Insomnia

Prepared by :Taghreed Al-Attar

What is insomnia?

Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by problems in a person’s sleeping patterns and affects people differently

Insomnia affects all age group Among adults, Insomnia affects women

more often than men Insomnia tends to increase with age

Sleep stages

We cycle through the stages of sleep about every 90 minutes during the night, in the same order

Most dreaming occurs during the second half of the night, as REM sleep lasts longer and longer

Sleep stages cont.

Stage 1: Very light sleep Stage 2: Light sleep Stage 3: Deeper sleep Stage 4: Very deep sleep, most

restorative Stage 5: REM sleep, when we dream

Types of insomnia

Transient: Less than 2 weeks Intermittent: Repetitive episodes of

transient insomnia Chronic: Continuing difficulty with sleep

Causes

Stress Anxiety Medications Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol Medical conditions Change in environment or work schedule Poor sleep habits Eating too much late in the evening

Consequences

Impaired mental functioning Accidents Stress and depression Heart disease Headaches Economic effects

Need to know

On average, most people need between seven and nine hours of good sleep each night in order to feel alert the next day

See a doctor if the insomnia lasts more than a few weeks

Insomnia can have physical and psychological effects

Treatment

See a doctor Take a warm bath Listen to Quran Drink warm milk Drink herbal tea Provide comfortable sleep environment Count something Take medications