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Trapped In Insomnia's Vicious Circle

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Trapped In Insomnia's Vicious Circle
Imagine coming home from a exhausting day at school and work and all you want to do is sleep. For some reason, no matter what you do, you cannot. Your brain rotating in every direction trying to reason with you on why you can not fall asleep. Not anything seems to allay people who battle insomnia at night. We as human beings spend one third of our lives in a mysterious, potentially dangerous and seemingly unproductive state of unconsciousness--and no one knows exactly why. Yes, we do need sleep in order to rejuvenate our body and mind. Without sleep, our bodies experience multiple physical and mental malfunctions. Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that scourges millions of people around the world by not …show more content…

Acute insomnia can also be called adjustment, short-term, stress-related, and transient insomnia. The causes can vary from changes in noise, lighting, temperature, or other environmental changes (“The Insomnia Answer” 2006). This type of insomnia is usually ephemeral, it lasts a couple months but not more than four. Insomnia sometimes only lasts a few days and then goes away on its own - especially when the insomnia is tied to an obvious temporary cause. So how exactly do you know if you have acute insomnia? You would experience symptoms such as tension, headaches, mood changes, fatigue during the day, and poor concentration. Acute insomnia can be diagnosed by a history and psychiatric examination. If your insomnia lasts more than three months, you may need to seek further help such as cognitive behavioral therapy or sleeping pills. Other times, insomnia is stubbornly persistent and frustrating. This is called chronic insomnia. (www.verywell.com)
Chronic insomnia is defined as being present for at least three months, but can last for years or decades. It can be caused from a persistent amount of stress but is usually caused from an unrevealed psychiatric or physiologic condition. Anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder can be the main psychological causes of long-standing insomnia. Physiological causes of insomnia can range from circadian rhythm disorders to multiple medical conditions such as congestive heart failure, acid reflux disease, nocturnal asthma, and even trauma to the brain.

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