Overthinking at night? 6 strategies for better sleep

From eu.detroitnews.com

Lisa Strauss  |  Special to the Washington Post

Overthinking at night - about insomnia and other matters - is a common problem for many of my patients with sleep disorders. It interferes with falling asleep or going back to sleep, and prevents peaceful rest when they can't sleep anyway.

Overthinking usually refers to thought processes such as racing thoughts or perseveration. The content - such as worries or the next day's demands - may also be maladaptive. It may be fuelled by a diagnosable condition such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or hypomania. It can also be stimulated by intense experiences such as stress, exciting plans, perfectionism, insecurity, caffeine use or a painful or worrisome life event. 

Overthinking usually refers to thought processes such as racing thoughts or perseveration. DREAMSTIME, TNS

There are many psychological tools to help with overthinking, but two people with comparable struggles may not benefit from or prefer the same tools. We insomnia specialists try to have available sizable and diverse tool kits that address cause or manifestation without sacrificing specificity.

Irrespective of tools, there are some general principles that may help with overthinking:

-Suppressing unwanted thoughts may make them more determined, and they can come roaring back. Good techniques allow us to coexist peaceably with our thoughts.

-At night, it is best to use simple, calming techniques that do not re-litigate the content of our concerns.

-Issues that inflame overthinking - such as overwork, too little support, isolation, guilt, mental health concerns and insufficient exercise - matter. Why are you overthinking? What do you need more or less of in your life? These questions are best addressed during the day or early evening.

-Engaging in abundant negative or anxious thinking can condition unwanted habits of mind. The Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh cautions us to be careful which plants we water over and over in our minds. These are the plants that will grow big and strong and, in turn, demand more care and feeding.

One of my patients was a caring partner, mother and friend, and successful in a meaningful and demanding career. She had a child with mental health challenges and would lie awake at night worrying, questioning her own actions and gaming out possible scenarios.

The thinking was unconstructive and interfered with rest and sleep. Talking through her feelings of helplessness and fear was important. I also offered her some strategies that helped. Here are some of them:

Use a soothing distractor

During periods of insomnia, turn to more soothing thoughts to compete with your default thoughts. The human mind cannot entertain two narratives simultaneously.

Listen to peaceful audio books, podcasts or conversational radio programs, or read calming stories or books (with the light very dim and blue-blocked). Each time the unwanted thoughts arise, don't push them away. Let them recede into the background and gently return your attention to your soothing distractor.

If interior techniques such as visualizations last long enough for you (they don't for many people), walk through a calming and pleasant memory such as a vacation or the rooms of your grandmother's house. Don't choose a distractor that would keep you up, and don't focus on sleep as a goal while using it.

Schedule worry time

This is, at most, a 30-minute technique that should be used in the early evening, after the stressful part of the day but hours before sleep in case it leaves some residue of stress or worry.

By facing problems constructively, they are less likely to plague us at night. This technique also teaches us to tolerate not acting or ruminating when it isn't time.

List all your worries and stressors. For each one, ask yourself: Is there anything I can do about this in the next two weeks (even if I can't completely resolve the issue)? If yes, what can you do and precisely when will you do it? Action steps should mitigate either the problem itself, such as working out a payment plan for an overdue bill, or its emotional effect, such as reminding oneself that more income-generating work is forthcoming.

Update the list each evening and continue with the action steps until you no longer need the technique.

Give yourself a few optional minutes each evening to think any way you'd like about the items on the list. The rest of the day and night, when the thoughts arise, say, "Not now; I'll get to you during my scheduled worry time." If you have determined that there is nothing to be done about a certain problem, when thoughts about it arise, remind yourself that there is nothing to do.

Try exposure therapy for thoughts

This is a daytime technique. Variants are used for the thoughts that can accompany OCD, but I teach it for preoccupying thoughts more generally.

-Take a few days to list your recurrent negative and anxious thoughts.

-Record them into the audio recorder on your phone or computer three times in a singular long recording.

-The first time, recite the thoughts in the tone in which they naturally pop into your head.

-The second time, exaggerate that tone.

-The third time, make the tone absurd.

-Listen to the recording on a loop for an hour a day while you are doing something else such as playing a computer game that doesn't involve words or sound, or cleaning up.

