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- INDIA
Do you lie in bed awake till 4 a.m., unable to sleept? Or even if you sleep do you find it difficult staying asleep all night? Or do you wake up too early in the morning? If this forms a pattern you might have Insomnia.
Insomnia is a sleep disorder. People suffering from insomnia generally experience fatigue, difficulty in concentrating, lack of focus, low energy, depressed mood, sleepiness.
Insomnia is not just a sleeping disorder in fact, this problem affects the entire life of a person afflicted by it.It affects every every age group but it is seen that women are 2 times more likely to have insomnia than men. Insomnia can be classified into two types, Acute Insomnia and Chronic Insomnia.
Acute Insomnia is very common. It generally occurs for a period of less than a week, generally lasting for a few days. The prevalent cause behind this type of Insomnia is stress and it may not need any treatment. In fact, according to a study more than 80% people around the world have experienced Acute Insomnia at least once in their life.
Chronic Insomnia is the second form of Insomnia which lasts for weeks or even months and is a growing problem today. The general causes behind this is shift work, medical problems, poor sleeping habits, eating junk food before bed, and long hours of mobile, TV or computer usage right before bed time being one of the main reasons for this in today’s world. Chronic Insomnia is a serious problem and it is advised that people suffering from Chronic Insomnia get treatement as this will help them get back to regular sleep.
According to a study conducted between 1911-2011 revealed that humans sleep 20% less than a century ago. In terms of statistics, more than 70 million people in the US have sleeping disorders with more than 40 million people suffering from chronic and long term sleeping disorders each year. In the developing world, it is estimated that more than 150 million people suffer from Insomnia. It is also estimated that 30-40% of the adult population worldwide suffers from insomnia with around 10 million people in the US using sleeping pills on a daily basis and in India, 2 out of 5 patients who are suffering from sleeping disorders ask doctors for sleeping pills which further worsen the condition as taking sleeping pills on a daily basis can cause weight gain, anxiety, dry mouth, changes in appetite and much more.
Insomnia drastically affects the health of an individual suffering from it. It just doesn’t effect your health, in fact, it affects your memory, your thinking skills, and your looks too. Insomniacs suffer from medical issues like asthma, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and it even increases the risk of heart disease. The most common seen problems include depression, anxiety, frustration and memory problems. Children suffering from insomnia commonly complain about lack of energy which negatively affects their performance in school. Insomnia is the cause behind every 1 out of 5 accidents worldwide as drowsiness is similar to alcohol as it reduces the ability to stay alert and attentive.
As we see Insomnia is more of a lifestyle problem than a disease, so a few positive changes in our lifestyle can do wonders. A few changes like maintaining a work-life balance, having a proper time of sleeping and waking up on a daily basis, doing yoga and meditation also helps, physical exercise should be a must in your daily schedule, avoid alcohol and caffeine in the evening hours, avoid going to bed hungry, avoid smoking, avoid using mobiles or computers at least 1 hour before bed as they emit blue light which is harmful for your eyes as well as your sleep and most importantly make a comfortable sleeping environment.
“Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together”
