Leading Sleep Diagnostic Centers Providing Effective Treatment for Insomnia at Home

 

Leading Sleep Diagnostic Centers Providing Effective Treatment for Insomnia at Home 

 

Insomnia has become a major problem all over the world including the USA. According to various studies, 10-30% adults in the worldwide population are suffering from insomnia. The findings of these studies were mentioned in a research paper presented by Swapna Bhaskar, D. Hemavathy and Shankar Prasad. This research paper was published in the National Library of Medicine; the world’s largest biomedical library. Such a huge segment of the world’s populace suffering from insomnia is a worrisome fact. But the relieving thing for insomnia patients is that the treatment for this sleep condition exists. Some renowned diagnostic centers are providing facilities for the diagnosis and treatment for insomnia at home and at their centers. 

 

Before telling you more about the treatment options available for insomnia, we need to tell you what it is all about. 

 

What is insomnia?

 

Insomnia is a sleep disorder in which patients have difficulty falling and/or staying asleep. Insomnia can be either acute or chronic. Acute means the condition exists for a short term while chronic means it is present for a long time. 

 

The duration of acute insomnia lasts from 1 night to a few weeks. The duration of chronic insomnia is at least 3 nights a week for 3 months or more.  

 

Types of Insomnia 

Insomnia is of two types, namely primary and secondary.  

 

In primary insomnia, a patient’s sleep problems are not linked to any other health condition or problem. It occurs independently. 

 

In secondary insomnia, the patient’s sleep problems are because of a health condition. These conditions can be depression, arthritis, asthma, cancer or heartburn. Secondary insomnia can also occur due to pain, medication or substance use.  

 

Causes

The primary causes of insomnia include stress caused by big life events like death, divorce, or the change of job. Other causes can be things in the surroundings like light, noise, or temperature. Changes to the sleep schedule due to a new shift at work or jet lag can be some other reasons for it. The patient having a family history of insomnia can be yet another contributory cause. 

 

The secondary causes of insomnia can be mental health issues like anxiety and depression.  Medications for allergies, cold, depression, and high blood pressure can also cause this sleep condition. Pain or discomfort at night can also contribute to it. Tobacco, caffeine, alcohol, and illicit drugs can lead to it. Hyperthyroidism and other endocrine problems can also cause insomnia.  Other sleep disorders like restless legs syndrome or sleep apnea can also result in this condition. Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia can be yet another cause for it. Pregnancy, premenstrual syndrome and menopause can be other contributory reasons for it. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can also lead to insomnia. 

 

Insomnia patients tend to exhibit symptoms like sleepiness during the day, fatigue, irritability, and problems with concentration or memory. 

 

Complications of Insomnia

Our body and brain need sleep for their repair. Also, sleep is important for learning and retaining memories. If you are unable to sleep due to insomnia, you may develop these below-mentioned complications. 

 

Insomnia can cause you health problems like obesity, depression and high blood pressure. If you are an older individual, you are at a higher risk of falling. You may also get involved in a car crash due to the slow reaction time caused due to insomnia. 

 

By now you have some basic knowledge of insomnia. It is time to talk about the diagnosis and treatment of this sleep condition. 

 

Diagnosis and Treatment of Insomnia

You should never try to self-diagnose your insomnia condition. Also, you should never attempt to treat your insomnia symptoms without proper evaluation and testing. The doctors at a Sleep Disorders Center are the right people to diagnose your insomnia problem and provide treatment for it.  They can perform the diagnosis and provide treatment for insomnia at home as well as at the sleep center.

 

For diagnosing your insomnia problem, the doctor will do the following things.

 

Firstly, he will perform an initial insomnia test screening on you. During the screening, he will inquire about your lifestyle and any risk factors that may be causing your sleep problems. You are advised to keep a sleep diary at least one week before meeting the doctor. The diary should contain various sleep-related details. These include the number of hours you are asleep and for how much time you are awake at night. It should also throw light on how many times you wake up at night. Moreover, it should tell how much caffeine and alcohol you take and contain other concerned information. This information can help the doctor in making the precise diagnosis of your sleep condition.