You may feel a bit worse at first (and you can always abandon the technique if you need to). After several days, though, the recording should become boring and repetitive background noise such that when the thoughts arise in the privacy of your head, they are easily relegated to the background.

Examine overlooked feelings

This is a technique for getting in touch with buried feelings. I suggest it especially to those who are preternaturally competent and stoical, rarely letting themselves feel vulnerable. The feelings may catch up with them at night in the form of distress and overthinking.

Early morning is a nice, quiet time for getting in touch with underattended feelings. It is a listening task, not a thinking task.

Prompt yourself with half sentences such as: "What I'm scared of is" or "What I'm sad about is" or "What I'm disappointed by is" or "What I feel ashamed about is" or "What I regret is" or "What I've been most traumatized by is." Pick a few half-sentences per sitting. Commit to thoughtfully addressing what arises at a later time (not at night).

Think rationally

Cognitive-therapy techniques invite us to bring rational thinking - for instance, evidence for and against, and correction of cognitive distortions - to bear on our assumptions.

These can be excellent tools during the day for reappraising our worries and other upsetting thoughts. For example, if you are worrying about something, ask yourself what are the worst, best and most likely outcomes, in that order.

Self-soothe

Underneath the rational layer, there can be a primally frightened part of us. Children don't ask their parents for proof of their soothing assertions or ask what qualifies them to make those assertions; they bask in the soothing.

Cultivate more soothing language and a kinder tone toward yourself (day and night), and try to believe yourself. There are many other strategies for self-soothing as well.

I have written previously about repeatedly observing one's own overthinking to cultivate self-awareness and establish a competing habit of mind. There are many other useful techniques - from meditation to journaling to wind-down time to relaxation techniques such as breathing to slow your thoughts and Yoga Nidra to keeping a pad of paper bedside (to be used very sparingly) for jotting down things you want to remember tomorrow to worry exposure.

I hope some of my suggested techniques offer you a great start and help you reduce or eliminate overthinking and get restful sleep.

Lisa Strauss, PhD, is a clinical psychologist in private practice in the Boston area. She specializes in sleep disorders.

https://eu.detroitnews.com/story/life/2023/08/28/overthinking-at-night-6-strategies-for-better-sleep/70699110007/

How To Conquer Insomnia: Tips To Get You Sleeping Again

From suchtv.pk

Are you having trouble with insomnia? While everyone doesn’t need the same amount of sleep, most adults need between seven to nine hours of shut eye per night. As you get older, you may get tired earlier and wake up earlier, but you still need the same amount of sleep. 

According to international media reports, “Sleep is essential for your physical and mental well-being,” says Michael Pham, DO, an internal medicine physician at Scripps Coastal Medical Centre Carlsbad. “Adequate sleep helps restore your energy, boost your mood, lower your blood pressure and produce hormones that help build muscle, repair cells and tissue, fight infection and control appetite.”

Remember that if you sleep better, you’ll feel better. Untreated insomnia can lead to significant health issues, including obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and issues with memory.

1. Limit caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant and can stay in your system for up to eight hours. Limit yourself to one caffeinated drink early in the day.

2. Get regular exercise
“Not being active enough during the day can make it harder for you to sleep at night, regular exercise can help you sleep better,” says Dr. Pham.

Aim to finish your workout about three to four hours before you go to bed, or you may feel too alert to doze off.

3. Eat light at night
Eating a heavy or spicy meal too close to bedtime can cause discomfort from indigestion and make it hard to drift off to sleep.

Have dinner earlier in the evening. “If you are still hungry before bedtime, make your choice mindfully and meaningfully,” Dr. Pham says. “Consider whole food options or foods that are rich in fibre, protein, vitamins, minerals, and/or healthy fats such as vegetables and hummus or berries and yogurt.”

4. Stick to a consistent sleep schedule
Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day. While it might be tempting to sleep in on the weekends, this can throw off the body’s natural clock, making it more difficult to get to sleep later in the night.

5. Keep it quiet
Noises such as nearby traffic, dogs barking, or a dripping faucet can chip away at your rest. If there are noises you can’t avoid during the night, try earplugs, a fan or a white-noise machine.

6. Turn off your phone
Blue wavelength light from digital devices, including phones, tablets and computers, keeps us alert, and inhibits the production of melatonin, the hormone needed for sleep.

