The Many Symptoms of Insomnia Affect Millions

Westchester, IL - April 14, 2004

Insomnia, or symptoms of insomnia affect millions worldwide everyday and is considered a serious problem. According to an abstract that will be presented at the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia this year, insomniacs report more than four times more hours of reduced work productivity than good sleepers.

According to the American Insomnia Association (AIA), insomnia is typically defined as trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. It can also occur in people of all ages, however, it is most prevalent in women and older adults. There are many lifestyle and environmental factors such as, caffeine, alcohol, noise or light.

An insomnia sufferer does have choices when it comes to treatment options. Medication, such as prescription and over-the-counter, and Behavioral Treatments.

LeBlanc M. Daley M, Morin CM, conducted a study in Canada about insomnia patients and found only a small percentage of insomnia sufferers seek professional treatment, many individuals a variety of self-help strategies, particularly when daytime consequences become more perceptible.

A few popular sleep medications in the market now are known as Ambien (zolpidem) and Sonata (zaleplon). These drugs are meant for occasional or short-term use and provide significant relief from symptoms in most patients.

For effective sleep, the AIA suggests stimulus control. For example, go to bed only when sleepy, establish a standard wake-up time, and refrain from long daytime napping. Overtime, these tactics should help you follow a healthy sleep schedule.

Douglas Moul, MD, says, "Studying sleep in 4-second intervals gives a better examination of a person's moment-to-moment process of sleeping." He adds, "such an examination may help us target interventions for chronic insomnia more accurately."

Studies suggest that current physicians rely on what patients report about their sleep, but we know that because sleep impairs memory. This makes it difficult to pinpoint what the problem may be.

For most sleep-disorders there are general guidelines to follow for better sleep. Some guidelines listed on the AIA Web site are maintain a regular wake time, try to go to bed only when drowsy, exercise regularly, avoid large meals close to bedtime, and avoid the use of nicotine or caffeine close to bedtime.