Insomnia is difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep for long enough to feel refreshed the next morning, even though you’ve had enough opportunity to sleep.
Most people experience sleeping problems at some point in their life. It’s thought that a third of people in the UK have episodes of insomnia. It tends to be more common in women and more likely to occur with age.
It’s difficult to define what normal sleep is because everyone is different. Your age, lifestyle, environment and diet all play a part in influencing the amount of sleep you need.
The most common symptoms of insomnia are:
- difficulty falling asleep
- waking up during the night
- waking up early in the morning
- feeling irritable and tired and finding it difficult to function during the day
Read more about the symptoms of insomnia.
What causes insomnia?
Stress and anxiety are common causes of insomnia.
It is also possible to develop insomnia as a result of conditions such as depression, schizophrenia or asthma.
In some cases, taking certain medication or misusing alcohol or drugs can also cause insomnia.
Read more about the causes of insomnia.
Self-help
There are a number of things you can do to help you get to sleep such as:
- avoiding caffeine later in the day
- avoiding heavy meals late at night
- setting regular times to wake up
- using thick curtains or blinds, an eye mask and earplugs to stop you being woken up by light and noise
These measures are often referred to as ‘good sleep hygiene’.
Relaxation can also help. Try taking a warm bath an hour before you go to bed or listening to calming music.
Read more self-help tips for insomnia.
When to see your GP
You should see your GP if a lack of sleep is affecting your daily life and you feel that it’s causing a problem.
Fatigue due to insomnia can affect your mood and create problems with personal relationships and in the workplace.
Keeping a sleep diary may help you and your GP gain a better understanding of your sleep patterns.
Treating insomnia
The first step in treating insomnia is to identify and treat any underlying health conditions, such as anxiety, that may be causing your sleep problems.
Your GP will probably discuss the self-help measures for insomnia with you (see above) which may help to improve your sleep.
In some cases, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) may be recommended. It’s is a type of talking therapy which may be useful in helping you avoid thoughts and behaviours that are affecting your sleep.
Sleeping tablets are a treatment of last resort and are often only used in the short-term with the smallest possible dose. Although they can sometimes relieve the symptoms of insomnia, they don’t treat the cause. Therefore, if you have long-term insomnia, it’s unlikely that sleeping tablets will help.
Read more about treating insomnia.
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