The Tell-Tale Signs of Insomnia

Sleep is primitive to existence, necessary for life. And yet millions of us struggle with disrupted signs of sleep – insomnia.

In science, we learn from rats what the repercussions might be. When rats are deprived of sleep, they initially eat more, then the decline begins – as they gradually lose weight, body temperature drops dangerously low, and death occurs.

For restorative sleep, humans require four stages of sleep including rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and slow-wave or deep sleep. While this restorative process should be synchronized and natural to the human body, we struggle every night to make it happen.

What are the signs of insomnia?

The main insomnia sign is trouble falling or staying asleep, which leads to lack of sleep. If you have insomnia, you may have all or some of these symptoms:

Lie awake for a long time before you fall asleep
Sleep for only short periods
Be awake for much of the night
Feel as if you haven’t slept at all
Wake up too early

When you don’t get sufficient sleep, you wake up feeling tired – and that sluggishness stays with you the entire day. You have trouble focusing on your work. You may feel irritable, anxious and depressed.

Driving to and from work, you feel drowsy – a dangerous situation that is responsible for nearly 20 percent of all serious car crash-related injuries. Injuries are more likely to occur when you’re so sleepy. An older woman is at higher risk of falling if she is an insomniac.

How Insomnia Signs Affect Everyday Life

A 2004 study in the journal L’Encephale honed in on the effect insomnia has on daily living.

Researchers wanted to assess the daytime repercussions of insomnia complaints in France. They phone interviewed 5,622 people over age 15 about effects of insomnia on cognitive functioning, daytime sleepiness, and fatigue.

They found that 18.6% of the men and women interviewed had insomnia. It was most common among women (22.4%) than in men (14.5%) and was twice as frequent for those 65 years of age or older.

Most insomniacs (67%) reported difficulty with daytime functioning.
Those who were taking an antidepressant had 15 times more trouble staying alert.
Those taking an antidepressant had three times more memory problems.
Irritability was ten times more common in those younger than age 65 who were taking an antidepressant.
Feeling anxious after a bad night’s sleep was seven times more likely to occur if the person was depressed.

Subjects who were suffering the most symptoms of insomnia were younger than age 65. They were more likely to have a stricter schedule because of work, school and child care.

Insomnia Signs: Temporary Problem Or Long-Term?

For some people, insomnia is a short-term problem brought on by stressful situations – at work, in the family or a traumatic event. You may experience insomnia for a few days or several weeks.

Chronic insomnia is the ongoing, vexing type that many people know too well. It can last for a month or longer. It might be caused by another medical condition (like pain, arthritis, or allergies). Some medications cause insomnia. Alcohol can also cause insomnia. Snoring is a sign of sleep apnea, which is a severe breathing disorder – causing insomnia and linked with heart problems.

In many cases, insomnia isn’t caused by other medical problems, medicines or substances. It’s a distinct disorder that is not well understood. A severe life change can trigger insomnia, including stress, anxiety, and depression – and you’re stuck with insomnia for life.

Doctors must treat the underlying cause of insomnia. If your lifestyle is the cause, you need to make changes. For example, if caffeine in coffee is causing insomnia, you must stop drinking coffee at noon – and may need to limit your intake.

For chronic insomnia, your doctor may recommend medicines or cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Who Is Most Likely To Have Signs Of Insomnia?

Insomnia affects women more frequently than men. While this disorder can occur at any age, adolescents and college students can experience insomnia when they are troubled over life events. Young and middle-aged African Americans are at high risk for insomnia.

The highest risk for insomnia includes:

Having a lot of stress in your life.
Depressed or emotionally distressed over divorce or death.
Having a lower income.
Working a night shift.
Having an inactive lifestyle.
Having a medical condition or sleep disorder that disrupts sleep. (5)

If you have a medical condition that causes insomnia, your doctor will need to address that first. If stress and anxiety are at the root of your insomnia, you can do much to tame the “noise” in your brain, so you get a better night’s sleep.

Troubling Signs Of Insomnia In Adults

If your blood pressure is chronically high, it might be due to insomnia. A large 2013 study in the journal Hypertension Research examined the relationship between insomnia and high blood pressure (hypertension). Scientists analyzed 11 clinical studies, finding that sleep problems – including too little sleep and insomnia – dramatically increased the risk of high blood pressure. This is serious because it increases your risk of stroke.

While not life-threatening, hot flashes severely affect the quality of life for many women. A 2006 study in JAMA reported on severe hot flashes, finding that they were a significant cause of chronic insomnia and that 80% of peri-and postmenopausal women experience them. Poor health, chronic pain, and sleep apnea were other factors associated with chronic insomnia. Treating these hot flashes can improve sleep quality and minimize the negative signs of insomnia.

Signs Of Insomnia In Young People

Young people have their own struggles with insomnia, especially females and kids in lower-income families, leading to mood, anxiety and disruptive behaviors.

