Dear Doctor,

I am 31 years old and for a long time now, I have suffered with insomnia. ​I have a terrible sleeping pattern and can’t seem to sleep at night, yet when I go to work the next day, I feel exhausted and in dire need of sleep. When I go home, the sleep somehow disappears. I sleep perhaps about two to three hours every day. What can I do, as I feel tired mostly during the day and it might affect my work.

Sandra

Dear Sandra,

At your age, stress is the most common cause of insomnia. Stress can be due to work place problems, financial worries, sickness or death of a loved one, among other things. Taking excess tea, coffee, use of tobacco, having late night meals or snacks, are some of the other causes of insomnia. Staying up unnecessarily in the night, watching TV or chatting also disturbs the pattern and one may not get sleep after it.

Recurrent cold, blocked nose, bronchial asthma, arthritis, peripheral neuropathy, Parkinsonism, alcohol withdrawal syndrome, acid peptic disease, and etcetera, are some of the common medical disorders that cause insomnia. It can be due to any acute sickness or pain due to injury or some inflammation.  Pests like mosquitoes and bedbugs can disturb sleep.

Whatever the reason, sleep is a very important requirement for a sound physical and mental health. One needs to have at least six to eight hours of sound sleep every night. Lack of adequate sleep makes a person irritable and depressed. He/she is unable to focus on work at hand, thus affecting work performance. This adds on the stress and can augment insomnia. It can also be a precursor of chronic stress related problems like hypertension, heart problems, for example.

Avoid stress, avoid bringing work home. Avoid taking tea, coffee, particularly in the evenings. Also avoid tobacco and alcohol use. Try taking a light meal in the evening, preferably one to two hours before sleeping.

Till getting sleep, avoid watching TV or chatting. Try to read something soothing and positive or listen to some soothing music. The bedroom should be calm and quiet, bedclothes and night clothes worn should be cool and comfortable, preferably cotton. Most importantly, try to form a fixed timetable for sleeping and waking up in the morning. After forming the timetable, stick to it as much as possible. After trying it for some days, you will automatically get sleep at that time. Breathing exercises of yoga and meditation if done regularly also help in curing insomnia and help one in getting sound sleep.

Dr. Rachna Pande is a specialist in internal medicine.

rachna212002@yahoo.co.uk