“Turn off all your devices about an hour before bedtime,” says Dr. Pham. “If you do choose to use technology during that hour, keep it 14 inches from your face and dim the brightness to reduce the blue light and promote the natural melatonin release.”

7. Relax
Try not to stress or worry about tomorrow’s problem before bedtime. During the last hour before bedtime, start winding down and engage in an activity that is relaxing. Try a warm bath, meditating, listening to music or reading.

https://www.suchtv.pk/health/item/121204-how-to-conquer-insomnia-tips-to-get-you-sleeping-again.html

Screen time contributes to sleep deprivation in tweens, teens. Rest is critical to mental health

From kansasreflector.com

By Maida Lynn Chen

With the start of a new school year comes the inevitable battle to get kids back into a healthy bedtime routine. In many cases, this likely means resetting boundaries on screen use, especially late in the evenings. But imposing and enforcing those rules can be easier said than done.

A growing body of research is finding strong links between sleep, mental health and screen time in teens and tweens — the term for pre-adolescent children around the ages of 10 to 12. Amid an unprecedented mental health crisis in which some 42% of adolescents in the U.S. are suffering from mental health issues, teens are also getting too little sleep.

And it is a vicious cycle: Both a lack of sleep and the heightened activity involved in the consumption of social media and video games before bedtime can exacerbate or even trigger anxiety and depression that warrant intervention.

I am the lead physician of the sleep centre at Seattle Children’s Hospital, where I study various paediatric sleep disorders. Our team of physicians and providers routinely observe first-hand the negative effects of excessive screen time, and particularly social media, both of which affect not only sleep, but also the physical and mental health of our patients.

Relationship between mental health and poor sleep

Research has long shown a clear relationship between mental health and sleep: Poor sleep can lead to poor mental health and vice versa. People with depression and anxiety commonly have insomnia, a condition in which people have trouble falling or staying asleep, or both, or getting refreshing sleep. That ongoing sleep deprivation further worsens the very depression and anxiety that caused the insomnia in the first place.

What’s more, insomnia and poor-quality sleep may also blunt the benefits of therapy and medication. At its worst, chronic sleep deprivation increases the risk of suicide. One study found that just one hour less sleep during the week was associated with “significantly greater odds of feeling hopeless, seriously considering suicide, suicide attempts and substance use.”

And what do young people do when lying in bed awake, frustrated and unable to sleep? You guessed it — far too often, they get on their smart devices.

Studies across the world in over 120,000 youth ages 6 to 18 who engage in any sort of social media have repeatedly shown worsened quality and decreased quantity of sleep. This is happening across the globe, not just in the U.S.

 

The strong pull of screens and social media

              When teens can’t sleep, they often scroll online well into the night, which only exacerbates the problem.                                                                              (ljubaphoto/E+ via Getty Images)

Although social media has some benefits, I believe research makes it clear that there are significantly more downsides to social media consumption than upsides.

For one, scrolling social media requires being awake, and hence, displaces sleep.

Second, the light emitted from most hand-held devices, even with a night filter, a blue light filter or both, is enough to decrease levels of melatonin, the primary hormone that signals the onset of sleep.

When melatonin release is inhibited by staring at a lit device near bedtime, falling asleep becomes more challenging. For some people, melatonin supplements can help with inducing sleep. However, supplements cannot overcome the highly stimulating powers of internet content and light.

Third, and perhaps most problematic, is the content that young people are consuming. Taking in fast-paced imagery like that found on TikTok or video games before bedtime is disruptive because the brain and body are highly stimulated by these exposures, and require time to settle back into a state that is conducive to sleep.

But it’s not just the speed of the imagery flitting by. Media content can disrupt both nondream and dream sleep. Have you ever fallen asleep watching a disturbing thriller or a horror movie and had scenes from that movie enter your dreams? And it’s not just dreams that are affected – the brain also may not sustain deep nondream sleep since it is still processing those fast-paced images. These intrusions in your sleep can be very disruptive to overall quality and quantity of sleep.

Worst of all, social media can contribute to FOMO – short for the fear of missing out. This can occur when a teen becomes enmeshed with an influencer or role model through posts, reels and stories, all of which are cultivated to reflect unrealistic perfection, not reality.

