Insomnia Specialist

What is insomnia?

Insomnia is a common disorder that affects your ability to fall asleep, stay asleep, or makes you wake up too early unable to fall back to sleep. When you suffer from insomnia, you typically still feel tired after waking.

This common sleep disorder can not only affect your energy levels and mood, but can also negatively impact your overall health and quality of life.

What are the symptoms of insomnia?

Insomnia can cause a wide range of symptoms, including:

• Being unable to fall asleep at night
• Waking up during the night or too early in the morning
• Feeling tired or sleepy throughout the day
• Suffering from irritability, depression, or anxiety
• Having a hard time focusing on tasks, paying attention, or remembering things
• Making more mistakes or having accidents

When you suffer from insomnia, it’s also common not to feel rested after a full night sleep and to frequently worry about sleep. This impact on your sleep can increase your risk of long-term diseases or chronic conditions, including high blood pressure and heart disease.

What causes insomnia?

Having chronic insomnia is often due to stress or lifestyle choices that disrupt sleep. In addition to stress, these causes often include worker travel schedules, poor sleeping habits, and eating too much at night.

You can also develop insomnia because of other health conditions or medications. These additional triggers often include:

• Mental health disorders, like anxiety or depression
• Prescription and over-the-counter medications
• Medical conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, and overactive thyroid
• Sleep disorders, like restless leg syndrome or sleep apnea

It’s also common to experience insomnia as you grow older, especially once you reach 60, or if you use nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol.

How is insomnia diagnosed and treated?

During your appointment, Dr. Olawumi O. Ayo Akatue or Dr. Richmond A. Akatue work closely with you to identify the cause of your insomnia. This typically includes conducting a comprehensive physical exam, discussing your sleeping habits, and reviewing lifestyle choices that might affect your ability to sleep.

Based on your symptoms, your doctor might recommend a variety of treatments to ease your symptoms. These often include stress management techniques, managing underlying medical conditions or medications, and making lifestyle modifications to improve your sleep routine.

For help with insomnia, call Cornerstone Medical Associates, or schedule an appointment online today.