Side Effects Of insomnia

Insomnia affects most people at some time in their lives, and most of us will experience sleeplessness occasionally. Insomniacs either experience difficulty in falling asleep or, on waking during the night, cannot get back to sleep. Disruption to sleep can last a few nights or a few weeks, and is often as not attributable to a specific event that has happened, or which is about to, which brings on worry and stress.

A smaller percentage of people are affected by chronic insomnia, sometimes for most of their lives. Chronic insomnia is not a serious condition in itself, but it does cause side effects such as reduced concentration which can be dangerous.

Those people suffering from sleep deprivation tend to have slower reaction times which can lead to accidents in the home, at work or on the road.

Other side effects of insomnia include the difficulty of keeping a job, largely due to a lack of concentration due to tiredness.

Often there are relationship difficulties and there can be a tendency to consume too much alcohol. The body's immune system weakens making the insomniac far more susceptible to illness.

Restless nights can be caused by environmental matters as well - too much noise or light. Sometimes by physical discomfort due to another ailment, and for this you should consult your doctor.

Most of us need seven to eight hours of sleep a night to avoid the side effects of insomnia, and if we do not feel refreshed on waking, or we feel tired throughout the day, we are probably not getting enough sleep. Constant headaches, irritability and poor concentration are a sure sign that more rest is needed. A few sleepless nights will not subject you to side effects, and are not generally a cause for concern. 

Prolonged sleep deprivation can be treated at home. It's important to get to the root cause of the insomnia and remove the environmental issue or the source of the stress which affects your sleep pattern - find out what is worrying you, what constantly fills your mind, and come to terms with it. Institute a regular bedtime routine, don't eat or drink late in the evening, and have sufficient exercise during the day

The side effects of insomnia will pass when your sleep returns to normal.