Health Services
Self Care

Insomnia

Description
Insomnia is difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Exactly how much sleep is needed is an entirely individual matter. Some people feel fine with five or even fewer, hours of sleep each night, while others need ten hours or more. In general, a sleep problem is considered insomnia if a lack of sleep results in fatigue and irritability during waking hours.

Symptoms
Insomnia is not a cause but rather a symptom of several possible problems which can be physiological or psychological in nature.

Physiological causes include:

• caffeine in coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate, diet pills, and some types of over the counter cold medicines
• heavy, spicy, or high-fat bedtime snacks
• strenuous exercise near bedtime which can keep your metabolic level high and may keep you awake
• the use of sleeping pills, alcohol or other sedatives which may produce "rebound insomnia" when they are discontinued by interfering with the normal stages and quality of sleep.
• naps taken to relieve fatigue brought on by insomnia-naps may alter one's biological clock and only disrupt the sleep cycle more.
• insufficient activity during the day, which sometimes signals the brain to become more active at night.

Psychological causes may include:

• anxiety, depression, and an inability to control the body's responses to stress (muscle tension, headaches, indigestion).

Treatment
The following are tips that may help to relieve insomnia.

• Try to establish a regular sleep schedule. Waking up at the same time every day is more important than going to bed at the same time. If you go to sleep very late, get yourself up as close as possible to your normal waking time. Then, catch up on your sleep by going to bed early the following night.
• Avoid stimulants, high-fat and spicy foods, and strenuous exercise several hours before bedtime. Also, avoid sleeping pills or other sedatives. Try not to take naps.
• Drink a warm glass of milk at bedtime; it contains tryptophan, an amino acid which aids sleep. Read a dull book, listen to soft music, take a warm bath, or watch a boring late movie until you feel tired.
• Try relaxation, meditation, guided imagery, or biofeedback.
• Do not lie in bed when you are unable to sleep. Try to engage in any activity that will occupy your mind, and return to bed when you are tired.
• Rather than lying in bed and worrying about tasks you have to do, get up and make a list of these items. Plan a time to think about your problems rather than worrying about them in bed.

More Information/Questions
If you have any additional questions or would like a medical evaluation, Messiah  students may schedule an appointment at the Health Center by calling 691-6035. If you wish to learn more about stress management techniques,  call Counseling Services at 796-5357.