Insomnia is a type of sleep disorder that occurs when someone has difficulty or cannot sleep. The causes of insomnia vary widely, it can be due to physical or mental problems.

 

This condition can make sufferers not have the sleep time that the body needs. This causes the sufferer's physical condition to be not fit enough to carry out activities the next day.

 

Sleep is a state of unconsciousness that occurs naturally to allow the body to rest. When sleeping, the body will go through alternating cycles between rapid eye movement sleep and non-rapid eye movement sleep.

 

A person may go through four or five sleep cycles in one night. One sleep cycle lasts approximately 90 minutes.

 

This cycle begins with four stages of non-REM sleep, consisting of light sleep to deep sleep. Then, continue with REM sleep and at this stage the dream process occurs.

 

Causes of Insomnia

 

The causes of this condition are quite diverse. Starting from mental problems, to certain medical conditions. The causes also differ based on the type.

 

The causes of the acute type are:

 

• Experiencing stress.
• Remembering a traumatic event.
• Changes in sleep habits, such as moving to a new home.
• Experiencing jet lag or motion sickness.
• Taking certain medications.

 

Meanwhile, the causes of chronic types are:

 

• Chronic pain conditions, such as arthritis or back pain.
• Psychological problems, such as anxiety, depression, or substance use disorders.
• Having sleep apnea and other sleep disorders.
• Having certain health conditions such as diabetes, cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or cardiovascular disease.

 

Chronic conditions can last for at least 3 months and can be primary or secondary. So far, no one knows the cause of primary sleep disorders.

 

However, in the secondary type, other conditions can occur, such as the influence of medical conditions, psychological problems, use of certain substances, and having high blood sugar.

 

Risk Factors

In fact, insomnia can occur at any age and is more likely to occur in women than men, as well as in older people.

Some other factors that can cause or increase the risk of this disease are:

 

Mental problems, such as depression, anxiety disorders, to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

• Shift work, this kind of work can change the body's biological clock.
• Gender, when menstruating the body will experience hormonal changes, this condition causes symptoms of hot flashes or night sweats, causing sleep disorders.
• Age, this difficulty sleeping increases with age.
• Long trips, traveling long distances or jet lag because it crosses several time zones can also trigger insomnia.

 

In addition, having certain medical conditions, such as obesity and cardiovascular disease, can also cause someone to have difficulty sleeping.

Menopause is also said to cause this disorder that makes it difficult to sleep.

  

Types of Insomnia

Based on the cause, insomnia is divided into two types, namely:

• Primary Insomnia. This is a condition that is not related to another disease or medical condition.
• Secondary Insomnia. This is a condition that is related to or occurs due to another disease or medical condition.

In addition, insomnia is also divided into several types, namely:

 

1. Acute Insomnia

This is the type that occurs in the short term. It usually occurs due to stress, such as the loss of a loved one, and changes in relationships or work.

This condition is classified as acute if it occurs for no more than three months. This condition can usually subside when the cause of the stress can be resolved.

2. Chronic Insomnia

The opposite of acute, this type occurs in the long term, or more than three months. The triggers for this condition vary. It can be due to mental health problems, physical illnesses, and the use of certain medications.

 

3. Sleep Onset Insomnia

This type can be seen from symptoms of difficulty sleeping, even though you are sleepy. People with this condition often cannot sleep, even though they have tried to sleep in various ways.

In addition, this condition also causes sufferers to often wake up in the middle of the night and cannot go back to sleep. The triggers can be medical conditions or mental health problems.

4. Pediatric Insomnia

As the name suggests, this is a condition that occurs in children. This can occur due to various causes. For example, a child is used to sleeping while being carried, or given a pacifier. Then can't sleep without these things.

The risk also increases if children do not have a fixed bedtime. Because, children need to have a definite bedtime. Where they need to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.

5. Insomnia Due to Certain Drugs or Substances

This type of condition occurs due to the consumption of certain drugs or stimulants. Including caffeine, alcohol, and certain foods. In this condition, avoiding drugs or substances that trigger it is the solution.

6. Mixed Insomnia

This type of condition occurs due to a combination of various factors. Including sleep onset disorders, disturbed sleep quality, and frequent waking up in the morning.

With all the details above, Lazy Lowie is here to help #lazysquad sleep more comfortably.