied to insomnia. Today, clinical depression can be effectively treated, and addressing it surely will improve many aspects of your life including sleep.
One of the best insomnia tips is to be very careful when using OTC or prescription sleeping pills. These sleep aids are great for occasional insomnia, but when used regularly they can be addictive and serve to only exacerbate the existing problem. Run down the list of possible causes of insomnia and see which apply to you. Once you know the source of your insomnia, then you’ll be able to focus on the best insomnia tips for your individual circumstance.
Research has shown that a majority of us have at least occasional trouble when attempting to fall asleep fast. Whether you have periodic or chronic insomnia, there are solutions available which prove far more effective than counting sheep. For those experiencing temporary bouts of insomnia, there are a plethora of over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aids which can allow you to fall asleep fast. These pills do not require a prescription, and studies have shown that they can be used safely and effectively for limited duration. However, even the best OTC sleep aids can become addictive, and they should not be used to treat chronic insomnia.
Some have trouble falling asleep because they — or their partners — are afflicted by snoring. There are several easy fixes when it comes to snoring including strips which facilitate the flow of air through the nose and sleeping techniques which lower the odds of snores ensuing. Simple environmental issues can prove to be the culprits behind your failure to get to sleep. Noise, light and temperature can all prevent sleep, and the easiest first step for those desiring to fall asleep fast is to ensure a dark, quiet and cool setting within your sleep space.
There can be more serious causes behind the inability to fall asleep fast. One such example is sleep apnea which entails brief periods of breathing cessation which occur sporadically throughout the night. Not only does sleep apnea ensure a night of tossing and turning, but it also can lead to more serious adverse health effects including cardiovascular issues. Those suffering from sleep apnea can find relief via changing their sleeping position, losing weight or using a variety of devices on the market aimed at combating this condition.
No matter what the reason behind your inability to fall asleep fast, there is an effective treatment. The first requisite step is to identify the particular issue behind your sleep issues. With this knowledge you are better able to select the best solution geared for your particular sleep issue. There is no reason to continue tossing and turning each night — there is a cure out there which will allow you to fall asleep fast.
While everyone experiences insomnia to some degree, those who have chronic insomnia feel there is no cure for them. Before one can cure the condition it’s essential to find the underlying cause. There are many reasons people have insomnia and in varying degrees. Some people have trouble falling asleep while others have trouble staying asleep. The cause of the sleeplessness varies from person to person but before you can begin to treat the condition you must evaluate and analyze the cause. While there are many different things that may contribute to insomnia, the ten must common causes are as follows:
Inconsistent sleep patterns. For good sleep it’s important to go to sleep and wake up at approximately the same time every day. Many people have a tendency to stay up extremely late and wake up extremely late on their days off which disrupts their normal sleep patterns.
Eating heavy meals too close to bedtime. Your body needs time to complete the digestive process, and if you eat your dinner too close to bedtime you will have trouble falling asleep. While work schedules may sometimes affect this process, especially those who may work both a full-time and part-time job without a break in between, eating late will definitely have a detrimental effect on your ability to fall asleep.
Going to bed hungry. This is something many people attempt to do, especially when they are trying to lose weight, and it is one of the worst things you can do for sleep quality. Many people read the advice of stars who say they don’t eat after 6 p.m. and think it is the perfect solution. Instead of trying to go to bed hungry and not be able to sleep, try having a small high energy snack. Serotonin is believed to be a natural sleep aid and is present in many chocolate products—you don’t have to sacrifice your diet but have a small cup of sugar free chocolate pudding or sugar free hot chocolate.
Going to bed exhausted. While it seems to make sense to wait until you are tired to go to bed, you don’t wait to wait until you are completely exhausted or you will have trouble going to sleep.
Getting too many sleep aids.
Smoking
Overuse of caffeine
Temperature in room too hot or too cold
Inability to relax after going to bed
Lack of exercise. While you don’t want to do too much close to bedtime, a little bit of light exercise can actual relax you and help you fall asleep. It can be something as mild as just take a ten or fifteen minute walk outside.
While people may have other reasons they have difficulty sleeping, these are the most common reasons and the ones easiest to address. Some people have chronic insomnia that is related to health conditions or medications they must take; it’s difficult to control those causes. However, if you work on some of the other causes you can at least reduce some of the bouts of insomnia that your health conditions and medications cause.
Everyone likes to enjoy a good night’s sleep but not many are fortunate enough to get that every single day of their lives. Drugs such as Indiplon promise to help sort out this very problem.
Indiplon – Sleepless No More
Indiplon is an experimental sleep inducing drug which has been made primarily in two formulations, the immediate release version for sleep onset and the other which is a sustained release version, for sleep maintenance. Hence the administration of the drug can be varied depending on specific sleep problems as reported by the individuals seeking treatment. The immediate release formulation is believed to be effective for about three to four hours and helpful for those who have trouble falling asleep. The sustained release version lasts for about six to eight hours and works well on those who wake up frequently while sleeping. It has been successfully tested on rodents where quick and significant depression in locomotor activity was observed on administration and therefore believed to act more quickly and effectively than most sleep inducers.
Indiplon is a non-benzodiazepine agent which has a high affinity towards GABA-A receptors and binds itself to a GABA-A receptor inside the brain resulting in inducing of sleep. There are many sleeping pills like Ambien and Lunesta but Indiplon is expected to be ten times more effective than these drugs. Indiplon has a faster more effective result as it gets absorbed into the blood stream relatively quickly and gets metabolized faster as well, as a result of which the person will not feel sleepy or drugged when he wakes up in the morning. The main use of the drug is for two purposes. For an occasional good night’s sleep and for the cure of chronic insomnia.
Insomnia is a common disorder that affects a large part of the world’s population and originates dues to a number of reasons. Almost everyone experiences a few sleepless nights in a lifetime, but there are some who seem to take up a larger share. People suffering from insomnia either find it difficult to fall asleep or wake up in between sleep frequently, thereby ending up with a stressed and restless feeling when they wake up eventually in the mornings. Although in most cases treating the causative factors such as depression or stress may help relieve insomnia, in certain cases where there are no apparent or underlying causes the insomnia may need to be treated as a distinct problem by itself.
Although Indiplon is expected to help many distressed insomniacs enjoy a night of fitful uninterrupted sleep it is not without its share of side effects. Like almost all other hypnotic drugs prolonged use of non-benzodiazepine drugs such as Indiplon can cause serious damage to one’s body and is believed to cause cancer of the breast, lungs, heart, lung, brain and bowel. The dosage prescribed depends on the sleep patterns of individual cases. For a person who suffers from insomnia and is able to sleep for less than six hours a four weeks of dosage of 10 mg daily is recommended. What works in favor of Indiplon as compared to other sleep inducing drugs is the fact that unlike the other sedatives Indiplon does not leave a long lasting drowsy feeling.
Hi everyone – Barnaby here again.
The vast majority of us experience at least occasional insomnia — rare is the individual who can quickly and easily fall asleep every night. Everyday stresses, big upcoming events or excess caffeine can all be insomnia causes, and periodic bouts of it can be easily treated with lifestyle changes or over-the-counter sleeping pills. However, some suffer chronic insomnia which can prove to be a serious impediment to leading an active life. Chronic insomnia causes can be biological, psychological or environmental. Identifying the insomnia causes behind your sleepless nights is the most important first step allowing for selection of the correct treatment regimen.
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