Chronic insomnia: causes, symptoms and treatments

Without a doubt, New Year's Eve is the most fun and joyful of the year. During the festive extravaganza, the main thing is not to cross the line beyond which mild intoxication gives way to severe alcohol poisoning. And for this it is important to remember that even in small doses, different alcoholic drinks behave differently.

• Champagne

According to Crimean legend, sparkling wine was discovered by a winegrower's wife. When she began to notice that she was getting older and her husband was paying less and less attention to her, and was looking at young girls, she decided to poison herself. She went down to the basement where the fermented grape juice was stored and drank it, hoping to take her own life with the help of the spoiled drink. But instead she felt very happy, and a blush appeared on her cheeks. They say that from then on ladies fell in love with champagne. It tones, invigorates and very quickly lifts your mood. But this is only after two, maximum three glasses. Then severe intoxication begins and, as a result, a severe hangover. The reason is a large amount of carbon dioxide. Bubbles promote rapid absorption of alcohol into the blood and irritate the digestive tract, increasing the acidity of the stomach. That is why champagne is not recommended for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, which affects about 50% of the world's population; the problem of treating gastritis and chronic gastritis is relevant for many people. Also, champagne is not recommended for gastritis, peptic ulcers, cholecystitis, pancreatitis and colitis.

• Wine

“If you want to seduce the person sitting opposite you, constantly pour him wine,” the French say. Wine quickly hits the head, invites tenderness, and ignites passion. True, sexologists are not supporters of this version and claim that wine only harms potency, but actually improves your mood. Moreover, sweet, semi-sweet, dry and semi-dry wines, all types of Cahors wines act almost the same. Despite the obvious ease, the permissible dose for a woman is no more than 150 g per evening. Too much wine has a negative effect on the kidneys, liver and causes exacerbation of skin diseases. Excessive intake is especially dangerous for overweight people suffering from cerebrovascular accidents, hypertension, skin and cardiovascular diseases.

• Cognac

In the play “The Dinner” by the French playwright Briceville, one of the characters teaches another to drink cognac: “You take the glass, warm it in the palm of your hand, gently rotate it so that the moisture releases the aroma. Then you bring it to your lips, inhale and... put it on the table.” And it's not a joke. Cognac should really be enjoyed - not drunk, but sipped lightly. The fact is that during the preparation of this drink a large amount of essential alcohols and oils are released, which imbue cognac with aroma. In addition, aging cognac in oak barrels for several years enhances the effect of biologically active substances. That is why old cognac in minimal doses is considered an excellent tonic and even medicinal remedy. The norm for ladies is 20 g and not a drop more. It is this portion that gives a pleasant languor, dilates blood vessels, relieves tension and fatigue. In large quantities, cognac has a negative effect on the cardiovascular system, can lead to hypertensive and hypotensive crises and is absolutely contraindicated in diabetes and cholelithiasis.

• Tequila

Although the tequila boom in our country has long since declined, the popularity of this drink is still quite high. Most types of tequila have the same strength - 38-40%.

How to drink tequila? It does not need to be frozen like vodka. It should not be too warm, but not too cold either. The maximum comfortable dose is 100 g, but each sip should be taken with lime. Citrus binds toxic substances contained in the drink, and they lose their harmful properties. Large doses quickly lead to severe intoxication due to high toxicity and cause a serious blow to the liver.

• Vodka

By the way, vodka may well lay claim to the role of a noble drink. But there are conditions - you must drink it chilled to 8–10 ° C, not mix it with other alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks, and eat it properly. Professor Preobrazhensky, who knew medical science, stated: “A more or less self-respecting person operates with hot snacks.” And he was, of course, right. Caviar and pickles dilute the alcoholic essence, and you quickly get drunk. The main thing is not to overdo it with vodka. The dose for women is no more than 50 g. Excessive consumption can lead to headaches, increased blood pressure and tachycardia.

Why does insomnia occur?

Common causes of insomnia in men and women:

1. External factors: Unfavorable environment;
2. Noise, heat or cold, bright light;
3. Lack of physical comfort.

Insomnia in pregnant women is most often caused by night feedings of the baby and increased anxiety.

Main reasons

The causes of night cough in adults can be very different; a sudden attack occurs even due to ordinary discomfort during sleep. Mucus accumulates in the nasopharynx and does not resolve, as a result of which the airways are blocked.

Choking attacks of dry cough at night can occur due to dry or cold air, which irritates the mucous membranes. Airborne viruses are located in the respiratory system and are the most common cause of cough at an early stage.

Allergic reactions of the immune system to external factors can also provoke strong ones.

Severe cough at night in an adult and its causes:

It is very important to correctly diagnose any type of cough and treat it as early as possible to avoid complications.

How can I tell if I have insomnia?

The following complaints suggest this problem:

• Impaired functioning in social and professional environments due to poor sleep;
• Sleep disturbances occur more often than 3 times a week for a month or more.
• Puffiness under the eyes;
• Redness of the eyes;
• Lethargy;
• Depression;
• Dry lips.

