Insomnia, a common sleep disorder, can be sign of more serious illness – doctor

Nearly everyone has a once in a blue moon sleepless night, awakening in the night and hardly falling asleep. Insomnia, a common sleep disorder in which you have trouble falling or staying asleep, can get in the way of your daily activities and make you feel sleepy during the day. Most people think of insomnia as a challenge for adults only but children can also develop sleep issues. Dr Chaste Uwihoreye, a psychotherapist in Kigali, told The New Times that insomnia, itself is not a disease but it can be a sign of various other diseases. He said: “It can be a sign of depression, stress or even trauma as well as anxiety. People should be careful as insomnia can also be a sign of physical diseases such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and heart disease.” “Normally a person should sleep eight hours at night. However, sleeping between six and eight hours can be untroublesome. “But when a person starts sleeping less than six and five hours, and starts sleeping four or three hours, it starts to become a serious problem. The good thing will be to consult a doctor so that they can check exactly what is causing you to lack sleep. Doing sports and socializing can help in overcoming the situation,” he added. ALSO READ: New physiotherapy, occupational therapy lab unveiled at UR-Remera campus What causes insomnia? More medications. Older people typically use more prescription drugs than younger people do, which increases the chance of insomnia associated with medications Poor sleep habits. An irregular bedtime schedule, naps, stimulating activities before bed, an uncomfortable sleep environment, and using your bed for work, eating or watching TV. Computers, TVs, video games, smartphones or other screens just before bed can interfere with your sleep. Eating too much late in the evening. Having a light snack before bedtime is OK, but eating too much may cause you to feel physically uncomfortable while lying down. Medical conditions. These may include chronic pain, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, gastro oesophageal reflux disease (GERD), overactive thyroid, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. Coffee, tea, cola and other caffeinated drinks are stimulants. Drinking them in the late afternoon or evening can keep you from falling asleep at night. Actually, insomnia can be caused by a lot of different things just like there are also many ways you can cope with insomnia. How you can deal with with insomnia See a doctor. If you haven’t already, discuss your insomnia with a doctor to make sure there is no treatable medical reason for your poor sleep. Avoid limit naps. Though you may be tempted to take a quick nap during the day, and many people can do so effectively, napping may be counterproductive for the insomniac sufferer. Learn to cope with the stress that causes insomnia. It is important to deal with your stress and get back to a regular sleep schedule. Eat small meals regularly throughout the day. Getting little bursts of carbohydrates and protein throughout the day will help you stay awake and alert. Uwihoreye also explained that: “Sleeping pills can be good and may help a person with, maybe three-month of sleeping disorder, where the person should first see the doctor. “But it is not good to take pills if they haven't been prescribed by the doctor or you have an addiction to them.”

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Insomnia, a common sleep disorder, can be sign of more serious illness – doctor