I have really bad insomnia, sometimes i can go without sleeping the whole night

This is a chat room for those who find it difficult to sleep at night, just to pass time by as it can get quite boring. Share tips and information on what we can do to improve this disorder.

Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterised by an inability to sleep and/or to remain asleep for a reasonable period during the night. Sufferers typically complain of being unable to close their eyes for more than a few minutes at a time, or of 'tossing and turning' through the night.

If insomnia continues for more than a few nights running, it can become chronic and cause a sleep deficit that is extremely detrimental to the sufferer's well-being. Insomnia interrupts the natural sleep cycle, which can be hard to restore.

Some insomniacs unwittingly perpetuate their complaint by napping in the late afternoon or early evening, leading to wakefulness at bedtime and more insomnia. Others push their bodies to the limits, until their sleep deficit causes severe physical and mental effects.

The most common forms of chronic Insomnia are:

Sleep Apnea - This is when a sleeping person's breathing is interrupted thus interrupting the normal sleep cycle. With the obstructive form of the condition, some part of the sleeper's respiratory tract looses muscle tone and partially collapses. People with obstructive sleep apnea often do not remember any of this, but they complain of excessive sleepiness during the day. Central sleep apnea is where the normal CNS stimulus to breathe is interrupted, and the individual must actually wake up to resume breathing. This form of apnea is often related to a cerebral vasular condition, congestive heart failure, and advancing age.

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) and Periodic Limb Movement (PLM) - The symptoms of RLS and PLM are often described as a tingling and creeping sensations in the legs which create a powerful urge to move the legs to relieve the feeling. This results in restlessness and lack of sleep as the individual tried to relieve their unpleasant sensation. However, current treatments for the disorder are effective in excess of 90% of those treated.

Phase Shift Disorder - These are people who's biological clock seems to be out of synch with normal sleep cycles. This is most often seen in people who do shift work, travel through multiple time zones on a regular basis or who worked overnight for a long enough period that the carcadian rythm appears to have reset itself.

Parasomnia - this includes a number of disorders of arousal or disruptive sleep events including nightmares, sleepwalking, violent behavior while sleeping, and the acting out of dreams or what is called REM Behavior Disorder. These conditions can often be treated successfully through medical intervention or through the use of a sleep specialist.

Many people who feel they are suffering from insomnia may actually have a lower physical need for sleep than they believe they do. A normal part of the ageing process is to sleep more lightly and for shorter periods of time, and some elderly people toss and turn in bed late at night or early in the morning when their body has no physical need for more rest, because they believe that they must 'need' a certain amount of sleep to be rested.

Insomnia is a common side-effect of some medications, and it can also be caused by stress, emotional upheaval, physical or mental illness, dietary allergy and poor sleep hygiene. Insomnia is a major symptom of mania in people with bipolar disorder, and it can also be a sign of hyper-thyroidism, depression, or other physical complaints with stimulating effects.

Additionally, a rare genetic condition can cause a prion-based, permanent and eventually fatal form of insomnia called Fatal Familial Insomnia

Treatment for insomnia

Many insomniacs rely on sleeping tablets and other sedatives to try to get some rest. Others use herbs such as valerian, chamomile, lavender, hops, and/or passion-flower.

Some traditional remedies for insomnia have included drinking warm milk before bedtime; taking a warm bath in the evening; exercising vigorously for half an hour in the afternoon; eating a large lunch and then having only a light evening meal at least three hours before bed; avoiding mentally stimulating activities in the evening hours; and paradoxically, making sure to get up early in the morning and to retire to bed at a reasonable hour.

Although they may seem unscientific, many of these remedies are sufficient to break the insomnia cycle without the need for sedatives and sleeping tablets. Warm milk contains high levels of tryptophan, a natural sedative. Lavender oil and other relaxing essential oils may also be used to help induce a state of restfulness.

The most commonly used class of hypnotics prescribed for insomnia are the benzodiazepines. This would include drugs such as diazepam, lorazepam, nitrazepam and midazolam..

Removing probable causes of insomnia

Sufferers of insomnia should avoid all caffeine. Caffeine is often a factor in insomnia, including insomnia in night-shift workers. Caffeine is[b] found in coffee[/b], tea, yerba mate (Ilex paraguaiensis), guarana, cocoa, kola nut (this includes all cola drinks); it is also found in "energy" sodas like Red Bull and [b]similar, chocolate bars and other candy. Drink herbal teas or plain water instead of caffeine-containing liquids.

* The[b]bedroom environment should be conducive to sleep[/b]. Some people are very sensitive to light while others are sensitive to noise. The bedroom should be dark and quiet at night.

* Practice good sleep hygiene. Do not use the bed for too many activities besides sleep. Using the bed for reading, writing, watching TV and other such non-sleep-related activities will lower your association of the bed with sleeping. Similarly, try to keep to a regular schedule of what time to go to bed and what time to wake up. Try not to sleep during the daytime

Sleep apnea can be a cause of insomnia. While a visit to the doctor will help in the diagnosis or ruling out of sleep apnea, a definitive answer will have to come from a study at a sleep lab.

Sometimes lack of sleep is indicative of an emotional problem that's not being dealt with. If a person is not happy with their lifestyle, or they are putting off problems that should be dealt with, it can often result in sleeping trouble. Just as the human body has nutritional requirements, all people have social and environmental requirements. Sometimes more social activities can help.

Patients with depression may suffer from insomnia. A doctor can treat this, sometimes by changing or adding prescriptions.

Obscure allergies, such as dairy allergies, can sometimes cause sleeping disorders. Other symptoms may be very mild, such as slightly stuffed sinuses. A nutritionist can make helpful dietary and supplement recommendations.

If an alarm has been set, avoid looking at the clock during the night and cover the display if necessary. This prevents mental calculations of how much sleep has been lost so far and how little sleep can be obtained before the alarm will sound. Accepting that the amount of sleep obtained can only be determined upon waking, not while waiting to get to sleep, may also be beneficial.

Learn more about insomnia and some foods that can help in controlling it here http://foodsanddiseases.com/insomnia-symptomscauses-and-recommended-habits-and-diets/

^^ Thanks abdul. It was very informative

What is insomnia? There are some confusing definitions about insomnia that you might be aware of, but insomnia are of different types. Click on the link below to read more.
http://www.gigihealth.com/what-is-insomnia-how-can-i-cure-insomnia/