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Initial Insomnia: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

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“Sleep is a luxury which I cannot afford.” Do you feel so? Probably you might have insomnia. People suffering from Insomnia have difficulty in falling asleep. Maybe it is about the presence of decreased sleep efficiency or maybe reduced total hours of sleep; insomnia surely reduces one’s potentiality and well-being by some or the other means. There are various types of insomnia and one amongst the types in Initial insomnia, where it becomes difficult for the affected person to initiate sleep. This current article will revolve around Initial insomnia where we will talk about the causes, symptoms, treatments for initial insomnia along with some of the self help tips for initiating sleep and treating initial insomnia in an efficient way.

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Initial Insomnia: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment
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Overview: “Initial insomnia” as a type of Insomnia

Insomnia is a condition where there is decrease in total numbers of sleeping hours or a decreased sleeping efficiency in a person; which in turn results in a deprived productivity and well-being in the person affected. There are various types of insomnia which include the Initial insomnia, Middle insomnia and terminal insomnia. There are also other types of Insomnia including Pycho-physiological insomnia, Paradoxical insomnia, episodic insomnia, chronic insomnia etc.

Talking about the Initial insomnia; this is also known as the onset insomnia where the person affected fails to initiate sleep. Here one might go to bed early but may not get sleep for more than 30 minutes or longer. This type of insomnia or Initial insomnia is linked to anxiety disorders in most cases. We will know more about the Insomnia in our following arrays.

Causes of Initial Insomnia:

There are various reasons which may cause initial insomnia. We can note down the causes as following.

  1. Initial Insomnia Caused Due to Mental Issues: “Stress, tension and worry are some of the mental causes which may lead to initial insomnia. You may not get sleep in case you have some worries about the day’s work or have some stress on your work to be done in the next day and so on. There are some mental illnesses, anxiety disorders which may also result in initial insomnia.
  2. Initial Insomnia Caused Due to Physical Illnesses: You may not fall asleep soon you go to bed because of any physical illness in the body including sore throat, headache, back pain, leg pain etc. So, these are some of the physical causes that can cause initial insomnia.
  3. Initial Insomnia Caused Due to Environmental Issues: Environmental factors also cause initial insomnia. Maybe it is any loud noise outside, maybe your own television, maybe a light coming from outside etc; you may have initial insomnia because of some environmental causes.
  4. Creativity and Night Shift Working can Cause Initial Insomnia: Sometimes creative people create during nights and people who work during night shifts may have initial insomnia. These may be one cause for initial insomnia. It is essential to note that if your creations or your work during night time do not affect your health and you stay happy for your schedule there is nothing to worry. However in case you are anyways affecting your health then it is the time to break your schedule and go for day time works.

Symptoms of Initial Insomnia:

Following may be some of the symptoms noted in people suffering from initial insomnia.

  • People having initial insomnia may have some kind of interference that keeps them from relaxing enough so as to get in to the second sleep stage. They may get into the 1st stage of sleep, i.e. feeling drowsy as if they are going to fall asleep in the next moment, but they won’t be able to manage sleep properly. Something (mental, physical or environmental cause) would awake them widely again.
  • Usually such people show symptoms of worry and stress or some kind of anxiety disorders.
  • Some people may have a hyper-arousal of the nervous system where they do not get into the stage 1 of sleep, i.e. they do not even feel drowsy and stay actively awake for long long hours after going to bed until finally they get sleep.

Treatments for Initial Insomnia:

In this section we will talk about the treatment procedures for initial insomnia.

