Do you feel lost, frustrated, and irritable in an increasing number of tasks? This is often how insomnia sufferers face the day.
Either you couldn't fall asleep within 30 minutes of going to bed, or woke up throughout the night or too early. Sudden awakening from the alarm clock can be demoralising - you feel as though you have only just fallen asleep.
Are you suffering from insomnia?
| Symptoms | Yes |
| Do you have difficulty in falling asleep within 30 mins? | |
| Do you wake throughout the night? | |
| Do you wake earlier than planned? | |
| Do you feel tired and irritable during the day? | |
| Do you have sore eyes? | |
| Do you suffer from headaches? | |
| Are you easily distracted? | |
| Do you find it difficult to adapt to different situations? | |
| Do you have difficulty finding the right words? | |
| Are you indecisive? | |
| Are you forgetful? | |
| |
| The more questions to which you have clicked yes, the greater your risk of suffering from insomnia. |
Effects on behaviour
Significant sleep loss primarily affects behaviour. The cerebral cortex in the brain, being responsible for speech, working memory and innovative thinking is unable to switch off and relax during waking hours.
Sleep is needed to revitalise its functioning. With inadequate sleep, the cerebral cortex cannot recover efficiently.
| As a result, the most common signs of insomnia are effects on behaviour and capacity to work: - inability to comprehend a rapidly changing situation
- inability to avoid distraction - too much jumping from one task to another, not completing any one thing
- reduced written and verbal vocabulary
- impaired problem solving
- loss of memory
- tiredness
Other characteristic signs: - irritability
- sore eyes
- headaches
- depression
|
Insomnia as a warning sign for an underlying medical problem
Insomnia can be a signal that something else is amiss. It presents itself as a symptom for various conditions and diseases. Your doctor will look at your medical history and carry out tests to determine the cause.
Conditions and diseases - insomnia as a symptom These are just a few examples of when insomnia presents as a symptom |
Although some of the signs may seem obvious, they should not be ignored. It is useful to evaluate your situation by keeping a sleep diary.
02/06/2009