Repeatedly find yourself wide awake in the middle of the night despite constant effort to fall asleep? If the answer is a firm yes, you may want to consider a therapist for proper diagnosis as you may be experiencing early signs of insomnia.
What is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a sleeping disorder mostly affecting adults. Under insomnia, patients’ sleeping cycle is affected,impacting their overall productivity and ability to carry out everyday tasks without difficulty.
The American Sleep Associationstates that nearly 70 million of the population in the United States experience sleep disorders. 30% and 10% of these adults are diagnosed with short-term and long-term insomnia.
1. Signs of Chronic Insomnia
To be diagnosed as a chronic insomnia patient, you should have insomnia symptoms thrice a week for three consecutive months. The diagnosis is made based on two factors: inability to sleep despite the right environment and impairments during the day.
Sleep onset insomnia is trouble falling asleep, whereas sleep maintenance insomnia is defined as difficulty staying asleep. In certain cases, you might experience both. Research suggests that these symptoms have been commonly found in patients of all age groups. You may be diagnosed as a chronic insomnia patient if your sleep latency periods (the time duration required for you to sleep) or staying awake throughout the day is more than twenty minutes.
If you havechronic insomnia, you may also find yourself waking up sooner or more frequently than you would like. Along with difficulty in sleeping and staying asleep, you may also experience the following symptoms:
- Lethargy
- Mood swings
- Irritability
- Difficulty in concentrating on everyday tasks
- Behavior issues such as aggressiveness and hyperactivity
2. Signs for Short-Term Insomnia
The diagnostic criteria and signs for short-term insomnia patientsare quite similar to chronic insomnia patients. However, the major distinction in these conditions is that you will face difficulty falling and staying asleep for less than three times a week in under three months.
It’s important to distinguishbetween this type of insomnia and difficulty sleeping caused by factors such as jetlag and dirty work hours. Peopleworking night shifts may find it difficult to sleep during the day and may take it as a sign of insomnia.
Some patients feel their symptoms gradually disappearing if they are caused by a traumatic event such as the death of a loved one. However, it’s important to follow up with your therapist to check your progress.
Insomnia is more than an inconvenience to sleep. It’s a mental health issue that can cause severe health conditions if not treated timely. Different medications are available to assist patients in sleeping, such as zolpidem. Seek professional help without any delay if you’re experiencing any of the above-mentioned symptoms.
Contact us for your diagnosis. We provide mental health services to the residents of Dallas, TX. You can also check out our website for other services such as psychiatric evaluation and depression treatment.