Insomnia affects nearly 1 in 3 adults at some point in their lives. Whether it’s difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early, the result is the same: exhaustion, frustration, and a decline in daily function. At Lung and Sleep Specialists of North Texas, we specialize in identifying the underlying causes of insomnia and crafting personalized treatment plans to help you reclaim your nights and restore your daytime energy.
What Is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by persistent difficulty with sleep initiation, duration, consolidation, or quality. It can be:
- Acute: Short-term, often due to stress or change in environment
- Chronic: Lasting more than three months and occurring at least three nights per week
Chronic insomnia may be the result of poor sleep habits, mental health disorders, underlying medical conditions, or even certain medications. Unfortunately, lack of sleep affects nearly every system in the body, leading to fatigue, cognitive impairment, irritability, and increased risk of chronic disease.
Common Causes of Insomnia
Understanding what causes your insomnia is the first step toward solving it. Common contributors include:
- Psychological Stress: Work deadlines, family responsibilities, and financial concerns can all keep the mind too active to sleep.
- Anxiety and Depression: These mental health issues often contribute to poor sleep, and insomnia can also worsen symptoms of anxiety and depression.
- Poor Sleep Hygiene: Irregular sleep schedules, excessive screen time before bed, consuming caffeine or alcohol late in the day, and using the bedroom for activities other than sleep can interfere with sleep quality.
- Medical Conditions: Painful conditions like arthritis, gastrointestinal reflux, asthma, and frequent urination can disrupt sleep.
- Medications: Certain drugs for blood pressure, allergies, ADHD, and depression can interfere with sleep.
- Neurological Conditions: Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s can also contribute to disrupted sleep.
Symptoms
People with insomnia often report:
- Difficulty falling asleep despite feeling tired
- Waking up frequently during the night or too early in the morning
- Feeling unrefreshed after sleep
- Daytime fatigue, sleepiness, or irritability
- Difficulty concentrating or remembering things
- Worry or anxiety about not sleeping
How We Diagnose and Treat Insomnia
Dr. Oseni and her team provide a thorough evaluation that includes a detailed medical history, review of medications, sleep diary analysis, and sometimes a sleep study. Based on this information, we may recommend:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I): A structured, evidence-based approach to treating insomnia that helps patients replace negative sleep thoughts and behaviors with healthy ones. This therapy has been shown to be more effective long-term than sleep medications.
- Relaxation Techniques: Deep breathing, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness practices can help calm the mind and prepare the body for rest.
- Sleep Hygiene Counseling: We teach patients how to build healthy routines that promote restful sleep—like going to bed at the same time each night, avoiding large meals before bedtime, and limiting screen time.
- Pharmacologic Therapies: For short-term relief or in cases where CBT-I is not enough, medications like sedative-hypnotics or melatonin agonists may be prescribed, but only after weighing the benefits and risks.
- Light Therapy: For patients whose circadian rhythms are misaligned, exposure to bright light at strategic times can help reset the sleep-wake cycle.
Long-Term Management
Overcoming insomnia is possible with the right support. Many patients benefit from a combination of behavioral changes and therapies tailored to their unique challenges. Ongoing follow-ups and adjustments are often key to long-term success.
If you are struggling with insomnia, know that you are not alone. With expert guidance and a personalized approach, restful sleep can become a reality. Contact us today to begin your journey toward better sleep and better health.