In addition, research has found a clear link between social media consumption and poor body image in kids and teens, as well as overall worse mental health and worsened sleep problems.

These issues are troubling enough that in May 2023, the surgeon general issued a statement warning of the dangers of social media and encouraging caregivers, teachers and policymakers to work together to create a safer online environment.

 

A state of chronic sleep deprivation

Making sleep a high priority is a cornerstone of overall health and mental health, and it is also key to staying alert and attentive during the school day.

Multiple professional medical and scientific organisations have recommended that teens sleep eight to 10 hours per night. But only 1 in 5 high schoolers come close to that.

Some of this is due to school start times that don’t align with the natural rhythms of most teens, so they don’t fall asleep early enough on weekdays.

Teens who don’t get enough sleep may suffer from weak academic performance, a lack of organizational skills and mediocre decision-making. Teens don’t have fully formed frontal lobes, the part of the brain that controls impulse and judgment. Sleep deprivation further impairs those behaviours. This, in turn, may lead to poor decisions regarding drug and alcohol use, driving under the influence, sexual promiscuity, fighting or the use of weapons, and more. And these behaviours can start in middle school, if not earlier.

In addition, sleep deprivation is directly linked with high blood pressure, heart attacks and the development of diabetes in adulthood. Lack of adequate sleep is also linked with childhood and adolescent obesity. Undesired weight gain occurs with sleep deprivation though a series of complex mechanisms, including shifts in metabolism, a more sedentary lifestyle and poor dietary choices.

 

A way forward

So what can be done to pry teens and tweens away from their screens? Keeping goals realistic is key, and sometimes it is helpful to start by focusing on just one goal.

Parents need to prioritize sleep for the entire household and model good screen time habits. Caregivers too often send mixed messages around screen time use, given their own bad habits.

Ultimately, parents and caregivers need to recognize the warning signs of sleep deprivation and progressive mood and anxiety disorders. Seek professional help for disordered sleep, troubled mental health or both, keeping in mind that finding mental health professionals can take time.

When it comes to digital media, the American Academy of Paediatrics recommends avoiding screens for at least an hour before going to bed and not sleeping with devices in the bedroom.

For older kids who have homework to do online, avoiding screen use right before bedtime can feel next to impossible. What’s more, this rule tends to lead to covert use of electronic devices. 

So if one hour before bedtime is too stringent, then start by avoiding media for even 15 or 30 minutes prior to going to sleep. Or if some media is needed as a compromise, try watching something passive, like TV, rather than engaging in social media apps like Snapchat.

Remember that not everything has to be done all at once – incremental changes can make a big difference over time.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

https://kansasreflector.com/2023/08/26/screen-time-contributes-to-sleep-deprivation-in-tweens-teens-rest-is-critical-to-mental-health/ 

Heatwaves ‘harm and erode sleep’. Here’s how to cool down amid soaring temperatures

From uk.news.yahoo.com

As parts of Europe suffocate from soaring temperatures, some may notice that it can be harder to get a decent night of sleep.

Yet getting an adequate amount of sleep is essential for our well-being with sleep deprivation linked to several chronic health conditions including high blood pressure, obesity and depression.

As summer heatwaves become more frequent amid climate change, here’s a look at how our sleep could be impacted and what you can do to cool down before bed.

How does heat impact our sleep?

Experts recommend sleeping in a room that is between 15 to 20 C for the best night’s sleep, with some research showing that people do not sleep well when the environment is either too warm or too cold.

Kelton Minor, a postdoctoral research scientist at Columbia University in the US, published a study earlier this year that analysed millions of records to determine the impact of temperature on people’s sleep.

“We found that under normal living routines, people appear far better at adapting to colder outside temperatures than hotter conditions,” he told Euronews Next.

“Across seasons, demographics, and different climate contexts, warmer outside temperatures consistently harm and erode sleep, with the amount of sleep loss progressively increasing as temperatures become hotter,” he added.

           Indians sleep on the roof of a house to beat the heat in New Delhi, 2015. - AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal, File

Night time temperatures greater than 25 C increased the probability of getting fewer than seven hours of sleep by 3.5 per cent, the researchers found.

This can lead to a host of problems related to lack of sleep including occupational injury, worsened cognitive functioning, and risk for cardiovascular disease, Minor said.

