Chronic insomnia refers to sleep problems that last at least 3 times per week for 3 months. Causes range from sleep habits to medical conditions. Medications, therapy, and lifestyle changes may help.
Insomnia is a sleep disorder that refers to trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, or both.
Acute insomnia lasts for shorter periods of time, and may resolve on its own. However, if you experience chronic insomnia, or sleep problems that last for months at a time, it is best to contact a doctor for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.
Read on to learn more about chronic insomnia, including the type and symptoms, causes, treatment options, and more.
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Primary insomnia isn’t due to other medical conditions or medications, but the exact cause is unclear.
Secondary insomnia is caused by an underlying condition or environmental situation. This means that it could happen due to your sleeping condition, such as sleeping in a room that is too bright or noisy, or as a result of a medical condition.
Chronic insomnia can cause symptoms at night
Symptoms may include:
- trouble falling asleep
- waking up throughout the night
- trouble staying asleep or trouble returning to sleep
- waking up too early
- daytime sleepiness or grogginess
- not feeling rested after a night’s sleep
- irritability
- depression
- difficulty concentrating
- problems with memory
- increase in mistakes and accidents
Chronic insomnia is due to an underlying medical condition. Certain medications and stimulants can cause chronic insomnia, along with lifestyle patterns.
Medical conditions
Chronic insomnia can be caused by a number of long-term medical conditions,
- respiratory conditions,
including : - diabetes
- restless leg syndrome
menopause - stress
- anxiety
- depression
- bipolar disorder
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
Medications and stimulants
For some people, certain medications and stimulants may cause chronic insomnia. Examples include:
- alcohol
- antidepressants
- beta-blockers
- caffeine
- nicotine
- stimulant laxatives
Lifestyle behaviors
Certain lifestyle behaviors may lead to chronic insomnia. These include:
- rotating shift work
- frequent travel across multiple time zones, leading to jet lag
- not getting enough physical activity or exercise
- frequent daytime napping
- problems with the sleeping environment, such as sleeping in a room that is too bright or noisy
There are several things that you can do at home to treat or prevent chronic insomnia.
One important option for treatment is known as sleep hygiene. This refers to making the room as comfortable as possible and following a routine before bed to help improve your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Tips that may help include:
- avoiding caffeine, alcohol, or cigarette use,
especially right before bed - getting enough regular physical activity or exercise
- avoiding taking naps
- avoiding eating large meals right before bed
- trying to go to bed and get up at the same time every day
- avoiding looking at smartphones or other screens right before bed
- keeping your bedroom dark and at a comfortable temperature
If insomnia does not resolve with home remedies, it’s best to contact a doctor. The doctor can help determine if there is an underlying condition causing your insomnia, in which case you may need to directly treat that medical condition.
Your doctor can also recommend treatments that may help directly address chronic insomnia.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
CBT
Some of the strategies of CBT that are specifically focused on insomnia, known as CBT-I, include:
- Cognitive techniques: Using journaling to write down worries or concerns before going to bed may help keep a person from actively attempting to work them out while also trying to sleep.
- Stimulus control: This entails altering behaviors that condition your mind to fight sleep. Setting a sleep and wake time routine is part of this strategy. Other examples are using your bed only for sleep and sex, and leaving your bedroom if you’re unable to fall asleep within a set number of minutes.
- Sleep restriction: This therapy involves limiting the amount of time you spend in bed, including avoiding naps. The goal is to deprive you of enough sleep so that you’re tired at bedtime. Your time in bed is gradually increased as your sleep improves.
- Relaxation techniques:
- Breathing exercises, yoga, guided meditation, and other techniques may help reduce muscle tension and control your breathing and heart rate so that you’re able to relax.
Medications
There are a number of prescription medications and over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aids that may help you get to sleep or remain asleep.
While effective, doctors don’t typically recommend using sleeping pills long term because of the side effects, which can include daytime sleepiness, memory problems, and more. However, they may recommend them for short term use.
Some of the prescription medications that doctors may recommend
- zolpidem (Ambien)
- eszopiclone (Lunesta)
- zaleplon (Sonata)
- doxepin (Silenor)
- ramelteon (Rozerem)
- suvorexant (Belsomra)
- temazepam (Restoril)
OTC sleep aid options may include
- diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
- other antihistamines
- melatonin
Always speak with your doctor before taking an OTC sleep aid, including natural remedies, such as melatonin. Just like prescription drugs, OTC and natural sleep aids can cause unwanted side effects and interfere with other medications.
If your chronic insomnia is caused by an underlying medical condition, treating the condition may cure your insomnia.
Chronic health conditions that cause insomnia can be managed with changes in treatment, in turn managing or preventing insomnia.
Taking steps to improve sleep hygiene may also cure chronic insomnia. It’s best to talk with your doctor if insomnia symptoms do not improve with home remedies or OTC treatments.
Chronic insomnia refers to difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, usually at least three nights per week for at least 3 months.
The exact cause of primary chronic insomnia is unclear. Secondary chronic insomnia happens due to an underlying condition or problems with sleep hygiene.
Examples of conditions that can cause chronic insomnia include sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, diabetes, asthma, stress, anxiety, and depression.
Improving sleep hygiene, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, and avoiding taking naps may help. Doctors may also recommend medical treatments for the underlying cause, medications to help with sleep, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Contact a doctor if you frequently have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Your doctor can help determine whether this is due to a medical condition or other cause, and they can advise on remedies and treatments that may help.