What’s insomnia and how can we treat it?

Regular, quality sleep is hugely important for the whole body. Most of our vital functions work while we sleep, as an active process works away in our metabolism to prepare the body for the next day. During sleep, the brain is refreshed, learnings and memories are stored, and information is organized. The hormone melatonin, which helps cell regeneration, is also secreted while we sleep. The entire digestive and circulatory system is balanced and the body is renewed. The human body has its own wisdom, where physical and mental health are intrinsically linked. Quality sleep forms the basis of everything the body – and mind – can do.

What is insomnia?
Insomnia is defined as ‘difficulty falling asleep and sleep disturbance’. Many people who suffer from insomnia experience depression and anxiety. Insomnia turns sleep itself into an obsession, where people worry about falling asleep and getting the longest sleep possible. Insomniacs often experience unsettling thoughts during the pre-sleep period, alongside worry, tension and hyperarousal when they’re awake.

When they go to bed, their minds are constantly working. They think about problems they have to solve and things to do the next day, and crucially, they believe that they’ll only be able to sleep if the stress they experience during the day disappears. This great effort to try to fall asleep can lead to depression as a result of it being in vain. Anxiety makes the person believe they’re sleeping less than they really are and that their daytime productivity is worse, so they end up experiencing a complete distortion of reality.

What are common symptoms of insomnia?

If your struggle to sleep has lasted more than one month and occurs at least three days a week, it means you have chronic insomnia. Your circadian rhythms are disrupted, attention and memory problems increase, you experience slower reaction times, your perception is altered, and your risk of disease increases.

Insomnia, which is a symptom in many psychiatric diseases, presents as fatigue, anxiety, burnout, weakness and depression. Symptoms vary from patient to patient, but most experience a noticeable decrease in cognitive abilities, a decrease in work efficiency, and concentration and attention problems.

In cases of insomnia due to medical conditions, various sleep-related movement disorders may occur, such as restlessness, tingling, chills, and itching in the legs or feet. These symptoms, which only occur at night, make it even more difficult to fall asleep.

In the elderly, the circadian rhythm is disrupted by decreased melatonin production. With the disruption of the circadian cycle, symptoms of insomnia and deterioration of sleep quality begin.

In cases of chronic insomnia, the anxiety of not being able to sleep increases over time. As the sufferer’s tension and anxiety increases, their thinking functions slow down and they’re unable to focus on their lives. They become conditioned to make it impossible to sleep in their own bedrooms, and often manage to sleep better away from home, or at irregular hours.

Why do people get insomnia?
Regardless of the cause, insomnia is a serious health problem that negatively affects quality of life and triggers other diseases. There’s still debate over whether insomnia is a symptom or a disease in itself.

Since it’s generally seen as a symptom that appears alongside diseases, it was not considered to be a disease on its own for a long time. According to researchers, if insomnia is not caused by a physical or mental illness, drug use, or stimulants (like alcohol and caffeine), then it can be viewed as a disease. However, if it occurs due to these conditions, it’s called a secondary sleep disorder and is viewed as a symptom.

Although the biggest cause of insomnia is depression, there’s actually a cause and-effect relationship between both. While depression causes insomnia, insomnia can also cause of depression.

What are the effects of sleeplessness on the human body?
Most cases of insomnia occur alongside mood disorders such as depression, so uncontrollable emotions and thoughts commonly take over the mind. With a noisy mind, thoughts begin to be reflected in behavior, including irregular breathing. Abnormal breathing can lead to physical problems, like a weakened immunity and chronic headaches. A lack of sleep disrupts your whole body’s natural programming and diverts its resources to help nourish your muscles and try to stay alert.

How can I get rid of my insomnia?
The causes of insomnia must be investigated before starting any treatment.  First, what are the other sleep disorders, psychological and general medical histories of the insomniac?

A full evaluation is needed to determine the right treatment methods. For example, in order to solve sleep problems that occur when the circadian rhythm is disrupted, ‘circadian harmony’ can be accelerated by methods such as bright light and melatonin supplementation. For shift workers, melatonin taken before daytime sleep has a positive effect on sleep quality, and the use of a bright light during the night shift, followed by wearing sunglasses on the way home, also helps.

In addition to these, it’s possible for people to eliminate or prevent sleep disorders with various measures that they can take in their daily lives.

Basic changes and habits include:
Keeping your body at an ideal weight
Reducing caffeine intake
Stopping smoking
Reducing alcohol consumption
Avoiding food one-two hours before bed
Developing regular sleeping habits

Are there any natural ways to treat insomnia?
There are therapeutic approaches to treat insomnia, aimed at reducing emotional and physiological overstimulation during the 24-hour sleep/wake period. Insomnia can be treated by using behavioral methods such as breathing practices, deep breathing exercise, music therapy, yoga, visualization, relaxation exercise, biofeedback and mediation.

Can meditation treat insomnia?
Meditation is a helpful approach for managing stress and regulating emotions that cause insomnia. Various meditation studies carried out have become an important part of psychology and health under the name of ‘Mindfulness’. MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reductıon) is Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy. By combining cognitive behavior techniques with awareness strategies, it provides better management of emotions and thoughts.

With regular meditation, or by practicing mindfulness, it’s possible to build a healthy and balanced life by being aware of your fears and thoughts and connecting with your own essence.