40. Insomnea Flashcards
What?
7–9 hours sleep is recommended.
Trouble getting to sleep
Difficulty staying asleep (poor sleep quality), Waking up too early.
Why?
Due to stress, Alcohol, Caffeine, Nicotine, Shift work, Noise or light, A room that is too hot or too cold, Depression or anxiety. Certain Medicines: Cold and Allergy Medications · SSRI Medications (Antidepressants) · Beta Blockers (Blood Pressure Medications).
Symptoms?
Tiredness and fatigue during day,Poor concentration and memory,Loss of interest in usual activities,Irritability,Depression and anxiety,Poor work performance,Being at risk of work or motor vehicle accidents
Treatment?
Practising good sleep hygiene and habits
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT):A type of short-term counselling called cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
Melatonin(Melatonin production is suppressed by light.The level of melatonin in your body increases soon after the onset of darkness and is highest between 2–3am thats why people sleep deep during that hour)
sleeping tablets such as zopiclone
Vitamins and supplements: Magnesium: The evidence for sleep problems is unreliable. One study in older people found about a 10 minute decrease in time to fall asleep,
Vitamin B: There is no evidence to support its use.
Benzodiazepines: Benzodiazepines such as triazolam, nitrazepam and zopiclone are not often used because they can cause harm, Taking benzodiazepines for more than 10 nights in a row can make sleeping worse.
Prevention?
Sleep hygiene:going to bed at the same time every night – this will help set your biological clock so you start to feel drowsy at bedtime
reducing or avoiding caffeine, cigarettes and alcohol, especially in the evenings
exercising outdoors early or in the middle of the day (but not too close to your bedtime)
avoiding TV, computer screens and mobile phones for an hour or two before bed, as the artificial light interferes with your natural cues to sleep
not using your bed for work or catching up on social media
Does sleeping tablets work?
Sleep studies show that medicines for sleep only help people fall asleep about 8 to 20 minutes faster. They can cause daytime drowsiness the next day and affect your ability to concentrate and drive safely.
