Insomnia is a common multi-morbidity, in clinical medical practice, insomnia refers to more than 3 weeks of sleep disorders, and refers specifically to the kind of sleep disorders that present sleep deprivation, such as difficulty falling asleep, early awakening, etc., so that patients seriously feel sleep deprivation, self-conscious fatigue, dizziness, mental discomfort.
A. What can cause insomnia There are many causes of insomnia, including: physical, physiological, psychological, mental illness, drugs and other aspects. Insomnia secondary to somatic diseases by Yan Zhu, Department of Mental Health, Yuquan Hospital, Tsinghua University: A significant proportion of insomnia is often secondary to heart disease, kidney disease, asthma, ulcer disease, arthritis, osteoarthritis, gastrointestinal disease, hypertension, sleep apnea syndrome, hyperthyroidism, nocturnal myoclonus syndrome, brain disease, etc. Insomnia caused by physiological factors: changes in the environment can cause physiological reactions, such as changes in the sleep environment when riding in cars, boats and airplanes; strong light, noise, too cold or too hot in the bedroom may cause insomnia.
Some people are highly adaptable to the environment, while others are very sensitive and poorly adapted, and can’t sleep well when the environment changes. Insomnia caused by psychological and mental factors: Psychological factors such as anxiety, irritability or depression, unhappy mood, etc., are important causes of insomnia. The blow of life, the pressure of work and study, the attempted will and the change of social environment can cause psychological and physiological reactions, leading to abnormal function of the nervous system and causing dysfunction of the brain, thus causing insomnia. Some people have too high expectations of sleep, believing that if you sleep well, your body will not be invaded by all kinds of diseases, and if you do not sleep well, you will be prone to various physical problems. This excessive superstition about sleep increases the pressure of sleep, which can easily cause insomnia. People inevitably have bad sleep, but some people are too worried about this temporary bad sleep and its impact on the body, the thought of sleep, will be conditioned to fear, always thinking about the need to sleep well, but make it more difficult to fall asleep. This will form a vicious circle of fear of insomnia, committed to sleep, insomnia, more fear of insomnia. In the long run, it is likely to turn into chronic insomnia. Insomnia caused by drugs and other substances: taking central excitatory drugs can lead to insomnia, such as diet pills amphetamines. Long-term use of sleeping pills, once you quit, will also experience withdrawal symptoms, shallow sleep and nightmares. Tea, coffee, cola-type beverages, etc. contain central nervous stimulants, caffeine, which can cause insomnia when consumed in the evening. Alcohol interferes with a person’s sleep structure, making sleep shallow, and once you quit drinking alcohol can also cause insomnia due to withdrawal reactions.
Second, what are the types of insomnia?
1.Classification according to clinical performance.
① sleep latency disorder: sleep time more than 30 minutes;
② Sleep maintenance disorder: waking up more than 2 times at night or waking up early in the morning; poor sleep quality: more nightmares; total sleep time less than 6 hours; daytime residual effects: feeling dizzy, mental discomfort, drowsiness, weakness, etc. in the next morning.
2.Classification by severity: mild: occasional, with little impact on quality of life; moderate: occurring every night, moderately affecting quality of life, with certain symptoms (irritability, anxiety, fatigue, etc.); severe: occurring every night, seriously affecting quality of life, with prominent clinical symptoms.
3, according to the cycle classification: transient insomnia, more insomnia less than a week, most people will have transient insomnia disorder when they experience stress, stimulation, excitement, anxiety; when they are sick; to high altitude; or when the sleep pattern changes (such as jet lag; shift work, etc.). This type of insomnia usually improves as the event disappears or lengthens over time, but transient insomnia can lead to chronic insomnia in some cases if not handled properly. The primary treatment for transient insomnia is the intermittent use of low-dose sedative sleeping pills or other sleep-aiding medications such as antidepressants and good sleep hygiene practices. Short-term insomnia: Most insomnia occurs within a week to a month. Severe or persistent stress, such as major physical illness or surgery, the death of a close friend or family member, or serious family, work or relationship problems, may cause short-term insomnia. There is a clear correlation between this type of insomnia and stress. Treatment is based on the short-term use of low-dose sedative sleeping pills or other sleep-aiding medications such as antidepressants and behavioral therapy (e.g., muscle relaxation). Short-term insomnia can also lead to chronic insomnia if not treated properly. Chronic insomnia: Sleep disorders greater than one month for chronic insomnia, can also be maintained for several years, some people face stress (or even just normal stress), insomnia, just as some people are prone to chronic gastritis or migraine, has formed a habitual pattern of stress.