It is these signs of insomnia that indicate that you are one of those 10-20% of people who need medical help. But even if sleep problems do not bother you so often, and this does not affect normal functioning in society, you still need to start treatment.

Symptoms

An exact temporal and qualitative definition of insomnia does not yet exist. Insomnia is considered to exist if:

• sleep did not come 30 minutes after going to bed (this means that the person in bed does not read, does not watch TV shows, does not use gadgets and does not have sex);
• Sleeping accounts for at least 85% of the time spent in bed.

What is important is how a person evaluates the quality of sleep, whether he feels refreshed, alert and rested after sleep. If formally the amount of sleep is sufficient, but a person feels overwhelmed and cannot concentrate and work at full capacity during the day, then such manifestations are also chronic insomnia. Daytime disorders can be caused by nightmares, when a person spends the entire day under the impression of the horror experienced the day before.

Fatigue and daytime weakness can be caused by a disruption in the normal alternation of the phases of fast and slow sleep, when the brain cannot fully rest. The total duration of sleep may be normal or even excessive.

Polysomnography or recording a hypnogram using a computer system allows you to accurately determine the type of sleep disorder. The resulting graph shows all phases of sleep, their duration, alternation, and accompanying phenomena. The study provides a comprehensive answer as to why sleep is disturbed, as it records the heart, lungs, muscles, chest and abdominal movements, blood oxygen saturation and much more.

Non-drug treatment for insomnia

If signs of insomnia occur only a few times a year or, for example, during stressful situations, you can try to treat insomnia at home. This will require a lot of patience - you cannot correct the natural patterns of wakefulness and sleep in one day. Try to adhere to the following rules:

• Avoid drinking alcohol in the evenings. “Fire water” may have a sedative effect on the body, but few people know about its detrimental effect on the deep sleep phase. Waking up suddenly after the effects of alcohol wear off is not uncommon.
• Don't smoke, especially in bed. The stimulant effect of nicotine will keep you from falling asleep and also interfere with healthy sleep processes.
• Reduce the amount of caffeine you consume. Caffeine disappears from the body within 12-24 hours. At least 12 hours before falling asleep, you need to stop consuming foods such as coffee, chocolate, tea and cola.
• Research the medications you are using. Many medications disrupt sleep patterns. For example, over-the-counter ones used for colds, as well as those containing pseudoephedrine. They have a tonic effect on the body, like caffeine.
• Try not to overeat before bed. The feeling of fullness in the stomach prevents you from falling asleep. Limit yourself to a light snack. By the way, a glass of milk (warm or cold, it doesn’t matter) will help you fall asleep. Especially if you add a little honey, vanilla or cinnamon to it. The best tea for insomnia is herbal. It does not contain caffeine, unlike its stronger counterpart.
• Take a bath a few hours before bed. A hot bath will relax your muscles, helping you fall asleep. Caution: a bath can also have a stimulating effect, so you should not take it right before bed.
• Do exercises. It’s not a cup of coffee that will help you relieve stress and feel energetic in the morning, but regular exercise. In the evening, physical exercise will help your already tired body to fall asleep. You shouldn’t do it immediately before going to bed - it can disrupt the sleep process, because any body movements stimulate the nervous system.
• The bedroom should be calm. Turn off all noisy devices before going to bed, turn off the lights and draw the curtains. If you can't get rid of the noise, use earplugs. A special sleep mask will help you win the fight against excess light.
• Follow sleep traditions. If you have a certain tradition of falling asleep to the sounds of a running air conditioner, hair dryer or TV - if it helps you fall asleep, why not use it? It's up to you, but be careful.
• The sleeping bed should be comfortable and warm. You should purchase a warm blanket and a comfortable mattress (high density).
• Avoid short naps during the day. Sleeping in fits and starts (no more than 20 minutes) may be invigorating, but it has a detrimental effect on the structure of sleep. This is especially true for those who like to sleep for half an hour after four o’clock in the afternoon - this is not the best time for such a rest. The consequences of such “smoke breaks” are insomnia and irritability.
• Taking a few minutes to read before bed will both relax you and make you fall asleep faster.
• Don't count the sheep! Concentrating on a specific task before bed is harmful. Better imagine yourself in a pleasant environment. Use your imagination. For example, imagine a deserted beach and the sea: quiet and calm. This will help you fall asleep faster.
• The bed is a place of rest. You should not watch horror films, engage in reflection and think about tomorrow. It is better to cause stress and anxiety somewhere outside the bed.

All this should help, but if you have chronic insomnia, treatment will be much more difficult. Of course, even in severe forms of sleep disturbance, it is worth using the indicated treatment methods - combining them with medications and procedures prescribed by the doctor.

Risk group

The disorder most often develops in middle-aged women and the elderly. Women suffer more due to their natural emotionality and tendency to exaggerate existing life difficulties. A complex background is created by worries about children, relatives, and a more acute perception of injustice. A woman is socially vulnerable and less financially protected.