Some studies have shown that exposure to humid heat during sleep can increase wakefulness and decrease rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and slow wave sleep (SWS). It can also impact your body’s temperature regulation during sleep.

Dr Milena Pavlova, an associate professor of neurology at Harvard University and neurologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in the US said that "having frequent sleep disruptions and a lower sleep amount has a very negative effect on virtually any disease that has been studied in relation to sleep".

"Recent studies have shown that during sleep is when we actually clear the toxins from our brain, and these are the same toxins that tend to accumulate in pathological conditions like Alzheimer's," she said.

"More heatwaves (cause) more disturbed sleep, (though) we don't have a measure yet for this, we can be suspicious that this may actually cause an increase in conditions (such as) cognitive disorders".

Older individuals, who already have a higher prevalence of insomnia, could also be more vulnerable to heatwaves, with one study suggesting that even mild heat exposure can decrease REM sleep for older men.

"Anything that is disordered in terms of sleep, particularly for people who have difficulty falling or staying asleep, will get worse," said Pavlova.

What can you do to get a better night’s sleep?

An analysis published in the Journal of Sleep Research last year said that some typical methods for treating insomnia can help people to get a better night’s sleep during heatwaves.

“Although not all who struggle with heatwave-related sleep problems may have insomnia, these tips about temperature management can also serve those who normally do not have sleep complaints,” the authors said.

They recommend several methods for cooling down before going to bed including staying hydrated, limiting clothing or wearing cotton, avoiding alcohol, and taking a lukewarm or cool (not cold) shower.

                                                           Here are some tips for cooling off - Euronews, Canva

Fans can help to cool down the room without using as much energy as air conditioning.

While naps can be useful in extreme heat, the researchers said they should be limited to fewer than 20 minutes and not be taken too late in the afternoon.

Pavlova recommends "general sleep hygiene (including) having regularity to the sleep cycle, using the bed for sleep and not for other things and avoiding heat sources close to the bed (such as your computer)".

Policymakers, meanwhile, should encourage equitable access to air conditioning and sustainable energy sources to handle the increased demand, according to Minor, as well as increasing tree coverage and vegetation.

“Unlike air conditioning, these measures can lower local environmental temperatures without discharging waste heat into surrounding areas,” he said.

“This also presents an opportunity for architects, engineers, and designers to contribute positively towards promoting resilient sleep in a warming world”.

How can climate change impact our sleep?

Temperatures are rising rapidly as humans continue to release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

July 2023 had the highest global surface air temperature on record for any month becoming the warmest in Earth’s recent history, according to Copernicus, the EU’s earth observation programme.

In Europe, temperatures have increased more than twice the global average over the past three decades.

Minor said that many people aren’t aware that night time temperatures are rising faster than daytime temperatures in most populated regions. This, in turn, will impact people’s sleep.

In his study released in May, they used global climate models to anticipate future sleep loss and found that if countries continue emitting greenhouse gases at the current rate, by 2099 each person could lose an average of 50 to 58 hours of sleep per year.

“This highlights that efforts to curb greenhouse gas concentrations today could help alleviate the uneven impact of night-time warming on human sleep loss globally,” said Minor.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/heatwaves-harm-erode-sleep-cool-115243287.html 

Use these tips to beat insomnia for good

From thenantwichnews.co.uk

Getting a restful night of sleep is pivotal for good health. Without it, you become irritable, fatigued, and may find it difficult to concentrate.

The symptoms are even worse over a long period – if you regularly don’t get enough sleep, you are at a greater risk for diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

That’s why it’s so important to address insomnia.

What is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a sleep disorder that makes it hard to fall or stay asleep during the night. Some of the most common symptoms are:

• Waking up throughout the night
• Trouble falling asleep
• Tiredness during the day
• Difficulty with focus
• Never feeling well-rested enough

These symptoms are usually persistent and can wreak havoc on a person’s professional and personal life.

However, it’s good to know that there are ways to manage and treat it.

If you have insomnia, the following tips can help you beat it for good.

Avoid Caffeine
Most people won’t want to give up caffeine. The good news is that you don’t have to eliminate all caffeine from your life – just any caffeine after around midday.

That’s because caffeine can stay in your system for many hours, making it difficult to fall asleep long after you’ve enjoyed that cup of joe.

