Insomnia
Lately, i have acute insomnia. At first, i take it lightly thinking it just the matter of self unreliability because it is the first time i live without my parents. As the time goes by, this insomnia seems won’t come to its end so i decide to browse some articles about insomnia and kick the matter out.
From Wikipedia i find that insomnia is a symptom of any of several sleep disorders, characterized by persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep despite the opportunity. Insomnia is a symptom, not a stand-alone diagnosis or a disease. By definition, insomnia is “difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or both” and it may be due to inadequate quality or quantity of sleep. It is typically followed by functional impairment while awake. Both organic and non-organic insomnia without other cause constitute a sleep disorder, primary insomnia.
It is said that insomnia is common in woman than in man. As the woman is a creature that easily become anxious. Insomnia can be classified into 3 types (taken from wikipedia) :
Transient insomnia lasts from days to weeks. It can be caused by another disorder, by changes in the sleep environment, by the timing of sleep, severe depression, or by stress. Its consequences – sleepiness and impaired psychomotor performance – are similar to those of sleep deprivation.
Acute insomnia is the inability to consistently sleep well for a period of between three weeks to six months.
Chronic insomnia lasts for years at a time. It can be caused by another disorder, or it can be a primary disorder. Its effects can vary according to its causes. They might include sleepiness, muscular fatigue, hallucinations, and/or mental fatigue; but people with chronic insomnia often show increased alertness. Some people that live with this disorder see things as though they were happening in slow motion, whereas moving objects seem to blend together. Can cause double vision.
My insomnia happen to be type 1 but lately i recognize it as type 2. It has been 9 months since the last November. I can’t sleep well, that november is the first time i live in Sumatra a far from where i used to. I thought that it will end at some point in the next 5 months. Unfortunately, it continue bugging me until i have to find some ways to bring this disturbance to its end. This is taken from random browse, there are still many of insomnia techniques of course.
How to deal with your insomnia :
See a doctor. Insomnia can be a symptom of physical disorders, although for most of us it’s the result of tension, stress and anxiety—and of course the more anxious we get about our insomnia, the worse it gets. If your doctor pronounces you a “healthy” insomniac, he might suggest some of the techniques provided here. Or she might prescribe drugs to help you get to sleep. We suggest you try all these methods first, and use drugs only as a last resort. The decision, of course, is yours.
Take a warm bath. It’s a great way to relax your body. Don’t overdo it, however. You merely want to relax your body, not exhaust it. Too long in hot water and your body is drained of vitality. Use bath salts, or throw in Epsom salts and baking soda—one cup of each. These will relax you and also help remove toxins from your body.
Get a massage. Have your spouse (or whoever) give you a massage just before going to sleep. If you can convince them to give you a full body massage, great. If not, even a short backrub and/or a face and scalp massage can be a big help. Have them make the massage strokes slow, gentle, yet firm, to work the tension out of your muscles and soothe you to sleep.
Listen to music. Play some soft, soothing music that will lull you to sleep. There are even cassettes and records designed for that very purpose. Some are specially composed music, others simply have sounds of waves rhythmically breaking, or the steady pattern of a heartbeat. Of course if you don’t have a record, cassette or CD player that will automatically turn off, we don’t suggest this. If you have to get up and turn it off at the end, you’ve obviously lost its effect.
Drink warm milk. A glass of warm milk 15 minutes before going to bed will soothe your nervous system. Milk contains calcium, which works directly on jagged nerves to make them (and you) relax.
Drink herb tea. If you don’t like milk—or are avoiding dairy products—try a cup of hot camomile, catnip, anise or fennel tea. All contain natural ingredients which will help you sleep. Most health food stores will also have special blends of herb tea designed to soothe you and help you get to sleep.
Reading some books (this is what i usually do). Sometimes it can help you to sleep. Choose a light or boring book. For some persons it work.
Reference :
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insomnia
www.well.com/~mick/insomnia/
www.emedicinehealth.com/insomnia/article_em.htm
http://www.depkes.go.id/index.php?option=articles&task=viewarticle&artid=51&Itemid=3
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