Anyone who has suffered from insomnia can tell you how horrible it really is. Tossing, turning, rolling again and again or just staring at the ceiling - whatever your experience, the frustration, desperation and difficulty living with insomnia is a rotten time.
In most cases, insomnia is considered a secondary or comorbid symptom and will likely go away once the root cause is taken care of. Jet lag, changing work shifts, a side effect from a medicine, a medical condition or recent procedure, acute stress or even simply the noise level when you try to sleep can all cause insomnia. The good news in these cases is that they are all temporary or can be addressed in one manner or another, even if it means getting a new bed, fixing the air conditioner or going back to your doctor for some different meds or a different dosage.
The cases that are harder to deal with are the chronic or primary cases of insomnia that are related to deeper psychological issues including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder or other similar, more difficult conditions. Insomnia may be just one symptom in these situations that have far graver consequences and need to be dealt with professionally.
In either situation, especially if insomnia lasts more than three to four weeks, you should seek treatment from a medical professional. Since chronic insomniacs often spend their days sleep-deprived they end up far more susceptible to accidents and lapses in judgment, which can exacerbate the issue more by causing greater stress in your life.
Medical treatment for insomnia includes the doctor getting a full and clear picture of your physical and mental health. Since insomnia is always related to some other condition, that condition needs to be treated for the long-term success of kicking insomnia. For some patients, sleep aids may be prescribed, but generally not for the long term. Current guidelines recommend cognitive and behavioral treatments at the same time. Given the lack of strong medical research, self-medicating, either with over-the-counter meds or herbal supplements is not encouraged.
There are some steps people can take to avoid insomnia. Daily exercise (add yet another reason to work out to the list!), avoiding alcohol or caffeine, sleeping the amount you need for rest and not any more, keeping a regular sleep schedule and freeing your mind of your worries before your head hits the pillow are all steps to take to treat insomnia.
Those steps may be easier said than done, but there are other tips that might help. Don't read or watch TV in bed. Sleep in bed only and set a regular rest and rise schedule. Stick to it on weekends, too. Go to bed when you are sleepy; those things you didn't finish tonight will still be there waiting for you in the morning.
Try any relaxation techniques you may know such as body scanning meditation or other ways of calming yourself. Making sure you bedroom is quiet and sufficiently dark with a comfortable bed should help as well.
Insomnia can seem soul-crushing, but it is treatable.