By sticking to decaf during the afternoon, you’ll find you drop off to sleep easier during the night.

Keep Your Bedroom Dark and Cool
A cool, dark room is the perfect environment for sleep.

On the other hand, too much light and a hot space will make you toss and turn throughout the night.

So, in the summertime, get some blackout curtains to block out the light.

You may also benefit from an AC unit in your bedroom to keep the temperature low enough to sleep well.

Only Use Your Bedroom for Sleep
Using your bedroom for multiple activities, such as watching TV or eating, will convince your brain that it’s not an area to sleep in.

However, if you reserve your bedroom only for the night time, your brain will start to associate the bed with sleep, thus making you sleepy as soon as your head hits the pillow.

See a Doctor
Sometimes, home treatments simply aren’t good enough.

If your insomnia has been plaguing you for a long time, it’s time to see a doctor. Treatments usually include prescription sleep medications.

If you’ve been to the doctor multiple times over the years and have still not found the right treatment – or you don’t want to take sleeping pills for the rest of your life – there is another option: medical cannabis.

If your sleep condition is severe, it could be a solution.

To get medical cannabis, you will need a prescription from a doctor, you could talk to a specialist medical clinic like Releaf.

If your condition makes that possible, you can get a Medical Cannabis Card to prove that you are legally allowed to purchase, hold, and take cannabis.

This might be useful if you live in a place where cannabis is not entirely legal for recreational use.

Set a Sleep Schedule
One reason so many people have insomnia is that they don’t have a set sleeping schedule.

If you go to bed at different hours every night, your body won’t know when to start unwinding.

So, create a schedule and stick to it.

It will be challenging at first – you might find you’re staring at the ceiling for a long time – but if you stick to it, hopefully, your body will become used to the new routine.

https://thenantwichnews.co.uk/2023/08/19/feature-use-these-tips-to-beat-insomnia-for-good/ 

Health Conditions That Cause Insomnia

From healthdigest.com

Everyone has a bad night's sleep every now and then, but that's not the same thing as having insomnia. As the Mayo Clinic explains, there are three main characteristics of this sleep disorder. One, a person has problems falling asleep. Two, a person can fall asleep but cannot stay asleep. And three, a person wakes up before they're supposed to and has problems falling back to sleep.

Now, if you're thinking "I couldn't fall asleep last night, so I must have insomnia," don't panic. According to the Mayo Clinic, even short-term insomnia typically spans days or weeks rather than a single night. It also tends to be because of something emotional like stress. With that said, there is also chronic insomnia where sleep problems continue for at least a month. And beyond feeling tired, insomnia can affect things like memory and focus, as well as one's emotional well-being.

While insomnia can be a health condition all on its own, it also can be connected to other medical problems, per Mayo Clinic. And here's where things can get a little tricky. As we're about to explore, it can vary whether insomnia is the result of or the culprit behind a health problem. And sometimes, even though a health issue is the reason why someone has insomnia, the insomnia could also exacerbate that health issue, creating a cycle that further hurts one's health. So, if you have insomnia, it's important to speak with a healthcare professional.

                                                               Pormezz/Shutterstock

Asthma

If a person has asthma, they can have difficulty breathing in part because their airways can become tighter (they also can be obstructed by higher than normal amounts of mucus), according to Cleveland Clinic. Asthma patients experience health issues like wheezing and tightness in the chest. Also, it's not uncommon for people who have asthma to cough, in particular at night, which could interfere with sleep.

According to a 2022 study in the Journal of Asthma and Allergy, "Insomnia symptoms have been reported in approximately one-third of patients with asthma ... " In particular, if someone is either not treating/controlling their asthma or their treatments aren't enough to properly control their asthma, that can make it harder to get a good night's rest. Also, the Journal notes that there are "associated comorbidities" to asthma that could also be part of a person's sleep issues. As WebMD explains, if someone has comorbidities, then they have more than one health issue. In the case of asthma patients, they might also have health problems like chronic rhinitis and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), either of which could be bad for one's sleep.

While better controlling asthma might help with insomnia (per Journal of Asthma and Allergy), it's also important for people to know what to do in case of a severe asthma attack. As the Cleveland Clinic explains, a rescue inhaler might help but isn't always enough. So, if a person with asthma starts to experience symptoms like severe wheezing and/or coughing, problems talking, or chest pain, seek emergency medical help.

