What You Should Know About Insomnia and How to Treat It

There are psychological reasons for approximately 50% of the people struggling with insomnia, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). This includes anxiety issues, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD), and other mental health problems.

Board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner Bosede Iwuamadi, DNP, PMHNP, pinpoints the cause to help manage your insomnia and other mental health issues via telehealth at Newstone Behavioral Health in Garland, Texas.

What’s keeping you up?

It’s not only frustrating, but physically and mentally detrimental to suffer from chronic insomnia. It’s also, unfortunately, quite common. Nearly 1 in 3 people in the United States alone has difficulty falling asleep at least once a week.

Dr. Iwuamadi helps diagnose your insomnia based upon certain criteria, such as whether you:

Take hours to fall asleep
Wake up often, many nights
Have trouble falling back to sleep
Feel exhausted the following day

These, along with other factors, help us determine whether your insomnia is short-term or chronic, and how to treat it.

What causes chronic insomnia?

Everyone occasionally suffers from sleep issues. When your inability to fall asleep within a half hour or so occurs at least three nights per week for three months or more, it’s considered chronic.

Many issues, from jet lag to poor sleep habits, may set the stage for insomnia. When it becomes a common occurrence, it’s crucial to find the underlying causes, including:

Lifestyle habits

Daytime naps, shift work, or caffeine intake may alter nighttime sleep patterns.

Medical issues

Diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, can cause sleep problems. Other health issues, such as asthma, acid reflux, sleep apnea, or migraine pain, may also disrupt your ability to fall and remain asleep.

Psychological problems

Anxiety and depression often fuel sleep disorders. Continually waking up too early may signal depression, especially when combined with:

Frequent feelings of sadness
Low energy
Concentration difficulties
Sudden changes in appetite
Unwanted weight loss or gain

On the other hand, mania may trigger increased energy and a sudden inability to sleep.

Regardless of the cause, proper sleep remains the balm we all need to maintain our physical and mental health.

How do you treat insomnia?

There’s no shortage of ways to avoid a good night’s sleep, from mobile phones to 24-hour streaming channels. It’s no wonder so many experience insomnia in this technologically advanced time.

To diagnose and manage your insomnia, Dr. Iwuamadi reviews your family and medical history to rule out any genetic or physical conditions that may be contributing factors. The doctor then uses a variety of methods to resolve your issue, including medication management. She also recommends CBT if needed.

How CBT curtails insomnia

Dr. Iwuamadi uses CBT to help manage your insomnia and other psychological issues. The doctor:

Reviews your sleep patterns

Perhaps you sleep late on certain days, or stay in bed too long at night trying to fall asleep. These may contribute to sleep difficulties.

Revisits how you use your bedroom

You learn to view your bed as a place for sleep and intimacy rather than worrying about your job, relationships, or other problems.

Limits your time in bed

Sleep restriction therapy encourages you to limit your time in bed while gradually increasing your total sleep time.

Suggests stimulus control

In general, if it takes longer than 20 minutes to fall asleep, it’s best to get up and return to bed when you feel more tired. Try to fill that time with things other than computers or television, which tend to stimulate rather than relax you.

Promotes relaxation methods

Meditation, guided imagery, and deep breathing lower stress levels and slow your heart rate, helping you fall asleep more easily.

Improves your sleep hygiene

Removing any sources of light and noise, limiting alcohol and caffeine, especially in the evening, and exercising earlier all help put you back on track. Avoid sleeping near a computer or watching television in bed, which may alter your sleep patterns. Even eating a lighter evening meal may improve your ability to fall and stay asleep.

Foods rich in magnesium, such as bananas, nuts, and avocados, or calming beverages, including chamomile tea, coconut water, and even warm milk, promote restful sleep.

Tired of insomnia?

Going to sleep and waking up around the same time each day helps keep your body on schedule. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, identify hidden sources, such as dark chocolate and non-herbal teas, that may be keeping you awake.

Whether suggesting progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), which alternates tensing and relaxing muscles, or curtailing caffeine, Dr. Iwuamadi and our compassionate team offer healthy ways to resolve your insomnia.

To discuss ongoing mental health issues, such as insomnia, via telehealth, simply contact us at Newstone Behavioral Health in Garland, Texas, today.