What is insomnia? As the name implies, insomnia is a sleep disorder. Patients with insomnia often have difficulty falling asleep and/or maintaining sleep, or are unable to eliminate fatigue and regain energy after waking up from sleep. Whether or not you have insomnia cannot be judged solely on the basis of the length of sleep, as the amount of sleep required varies greatly from individual to individual. What are the clinical manifestations of insomnia? 1. difficulty in falling asleep or maintaining sleep; 2. always tired or drowsy during the day; 3. forgetfulness; 4. reduced ability to think and analyze problems; 5. becoming irritable, eccentric, anxious, irritable, and depressed; 6. reduced ability to do things and reduced interest; 7. more prone to make mistakes and get into trouble (such as car accidents, etc.) than usual or than others; 8. overly concerned about their sleep, and feeling anxious about their sleep deprivation and feeling anxious. The above symptoms can be very serious and even affect relationships and work life. It is worth noting that some people may seem to get enough sleep but may still have the above manifestations because of difficulties in maintaining sleep, etc. What ancillary tests or labs are needed? It is likely that ancillary tests and labs will not be needed. Most patients with insomnia do not need ancillary tests and labs to be diagnosed. The doctor can often diagnose insomnia by asking questions. In some cases the doctor may ask for a 1-2 week sleep log to record the specifics of the sleep. In a few cases, the doctor may order special tests such as polysomnography (PSG) and somatic motion recording. Polysomnography – Polysomnography is usually performed in a sleep lab, where the technician connects various recording probes to the body to record various physiological parameters during sleep, such as physical activity, brain activity, eye activity, respiratory movements, nasal and oral airflow, etc. Somatic Motion Recorder – A Somatic Motion Recorder records body activity through an instrument worn on the wrist. It is performed at home and recorded continuously for 24 hours. After a few days, the data is analyzed and the parameters of sleep, such as the time of falling asleep and the duration of sleep, can be analyzed. What can I do to improve my sleep? You can follow the following good sleep hygiene habits: 1. Get up as soon as you feel your energy is restored (usually 7-8 hours), no need to “catch up on sleep”; 2. Maintain a regular sleep schedule; 3. If you can’t sleep, get up and do some simple activities, and then try to sleep; 4, do not drink caffeinated beverages in the afternoon; 5, do not drink alcohol close to sleep (such as late afternoon and evening); 6, quit smoking, especially in the evening 7, as needed to adjust the bedroom environment to reduce stimulation (such as reducing external light, turn off the TV or radio); 8, avoid prolonged use of light screens before bedtime ( laptops, tablets, smartphones, or e-books) 9. Eliminate worry or concern before bedtime and resolve what can be resolved before going to bed; 10. Exercise regularly for at least 20 minutes, preferably 4-5 hours before bedtime; 11. Avoid taking daytime naps, especially for more than 20-30 minutes or later in the day. Do I need to see a doctor? If the insomnia problem is bothering you so much that trying good sleep hygiene habits does not alleviate the pain, you need to see a doctor. Your doctor may be able to suggest appropriate solutions. Are there medications that can help improve my sleep? There are medications that can help improve sleep. However, it is recommended that you try the sleep hygiene practices mentioned above first and then use medication if they do not work. It is also important not to use hypnotics for long periods of time, as they can lead to dependence (what we normally call “addiction”). In many cases, insomnia is caused by mental and emotional problems, such as anxiety and depression. If anxiety and depression are the cause of insomnia, antidepressants are more effective than hypnotics alone because they not only promote sleep, but also improve mood. Can I improve my sleep by drinking alcohol? Absolutely not! Never use alcohol as a hypnotic! Alcohol can promote falling asleep, but it disrupts subsequent sleep and disrupts the normal sleep structure.