Depression

Often people will use the word "depressed" when they really mean they're feeling down on a particular day. This, however, is not the same thing as major depressive disorder (aka depression), which, as the American Psychiatric Association explains, is a medical illness. For one, for someone to be diagnosed with depression, they would have to experience symptoms (like problems concentrating, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities, and thoughts of suicide) for at least two weeks. Additionally, those symptoms would have to interfere with how that person functions. And while depression can lead to getting too much sleep, it also can interfere with getting enough sleep.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, there's a bit of a chicken-or-the-egg situation when it comes to insomnia and depression. Yes, it's very common for patients with depression to have sleep issues (75% of depression patients, to be exact). But having insomnia can also greatly raise the chances of eventually having depression. "Poor sleep may create difficulties regulating emotions that, in turn, may leave you more vulnerable to depression in the future—months or even years from now," says Johns Hopkins sleep researcher Dr. Patrick H. Finan.

Of course, it's always important to work with a medical professional to help manage depression, but keep in mind that treating depression alone might not get rid of insomnia (per Johns Hopkins Medicine). Instead, patients might need to treat both conditions separately, and cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) could be worth exploring.

Type 2 diabetes

Our body's cells use glucose (blood sugar) as an energy source and need the hormone insulin to take in glucose, per Mayo Clinic. But the body of a person with type 2 diabetes doesn't make enough insulin, and their body's cells are resistant to the insulin it does make. When this occurs, glucose levels rise, and excessive amounts of blood sugar circulate throughout the body. And this can cause health problems, including disruption of one's sleep.

According to the Sleep Foundation, it's common for people with type 2 diabetes to have insomnia. Elevated blood glucose levels can make one thirsty, which could interfere with getting a good night's sleep. Also, a person with type 2 diabetes might need to urinate more than a person without this condition because increased urination is how the body tries to manage large amounts of blood sugar. And high glucose levels can trigger headaches. However, blood sugar levels that are too low can also be a reason why those with type 2 diabetes experience insomnia. As the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases explains, if someone with type 2 diabetes waits too long to eat, that can lower their blood sugar levels too much. Also, medications to manage type 2 diabetes can drop glucose too far if those medications aren't taken in the correct amounts.

Besides proper blood sugar management, the Sleep Foundation notes that getting up and going to bed at the same time every day can help people with type 2 diabetes with sleep. Other tips include not consuming caffeine close to bedtime.

Bipolar disorder

There are a couple of important things to remember when it comes to bipolar disorder. First, as the American Psychiatric Association explains, it's a type of brain disorder. Second, a person with this condition will fluctuate between what are known as "mood episodes." Now, this doesn't mean bipolar disorder patients won't have times when their mood is neutral, but they also will have periods of time when they're extremely down (depressive episodes), as well as manic/hypomanic mood episodes where they can be extremely happy but also easily irritated. And according to the Bipolar Wellness Centre, "Sleep problems are a core symptom of bipolar disorder."

If a patient has bipolar disorder, then they can experience insomnia during both depressive and manic/hypomanic mood episodes (via Bipolar Wellness Centre). However, sleep problems can also occur during neutral mood times. And it's worth noting that sometimes sleep issues can precede an episode. If the patient recognizes this, they can better prepare for the episode, which could help cut down on the likelihood of a relapse.

In addition to working with a medical professional to treat/manage their bipolar disorder, a patient can make simple changes that might help improve their sleep (per Bipolar Wellness Centre). For example, they might want to cut back on caffeine. Also, they should try to stick to a regular bedtime and get up at the same time every day.

Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease can greatly impact the life of not just the patient but also the people around them. Not only can someone with Alzheimer's experience memory issues but also can behave out of character and have trouble thinking and functioning (via Alzheimers.gov). Additionally, the Mayo Clinic notes that it's common for someone with Alzheimer's disease to experience insomnia.

Although we understand that Alzheimer's can be the reason why someone has issues with sleep, we are still at this time learning why this is the case (per Alzheimer's Association). However, there are some observations. For instance, let's say you have two people — one with Alzheimer's and one without — who both go to bed around the same time. While the person without Alzheimer's might sleep the entire night and not wake up once, the person with Alzheimer's is more likely to wake up multiple times and have a harder time falling back to sleep. Also, Alzheimer's patients might reverse a typical sleep schedule, so they're napping during the day and not sleeping at night. Sleeping issues can also occur if the patient is experiencing sundowning, also known as "sundowner's syndrome," where they are confused and/or agitated either later in the day or at night, according to Alzheimer's Association.

