So You Think You Have Insomnia?

Insomnia is actually a pretty common condition in adult sleepers, but it can take lots of different forms. In fact, it can actually be a symptom of another sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea or even restless legs syndrome. The primary symptom of insomnia is the inability to fall asleep and stay asleep when you need to, even if you’re actually really tired. If you’ve been having this symptom, it’s not quite time to see a doctor yet. First, start using some good sleep hygiene to see if it solves the problem, and if it doesn’t, then you can see a doctor.

One of the first things that you need is to be on a schedule. Set a bedtime and a waking up time, and stick to it, even on the weekends. Don’t try to go to sleep right after watching the news or messing around on the Internet, either, since so much visual stimulation can keep your brain hopping for a while. Instead, give yourself time to unwind with something like a warm bath, a soothing CD, or whatever else makes you unwind in the evenings.

Also, before you get into bed, turn on a sleep sound machine. Sometimes, people get woken up by subtle noises without even realizing it. Instead of dealing with these nighttime noises, use a white noise machine that will drown out any background noises from your home or neighborhood. Many people who think they have insomnia simply get woken up at inopportune times and are unable to go to sleep, either because their brains immediately turn on or because the noise wakes them up after several hours of sleep. Sound machines are easy to find, and they can seriously help alleviate what could be the symptoms of insomnia in many adults.