  1. Medications for Initial Insomnia: Sedatives and sleep medications are taken by most people suffering from insomnia. Benzodiazepines like Triazolam, Temazepam etc and non-benzodiazepines like Zaleplon, Zopiclone etc along with antidepressants and antihistamines are some of the most common medications used to treat insomnia. Though initial insomnia people can adopt these OTC sleep medications or sleeping pills; it must be noted that they have a lot of dangerous side effects and must not be used. Apart from the side effects they cause, they also make you dependent on them forever. Consult with your doctor in case you have serious issues in initial insomnia and go for the prescribed medications.
  2. Cognitive Behavioural therapy for Treating Initial Insomnia: CBT or cognitive Behavioural therapy works greatly in treating initial insomnia. This method of treatment makes one know about various good sleeping habits and encourages you to follow them to induce better sleep. You must reach an expert Cognitive behavioural therapist to know about your conditions and follow the essential steps in CBT to treat your condition in initial insomnia.
  3. Paradoxical Therapy for Treating Initial Insomnia: There is one more therapy that is known to be effective in treating some cases of initial insomnia. In this method, the patient is asked to do exactly opposite of trying to fall asleep.
  4. Treating Initial insomnia by Sleep Restriction Therapy: Sleep restriction therapy is one more therapy known to be used in treating initial insomnia or any other type of insomnia. Here the affected person is made awake by any means on a compulsive manner, irrespective of the total number of hours he or she slept last night. This helps him or her to fall asleep early or as soon as he/she goes to the bed in the night again.
  5. Relaxation Therapy for Treating Initial Insomnia: Relaxation therapy is one of the most effective means for treating initial insomnia. It must be noted that there are various relaxation techniques for inducing sleep and one must practice and go for it in a proper and strict basis for better results.
  6. Treating Initial Insomnia via Reconditioning: Reconditioning can help you fall asleep during night. It intends to condition your body to associate the bed and bedtime with sleep. Here people are properly advised to go to sleep only when they feel extremely sleepy and wake up in case they do not fall asleep in 30 minutes of going to the bed and try out sleeping after 30 minutes. They are also encouraged to go to the bed at the same time in night every day and wake up at the same time irrespective of whatever amount of sleep they have. Here, the patients are not allowed to go for simple napping.

Self Help Tips To Deal With Initial Insomnia:

“Helping self to come out of any condition is the best way to have a real healing.” Here we will talk about some of the self help tips to deal with initial insomnia.

  • Encourage good sleeping habits to induce sleep and over come initial insomnia.
  • Best way to deal with initial insomnia is to restrict taking coffee, chocolate or energy drinks.
  • Go for active exercise programs on a daily basis.
  • Encourage healthy and appropriate diet plan to help avoid initial insomnia.
  • Control or manage your bedroom as per your sleeping needs.
  • Relax before going to bed. Calm you down and try to have a peace of mind before going to bed.
  • Maintain an active routine all throughout the day. This would help you get sleep during nights in a quick and effective way.
  • Keep a relaxation time for self so as to keep away from excessive stress of daily life.
  • Meditate for few minutes, at least for one or two times a day.
  • Talk to your doctor in case your symptoms do not reduce or in case they gradually increase with passing days.

Good Sleeping Habits that Can Induce Sleep to Treat Initial Insomnia

A quote from Thomas dekkar says, “Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together”. It is essential for everyone to have good sleeping habits. Encouraging good sleeping habits induces good sleep. Following are some of the good sleeping habits that can induce sleep and help in treating initial insomnia.

  • Make sure you are not taking alcohol, caffeine etc, at least 4-6 hours before bed.
  • Nicotine near bedtime must also be avoided.
  • Make sure you are not having a heavy meal during nights. A light snack before bed may induce sleep.
  • Do not go for vigorous exercise within 3 hours of bed time. However a moderate level of exercise during afternoon or late afternoon may help you have a deep sleep
  • Make sure you are not sleeping more than 8 hours per night. This can disturb your sleeping schedule.
  • Go to bed only when you feel sleepy
  • Keep your room environment pretty good for getting you sleep. Minimize the noise, light etc in case you can.
  • Come out of bed in case you do not fall asleep within 30 minutes after going to the bed. Take some deep breaths, calm yourself and try to go to the bed after 30 minutes.
  • Minimize the ringer volume of your phone or completely switch your phone off.

Conclusion:

“Insomnia- A thief that robs from me every night”. If this is what you feel about your condition in initial insomnia, try out the above mentioned steps for treating self and practice the good sleeping habits for inducing sleep.

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In case of any serious symptoms in initial insomnia, kindly consult with your doctor without fail.

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Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:January 28, 2019

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