Insomnia and Psychotic Disorders: One Leads to Another

Did you know that in America, nearly 64 million people suffer from insomnia?

So, next time if you find yourself tossing and turning on bed or are unable to get proper sleep for a few days at stretch, beware! You might be becoming insomniac.

Insomnia and psychotic disorders go hand-in-hand. Insomnia can lead to psychotic disorders and vice-versa. Do not consider your lack-of-sleep a trivial issue – chronic insomnia puts you at an increased risk to depression, various other psychotic disorders, and heart diseases.

What is Insomnia?

Insomnia, in simplest term is a sleeping disorder in which the individual experiences inadequate sleep or has trouble sleep. Insomnia can involve:

• Trouble falling asleep
• Trouble staying asleep, i.e., waking up frequently in night
• Less sleep, i.e., waking up too early
• Feeling un-refreshed after a night’s sleep

Symptoms of Insomnia

There are several symptoms associated with this sleeping disorder.

• Difficulty falling asleep
• Awakening during night
• Getting up earlier than desired in the morning
• Feeling tired or un-refreshed after waking in the morning
• Feeling fatigue or sleepy during the day
• Having difficulty in focusing or concentrating
• Feeling uncoordinated
• Mood swings
• Headaches
• Gastrointestinal symptoms

Types of Insomnia

There are two types of insomnia, chronic insomnia and acute insomnia. While, in chronic (long-term) insomnia, an individual experiences one or more symptoms of insomnia for 3 or more nights a week for a month or more, in acute (short-term) insomnia the symptoms last for shorter period.

Acute insomnia can be cured without medicines by making positive lifestyle changes and adopting good bedtime habits. If you are suffering from this type of insomnia, avoid substances that aggravate insomnia. Examples of such substances include:

• Tobacco, caffeine, and other stimulants – It is best to avoid these substances all together if you are having difficulty getting proper sleep. If you can’t or don’t want to stop consuming these insomnia-aggravating substances, at least don’t take them before bedtime.
• Alcohol – Alcoholic drink(s) may help you fall asleep, but it deprives you from deep sleep.
• Certain OTC drugs and/or prescribed medicines – Certain medicines may contribute to disruption of sleep cycle and insomnia. If you are taking medicines, consult your doctor to ensure that they are not the cause or contributor to insomnia.

In addition to above, try to get some exercise daily. But do not over exert yourself or exercise before your bedtime, as this may prove counter-productive and worsen your sleeping disorder.  Further, by practicing good bedtime habits you can improve the quantity, as well as the quality of your sleep. Good bedtime habits include, following a routine that helps you relax before going to sleep, and sleeping and waking at the same time every day.

To treat acute insomnia, consult your doctor. He/she may recommend counseling or medicines. If your doctor prescribes you medicines for the treatment, ensure that you talk to him/her about the benefits and side-effects of the prescribed drugs. Certain insomnia medicines may come with undesirable side-effects.

You may also want to check out our Insomnia Program that has helped hundreds of readers to sleep better – some after suffering from very bad sleeplessness for years.

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