Beyond getting an Alzheimer's patient proper medical help, the Alzheimer's Association notes that there are some simple ways to try to help them get a good night's rest. These include scheduling not just a consistent bedtime and wake-up time but also regular mealtimes.

Cancer

According to the National Cancer Institute, "As many as half of people with cancer have problems sleeping," and one of the most common sleep issues for cancer patients is insomnia. Now, of course, just knowing one has cancer can cause enough emotional stress to interfere with sleep. But there can be other factors behind having cancer and not being able to get a good night's rest.

For example, the National Cancer Institute notes that tumours can interfere with sleep. Reasons why include pain, problems with breathing, fevers, and itchiness. Having a tumour can also make one feel nauseous and can have a negative impact on normal bowel movements, ranging from diarrhoea to constipation. Additionally, tumours can also cause issues with one's bladder. Also, certain medications (especially ones used on a long-term basis) can be the reason why a cancer patient is experiencing insomnia. With that said, cancer patients should always speak with a medical professional before cutting back on or stopping any drugs used to treat cancer. Not only because this could be dangerous, but also because it could interfere with sleep.

In addition, some of the ailments caused by tumours are the same as some of the side effects of different medications used to treat cancer (via National Cancer Institute). These include bowel and bladder issues, nausea, problems with breathing, and pain. Also, it's possible to experience anxiety and/or hot flashes because of cancer drugs and treatments, both of which can impact sleep.

Anxiety

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), having an anxiety disorder goes well beyond everyday worries or fears. For instance, let's say you've emailed your boss asking for time off. You're probably going to feel worried until you get a reply that your request has been approved. However, with an anxiety disorder, worries, fears, and anxiousness are constant and severe enough that they can interfere with someone's quality of life. But what about their quality of sleep?

As The American Institute of Stress explains, anxiety and insomnia can be connected. First, let's discuss anxiety causing insomnia. Yes, anxiety can be draining; but, despite this, it can still be difficult for someone to fall asleep simply because they're feeling anxious. On the other hand, not getting enough good quality sleep leaves one more vulnerable to experiencing anxiety. So, anxiety can cause sleep problems, which can cause more anxiety, which can cause more sleep problems. Additionally, insomnia and anxiety can technically be two separate health concerns in the same person. In other words, they're not causing each other, but they can make each other worse.

The bottom line is that figuring out the relationship between insomnia and anxiety can be difficult, but that doesn't mean there aren't treatments available (per The American Institute of Stress). Of course, it's important to work with a medical professional. And one final note: There could be patterns to your insomnia that you're not away of, so you might want to keep a sleep log.

Schizophrenia

It's possible for two patients with the mental illness schizophrenia to exhibit different symptoms (via NIMH). One patient, for example, might hallucinate and hear voices while the other might have trouble communicating because they're creating their own words. And, while not all schizophrenia patients have insomnia, according to a 2018 study in the journal Medicines, around 80% of professionally diagnosed schizophrenia patients have said that they experience this symptom.

To fully understand the connection between schizophrenia and insomnia, we need to discuss a chemical found in the body called "dopamine." As Healthline explains, dopamine — and more specifically the right amount of dopamine — is essential for things like coordination and memory. But when a person has schizophrenia, their dopamine levels might be abnormal. However, abnormal amounts of dopamine can also be present in people with insomnia. And, to make matters worse, the study in Medicines notes that sleep disturbances can increase the likelihood of a schizophrenia patient having a relapse.

Although only a medical professional can diagnose someone with schizophrenia, being aware of possible symptoms of this mental illness is important. Besides the aforementioned hallucinations and thought disorder, NIMH also states that a schizophrenic can have other psychotic symptoms like repeating motions as if stuck in a loop. Patients with schizophrenia might also have difficulty with things like focus and decision-making. Additionally, their voice might sound dull, they might become less social, and they could become catatonic.

https://www.healthdigest.com/1370878/health-conditions-cause-insomnia/