Insomnia 101 -- What You Need To Know
From:
Jill Daniel
135 days 17 hours 26 minutes ago
Insomnia can affect not only your mental state, but your physical health as well. Glam sat down with Joyce Walsleben, RN, PhD is the past director of the New York University School of Medicine's Sleep Disorders Center and Research Associate Professor in the School of Medicine. She currently serves as Head of Behavioral Sleep Medicine at the NYU Center and Sleep Medicine Associates of NYC. She has authored six book chapters and served as co-editor of the "Time Life Medical series on Insomnia," a self teaching video series. She is co-author of A Woman's Guide to Sleep published by Crown books in October 2000. In addition, she is the co-investigator of two multi-center NIH grants to examine aspects of sleep apnea.
Q: What is insomnia?
A: Insomnia is a sleep disorder and it means difficulty falling and/or staying asleep.
Q: Are there different kinds of insomnia?
A: There are different types of insomnia-and people can experience insomnia differently. There is common or primary insomnia which is categorized as difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep. Secondary insomnia is an insomnia that results from underlying biological disorders or psychiatric disorders. These may include systemic illnesses, depression, anxiety, chronic pain, or substance abuse problems. Secondary insomnia is best treated by addressing the underlying cause of insomnia before treating the symptoms of insomnia. There is also age-related insomnia… Sleeping problems are common in the elderly. In general, older people require the same amount of sleep as younger adults but sleep is less deep than that experienced by younger people and usually more disrupted.
Q:What are the symptoms of insomnia?
A:Trouble falling asleep—falling asleep in anything under 20 minutes is within normal limits. In fact, falling asleep too quickly may indicate sleep deprivation.
Difficulty staying asleep is another sign of insomnia…if you regularly wake up in the middle of the night and can't fall back to sleep and it's a repeated nightly pattern, it could be a sign of insomnia. Waking up feeling tired or sleepy and feeling fatigued throughout the day is also a symptom of insomnia.
Q: How is stress a factor in contributing to insomnia?
A: It’s huge. huge! When you’re stressed, stress increases hormones of activity, dopamine, for example. If you are worried about anything, chances are good that it will increase wakefulness.
Q: What are the most common causes of insomnia?
A: Causes include stress, poor sleep habits and expectations, smoking, alcohol, caffeine, medication side effects, psychiatric disorders, movement disorders, hot flashes, hormonal changes with menses, pregnancy, lactation, menopause.
Q: Is there a certain age range where insomnia is most commonly discovered?
A: Insomnia starts as early as teens, and can worsen in perimenopausal women. The insomnia usually improves after menopause is completed.
Q: Who is at risk for insomnia?
A: Everyone is at risk but more women than men complain of insomnia.
Q: Do you have any advice on proactively preventing this condition?
A: My best advice includes keeping steady waking times…that means you wake up and go to bed at the same time each day; restrict use of caffeine and alcohol; and stop worrying about sleep! Also, a leisurely evening walk can help some people to have a good nights' rest. Heavy exercising before bedtime, however, can cause trouble in falling sleep.
Q: How do you properly diagnose insomnia?
A: Discussing this with your MD can be helpful, but most people know they are having trouble when night after night they are having trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep.
Q: What are the greatest new advances in treating insomnia?
A: There is a new class of drug called Rozerem (ramelteon). It's a melatonin agonist, which means it mimics melatonin and it’s very helpful. There are very little side effects and it is not addictive.
Q: What are traditional and non-traditional ways of treating insomnia?
A: Treatments include cognitive behavioral therapy, a therapy where you follow specific schedules and relaxation techniques and medication—most medications are sedatives, some antidepressants and newer drug classes like melatonin agonists.
Q: What are the latest stats or findings regarding this condition and women?
A: There’s a 2:1 female to male ratio, that means at least twice as many women as men will complain of insomnia.
Q: What are the risks associated with untreated insomnia?
A: Poor performance from sleep deprivation; mood changes; and even weight gain can occur when people are tired throughout the day from sleep deprivation--and they eat unnecessarily to keep themselves energized and awake.
Q: For people who want more information about insomnia is there a website you recommend?
A: They can go to the national Sleep Foundation website at www.sleepfoundation.org and review their surveys on women. They have wonderful stats.