 

The doctor may also ask you to fill in a questionnaire that asks questions regarding your sleep habits and schedule.

 

The questionnaire may contain questions like:-

 

1. Describe your history of sleep problems and for how much time you are witnessing the sleep issues. 

 

2. Does your weekly schedule of going to bed and getting up differs from your weekend sleep schedule? 

 

3. How much time does it take to fall asleep each night?

 

4. How many times do you usually wake up at night? Also, how much time does it take to fall asleep again after each waking episode?

 

5. How do you feel in the morning? Do you feel well-rested or tired?

 

6. Do you snore loudly or wake up gasping for air during the night? If yes, you may have sleep apnea or another breathing disorder. 

 

7. Do you use electronic devices or watch television before bedtime?

 

8. Are you experiencing a new health problem recently or do you have an ongoing medical issue?

 

9. Do you take any prescription or over-the-counter medication?

 

10. Are you pregnant or undergoing menopause?

 

11. Do you use nicotine, caffeine, alcohol and/or any illegal drug?

 

Apart from the questionnaire, the doctor will perform a medical exam to discover any signs and symptoms that affect your sleep. During the physical exam, the doctor will hear your heart and lungs. Also, he will examine your tonsils and neck. This will help him check if you have relatively large tonsils or an above-average neck circumference. Both of these are risk factors for sleep apnea.

 

There may be a case that your doctor is unable to make a firm diagnosis of insomnia. So he may ask you to undergo one of these below-mentioned procedures.

 

Sleep Study

He may prescribe an overnight sleep study, also known as a polysomnogram test. For this study, sensors will be placed on your face, scalp, eyelids, chest, limbs, and one finger. These sensors monitor your brain wave activity, oxygen levels and heart and breathing rates. Also, they track the muscle movements that occur before, during and after sleep. This study can be performed at night at a dedicated sleep center. Also, it can be a part of the diagnosis and treatment for insomnia at home. For performing this sleep study at your place, the doctor will make use of a portable kit. 

 

There are some daytime tests that are used for monitoring your sleep latency during a series of naps. Alternatively, these tests may evaluate your abilities to stay awake and alert after a night of normal sleep. Whichever sleep study you undergo for insomnia, its procedure will be non-invasive and painless.   

 

Actigraphy 

Actigraphy tests function similarly to overnight sleep studies. In most cases, you can perform these tests as a part of the diagnosis and treatment for insomnia at home. In this test, you will wear a sensor on your wrist or ankle that will monitor your sleep and wakefulness patterns. Sleep medical experts recommend wearing these sensors consecutively for a period of 3 to 14 days.  

 

Apart from diagnosing insomnia, actigraphy can also be used for testing other sleep conditions. These include circadian rhythm sleep disorders, sleep apnea and other sleep-related conditions. Actigraphy is safe for children and adults, though the sensor may cause some light and temporary irritation.

 

Blood Tests

There are many medical conditions that can cause or aggravate sleep problems. Firstly, the doctor will assess the findings of your questionnaire and physical exam. Afterwards, he may recommend blood tests to check if you have any thyroid issues and other pre-existing health conditions. 

 

After the conduction of your sleep disorder test, the doctor may confirm that you have chronic or short-term insomnia. Once confirmed, he will move on to the next stage of providing the treatment for insomnia at home or at the sleep center. The treatment may include cognitive behavioral therapy, lifestyle changes that improve your sleep hygiene, or prescription medication. Alternatively, it may be a combination of all these three options.   

 

Now you have gained a good understanding of diagnosis and treatment for insomnia. The next thing for you is to approach a reputed sleep center in your area for its diagnosis and treatment. Its doctors will perform the necessary tests for confirming your acute or chronic insomnia problem and accordingly give you the right treatment. Consequently, you will be able to lead an insomnia-free life again.