Insomnia as a Health Disorder - Essay Example

Insomnia INSOMNIA The human body functions in a manner that, after a long day of work, a night of sleep is essential. Sleep isimportant in that it enhances metabolism, body immunity and memory consolidation. However, lack of quality sleep results in mood swings, weight gain and cardiovascular problems. In essence, lack of sleep is termed as insomnia. This paper delves on insomnia as a health topic. In medicine, the categories of insomnia are either chronic or acute. Chronic insomnia is highly associated with depression, chronic stress, anxiety, pain and discomfort during a sleeping session.

On the other hand, acute insomnia comes about because of a physical and emotional discomfort, a stressful life, uncomfortable sleeping environment, which is caused by extreme temperatures, noisy neighborhood, and in some cases, acute insomnia comes about because of some prescribed medication. The symptoms, which can confirm that an individual is insomniac, are irritability, general fatigue, inability to concentrate or memorize and feeling sleep during the day. Ultimately, individuals have to realize that constant interference on the normal sleeping routine results in insomnia (Perlis, 2010).

Insomnia as a condition deprives an individual all the benefits associated with having enough sleep. A characteristic aspect of an insomniac is being unproductive. A normal individual expects to allocate 7 to 8 hours of the day for a sleeping session. This will ensure that the individual is refreshed and motivated for the next day’s activities. The crucial function of the brain, learning and memory, is enhanced through memory consolidation, which takes place when an individual is asleep. It is expected that individuals who experience a normal sleeping pattern would perform their tasks better that insomniacs.

The immunity in insomniacs is likely to be compromised as lack of sleep interferes with immune functions. Insomnia is also related to conditions such as irregular heartbeat, hypertension and increased levels of the stress hormone (Perlis, 2010). A number of strategies exist, which if followed will help an individual from falling as a victim of insomnia. The strategies are referred to as sleep hygiene and a careful adherence will ensure a good sleeping session each night. The first step towards sleep hygiene is shunning from taking drinks that contain alcohol, nicotine or caffeine before sleeping, as these stimulates the body and kills sleep.

Secondly, as much as exercising is important it is advisable not to exercise when going to sleep as it will bring stimulation and interfere with sleep. Thirdly, a good sleep habit will entail sleeping and waking at a defined time at night and day respectively. Fourthly, an individual should ensure that the sleeping environment is comfortable; the bedroom should be quiet, dark and the temperature should be accommodative. Finally, in order to avoid insomnia through sleep hygiene an individual will be required to avoid thinking about issues during the sleeping session, as this result in stress that interferes with sleep (Perlis, 2010).

Conclusion Individuals who experience chronic insomnia will be required to seek medical assistance. When treating insomnia, doctors in most cases, will opt to start the diagnosis by identifying any medical or person issues that lead to lack of sleep. Doctors can prescribe sleeping pills, but in other cases, behavioral approach may be the best option. The approaches include sleep restriction therapy and exercises, which will aid in sleep promotion. Sleep is a crucial part of a daily routine, which insomnia can mess up with and as a result, make an individual uncomfortable and unproductive.

Reference Perlis M. (2010). Behavioral Treatments for Sleep Disorders: A Comprehensive Primer of Behavioral Sleep Medicine Interventions. New York: Academic Press.