The departure of a spouse is perceived as a tragedy, and the natural weakening of ties with adult children is perceived by some as hopeless loneliness. If a woman has no interests other than family and everyday ones, then the risk of her plunging into illness is very high. Older people of both sexes suffer due to the aging of the brain and decreased need for sleep.

The issue of sleep duration continues to be debated, and there are individual differences. The vast majority of people require 7-8 hours of sleep per day, and lack of sleep ends in illness or nervous breakdown.

The lucky ones who need less for a normal life are no more than 2% of the total population of the planet. There are occasional cases of lack of sleep while maintaining health; to date, only 2 such cases have been described. After heavy physical or emotional stress, sleep duration can be 12 hours or more; this is the norm.

Normally, it takes 3 months to “digest” any traumatic situation. Sleep disturbed by psychological trauma should be restored during this time. If recovery does not occur, we can talk about chronic insomnia.

There are situations in life when, for objective reasons, there is no time to sleep: an upcoming exam, an important meeting, competitions, negotiations, a child’s illness, the death of a relative. Sleep disturbances for such reasons up to 3 days are not considered a disorder.

What pills are used for insomnia?

People are reluctant to resort to medications, but for some reason only doctors do. For the average person, a recognized cure for insomnia is sleeping pills. In fact, such drugs have a depressing effect on the mind, and most of the over-the-counter drugs are dummies based on the placebo effect - no substances, only the patient’s faith in the miraculousness of this pill.

Therefore, you can self-medicate, but only those methods that are listed above are permissible. In other cases, you need to consult a doctor. The doctor will determine the cause of insomnia and only then will prescribe the treatment that will be effective in this particular case. Sometimes the doctor prescribes sleeping pills - but this is only if necessary. You should not use these products without the advice of a specialist; addiction may occur.

Float chambers

The sensory deprivation chamber or float chamber was developed in the USA in the second half of the last century to study the functioning of a healthy brain. From a scientific laboratory, the method quickly moved to commercial use, becoming one of the most profitable areas of business.

Today there are float tanks in almost all major cities. This is a capsule that simulates a state of weightlessness, separating a person from all external stimuli - light, sound, temperature, movements. Without receiving any external stimuli, a person has the opportunity to remain alone with himself.

This experience is useful for those who have muscle tension, unreacted emotions, broken hopes, and life difficulties. The body is completely relaxed and thoughts can flow freely. One or an hour and a half spent in this chamber gives the deepest relaxation. After being in the cell, sleep can last for many hours, in some cases almost a whole day.

Psychiatric help for insomnia

In some cases, the patient may be referred to a psychiatrist. For example, but not necessarily, if insomnia is after heavy drinking or due to any mental trauma, disorder, or increased anxiety. The doctor will do everything possible so that you can sleep normally. Remember that this measure is not at all considered shameful in modern society and is aimed at helping you regain your health.

For depression, antidepressants with a sedative effect can be prescribed:

• Doxepin;
• Trazodone;
• Mirtazapine.

Treatment of insomnia with folk remedies

There are remedies that are less dangerous to the body, and you should pay special attention to them. The methods of traditional medicine cannot be underestimated: these methods have been used by not a single dozen years, not by a single dozen sleepless martyrs. In some cases, they are much more effective than drug treatment.

Important: These remedies do not treat the cause of insomnia. For effective treatment you need to visit a doctor!

Onions for insomnia - there is an opinion that onions have both a sleeping pill and a calming effect. A simple onion salad before bed can help you fall asleep.

Melissa tea - 1-2 teaspoons of dried lemon balm per 1 tbsp. boiling water Infuse for 20 minutes, strain, and then take orally before bed. It has a pleasant lemon taste and a slight hypnotic effect.

Milk and honey – 1 teaspoon of honey in a glass of warm milk, drink before bed.

Apple peel - boil for 5 minutes, adding sugar to taste. Drink instead of tea in the evening.

Breuss's recipe is effective even in the fight against chronic insomnia. Grind and mix: 4 parts dandelion roots and leaves, 1 part valerian root, 5 parts oregano herb, 3 parts mistletoe. 2 tbsp. spoons of the mixture are poured with 500 ml of boiling water, overnight. In the morning, strain the infusion and place it in the refrigerator. Use warm, 2 hours before bedtime, 150 ml. Drink the rest at 2 days. Important: the infusion should not be consumed for more than 10 days, as well as for gastrointestinal disorders, stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcers, cardiovascular diseases, blood pressure problems and pregnancy.

Remember, treating insomnia is very important. All methods are good here, and you shouldn’t disdain any.

Diagnostics

Considering that cough is just a symptom (and often the only one), attempts to combat it as the main initiator of anxiety without identifying the root causes are useless, erroneous and fraught with complications. Patients suffering from cough require clinical, laboratory and instrumental examination. The most common diagnostic algorithm is an examination by a therapist using a phonendoscope and an x-ray. Based on the results, it is possible to determine the range of probable diseases and verify further research.

When determining the cause of cough, the underlying disease must be treated directly. With effective treatment, the cough will stop tormenting you within a few days. Based on the test results, antitussive or expectorant medications are prescribed, respectively.