Third, insomnia can seriously affect our mental and physical health
Insomnia is a major enemy of human health, but many people ignore the harmful effects of insomnia and delay the condition without active treatment; unbeknownst to them, long-term insomnia can lead to many complications in the body, seriously affecting physical and mental health. The harmful effects of insomnia are mainly in the following areas.
1, children’s sleep quality decreases, will directly affect the body’s growth and development, resulting in a lack of growth, low learning ability and other situations;
2, insomnia often makes the daytime mental depression, dizziness, headaches and tinnitus, physical and mental fatigue, inattention, causing tension, irritability, boredom, depression, emotional instability, etc., and will lead to memory loss, thinking ability, neurasthenia, etc.;
3, long-term insomnia will make the cerebral cortex dysfunction, causing plant nerve dysfunction; such as long-term failure to improve, will not only cause insufficient blood supply to the brain, may also induce anxiety, depression, mania, neurosis and psychosis;
4, insomnia is not only a sleep health problem, for many people, it is also a risk factor for the development of certain potential diseases; may lead to heart disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, cerebral palsy, cerebral atrophy, cerebral arteriosclerosis, senile dementia and other diseases;
5, insomnia will also cause great harm to the social nature of people, because long-term into the worry and panic about sleep, people will become sensitive, suspicious, irritable, as well as a considerable lack of self-confidence, which will inevitably affect their interpersonal relationships in the family and work in all aspects, resulting in a sense of loneliness, frustration, and do not get along with the surrounding people, and serious cases will also produce pessimism, anhedonia.
Therefore, insomnia greatly affects the work, study and life of patients; long-term insomnia also makes the immune system decline, weakening the body, reducing the resistance to disease, leading to a variety of potential diseases; which in turn leads to faster aging and shorter life expectancy.
Fourth, which groups of people are prone to insomnia?
Insomnia caused by long-term high stress. Contemporary fast-paced work, life, as well as to deal with interpersonal relationships have caused stress on the nervous system, so that the nervous system arousal system tension is elevated, the cortical inhibition function is damaged. Such people must correct their attitude toward stress. Patients with stress-induced insomnia should try to accept the objective reality and do not have to force everything in front of many goals, but to do something about it. Also not rushing to deal with stress and trying to open up new paths under pressure is a way to solve insomnia.
Life factors leading to insomnia patients face long-term fast-paced, strong competition, life rhythm disorder, deterioration of living habits, these physiologically disrupt the sleep pattern and sleep rhythm. Such people should rebuild their life patterns and increase their hobbies appropriately to relax their bodies and minds.
Insomnia caused by physiological period. People in adolescence have a tendency to move backward in their sleep, preferring to sleep late and wake up late. Gradually wake up earlier and try to increase the depth of sleep while decreasing sleep time. And people in old age or about to enter old age prefer to go to bed early and get up early, while older people can go to sleep later in the day.
Insomnia due to personality reasons. There are some people with high neuroticism, more sensitive in daily life, often nervous and anxious, and rational thinking is more active, such people may face insomnia for a long time. This should be done to properly increase sports, calligraphy and other pastime activities, so that tension can be relaxed to solve the condition of insomnia.
Five, how to prevent insomnia?
(1) self-medication insomnia can not rely on drugs, should pay attention to eliminate the causes of insomnia, and strive for psychological balance, combined with physical therapy to improve the body, the effect will be better.
(2) moderate work and rest, change the bad habits of life. Quit smoking, alcohol, avoid spicy and stimulating food, such as coffee, strong tea, etc.. Dinner should not be too full.
(3) moderate selection of food that helps nerve function. Such as river fish, sea fish, oysters, shrimp, loach, pig liver, pork loin, walnuts, peanuts, apples, mushrooms, peas, fava beans, milk, etc.
(4) Half an hour before bedtime, no longer use the brain, listen to soft and beautiful music in a tranquil environment. Those who have difficulty falling asleep can also do some loose activities such as walking outside.
(5) before going to bed to 40 ℃ -50 ℃ warm water after washing feet, rub the soles of the feet for a moment. In winter, the feet should be rubbed until warm.
(6) Avoid using hot tonic medicines, such as antler, ginseng, sapodilla, etc.
(7) often participate in gardening activities such as planting flowers and grasses, Taoji temperament, eliminate tension and anxiety, so that the psychological balance.
(8) Drink a glass of milk or eat a little sweet food before going to bed to help improve the quality of sleep.
(9) Early morning activities against the sun, exercise for about half an hour, which helps the adjustment of the biological clock in the body.