12/5/2023 0 Comments Chronic sleep insomniaLong-term insomnia is a risk factor for several health conditions. So come see us at Rowe Neurology for an evaluation by a certified sleep medicine specialist. Chronic (long-term) insomnia is defined as insomnia that occurs at least 3 times a week and that lasts longer than 3 months. Unfortunately, both patients and primary care physicians are not aware of the possible connection of insomnia with breathing problems and often do not ask about these symptoms. People with insomnia associated with sleep apnea have symptoms like frequent urination during the night (nocturia), dry mouth, morning headaches, daytime sleepiness, and snoring. Barry Krakow, a national expert on insomnia, in an article in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, and described in a Mayo clinic Video on Insomnia Their study showed that a high percentage of patients who came to the RNI with the complaint of insomnia had OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) or sleep disordered breathing, determined by a sleep study in our nationally accredited sleep disorders facility. The RNI sleep team presented a research poster on their years of work at the 2013 Sleep Meeting. We at the RNI are participating in an exciting clinical trial for patients suffering with this complaint.īut sometimes it’s hard to know what comes first, the chicken or the egg, sleep apnea or sleep-related breathing disorder, circadian rhythm disorder, restless leg movements, other causes of leg or body discomfort or pain, or depression, all of which can result in chronic insomnia. On the other hand, a new class of medications are available for patients with Chronic Insomnia. While Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can be helpful, if airway closure during sleep is the major problem, then CBT will not ultimately lead to restorative sleep. Chronic insomnia can lead to depression, decreased job performance, decreased quality of life, and many other health-related problems.Ĭhronic insomnia, which is drug-resistant, is usually related to Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders, like Obstructive Sleep Apnea, or its milder cousin, Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome. Anyone who has Chronic Insomnia should see a sleep specialist. I’m sure you’ve already heard some things about it.Insomnia, or problems going to sleep or staying asleep, can become chronic if it lasts more than three months. But I can talk to you about sleep hygiene. As a psychologist and not a medical doctor, it’s not my place to talk in-depth about medications. That’s because most doctors’ go-to for treating insomnia are Ambien (and other prescription sleep medications) and sleep hygiene. In my own clinic, the average patient has had chronic insomnia for 15 years before finding their way to me because they didn’t know there were treatment options other than Ambien and sleep hygiene. But if you ask everyone visiting a primary care doctor, one in three will have it. About one in ten adults have chronic insomnia by the strictest diagnostic criteria. If you don’t have chronic insomnia yourself, I bet you know someone who does. It puts a damper over your everyday mood and turns sleep into a chore instead of a relief. Chronic insomnia can really disrupt your life. If you’re having a really hard time falling or staying asleep a few times per week, and this has been going on for a few months, then we’re dealing with a different animal. All you have to do is ride it out, knowing you'll be back to your normal sleep routine soon.īut for many people, insomnia becomes chronic. They just mean you're excited about something, or you have had one too many cups of coffee, or some other fluke stars aligned to make you unable to shut down for a night or two. And these occasional sleepless nights are totally fine. People who are chronically sleep deprived have cognitive complaints that include problems with focus, concentration and memory. Even though I’m a sleep expert (and I was lucky enough to be born with good sleep genes), I still sometimes toss and turn all night. It can really drive a person crazy!Įveryone has insomnia sometimes. You stare up at the ceiling (or worse, at the red numbers on a clock), mind buzzing with random thoughts, tossing and turning while everyone else snores away blissfully. Insomnia is one of the most frustrating experiences in our modern existence. Insomnia is difficulty in getting to sleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, early wakening, or non-restorative sleep which occurs despite adequate opportunity.
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