In one study, scientists looked at the pattern in 4,175 youths between ages 11 and 17, all living in a large metropolitan area. Over one-fourth reported one or more symptoms of insomnia. A year later, almost 46% of those insomniac kids still had insomnia. Researchers say better services are needed in primary care settings for screening and early intervention for adolescent insomnia.

Another group of researchers looked at insomnia symptoms and nightmares, as well as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. A total of 583 undergraduate students at a large, public university in the southeastern United States took the online survey. Scientists found that students who had both nightmares and insomnia symptoms were more likely to have thoughts of suicide – even if they didn’t have anxiety, depression or PTSD.

A landmark 2008 study in the journal Sleep examined adolescent insomnia as a risk factor for adult depression and substance abuse. Two groups of youths were in that study — 4,500 who were 12 to 18 years old, and 3,582 between 18 and 25 years old. Seven years later, those with insomnia symptoms were more likely to drink alcohol, smoke cannabis and use other drugs. They were also depressed, had suicidal thoughts, and some had attempted suicide.

Anxiety is indeed a common factor with insomnia, especially social anxiety disorder. Depression was a fundamental element among socially anxious people, and may play a vital role in insomnia, researchers say. Their study appeared in the journal Depression and Anxiety.

Signs of insomnia are a window to struggles that should not be ignored. Those who are suffering from insomnia, anxiety, and depression need greater access to counseling to help resolve the issues causing insomnia.

Signs Of Insomnia In Young People

Young people have their own struggles with insomnia, especially females and kids in lower-income families, leading to mood, anxiety and disruptive behaviors.

Take Control Of Insomnia Signs

To treat chronic insomnia, doctors first treat the underlying health problem that’s causing insomnia – alcohol, pain, allergies or other health concerns.

To help you function better during the day, your doctor might prescribe sleeping pills for a short time. Ask your doctor about medications that help you avoid drowsiness the next day. However, researchers don’t know about the long-term safety and effectiveness of these drugs. Steer clear of over-the-counter sleeping pills for insomnia.

Lifestyle Changes That Will Help Insomnia

In many cases, simply changing your sleep habits can put an end to insomnia.

Close down electronics two hours before bedtime. Computer, tablets, TV, and smartphones create brightness that is enough to suppress the normal nighttime release of melatonin hormone (important to sleep). If you delay that signal, you could delay sleep. Over many years time, it can seriously affect your internal circadian clock.

Limit caffeine especially in afternoons and evenings. All sources of caffeine – coffee, tea, and chocolate – are stimulating, and the effects can stay in your system for 12 hours. Alcohol is also a stimulant and can make you wake up during the night. You won’t feel rested the next morning.

Catch the sun. Lack of sun exposure can cause insomnia, especially if you’re not exposed to the sun in the early part of the day, before noon. The sun helps set your internal circadian rhythm and release of melatonin.

A study published in the journal Sleep reported that workers who are exposed to the most sunlight or bright indoor lights – especially during morning hours – tended to sleep better at night. They also had fewer sleep interruptions during the night compared to others who got less light exposure in the morning. The workers reported feeling less stressed and depressed than others who weren’t exposed to much morning light.

Exercise regularly. Regular exercise will improve sleep quality; you’ll also sleep longer if you exercise. Just make sure to exercise earlier in the day, not before bedtime. Otherwise, you risk getting overly stimulated.

Avoid spicy evening meals. Avoiding food at least three hours before bedtime lowers blood sugar during sleep. This also helps your body go into fat-burning mode.

Don’t take naps. While napping may seem the antidote to lost sleep, it’s not good for your long-term sleep pattern. To get past insomnia, you need to set a regular sleep pattern. You’ve got to train yourself to have a consistent bedtime. Napping will disrupt the quality of your night’s sleep.

Relax. If emotional problems or stress are causing your insomnia signs, mindfulness practices can help. These include relaxation exercises like yoga and meditation. They can help you cope better with insomnia and restore healthier sleep patterns.

Erase the “Noise” in Your Brain That Disrupts Sleep

When your thoughts are overactive, it affects your body’s ability to produce the hormone melatonin. Melatonin regulates the body’s circadian rhythm. When the sun goes down, your brain begins producing melatonin. This increase in melatonin hormones triggers the feeling of sleepiness and keeps you sleepy for about 12 hours. As the sun rises, the body reduces production of melatonin, and the levels in your blood decrease substantially.

When noise disrupts your internal clock, your body produces less melatonin. This often occurs with shift work, night work, and some psychiatric diseases. The internal clock is no longer working in harmony with the real-world clock.

Melatonin is considered the setpoint of the clock. Both daylight and melatonin are useful in treating sleep disorders like insomnia. A melatonin supplement can help reset your internal circadian rhythm and put an end to signs of insomnia.

Don’t Ignore Signs Of Insomnia

Insomnia certainly makes life difficult, but you can take steps to improve your situation. Read all you can about insomnia and sleep deprivation, and take action to change your lifestyle. If you need a doctor’s help, make the appointment. Sleep deprivation has an important effect on your overall health, so don’t ignore it.

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