And insomnia is closely related to anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. RELATED: What You Need to Know About What Causes InsomniaĬonsult your primary care physician or a sleep medicine doctor if your sleep problem persists for several weeks and is affecting your work, school, mental health, or personal relationships, says Sheila Tsai, MD, pulmonologist and section head of sleep medicine at National Jewish Health in Denver.Ĭhronic insomnia is more than just frustrating - it also raises your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, according to the NHLBI. So even if the initial stressor goes away, you still associate trying to sleep with being stressed (an association that can be tougher to break). ![]() The problem is that you condition your body to get accustomed to those sleep struggles. If you struggle with sleep at least three nights a week for a minimum of three months, doctors would classify your insomnia as chronic. RELATED: What’s the Difference Between Acute and Chronic Insomnia?Īcute insomnia, however, can turn into chronic (long-term) insomnia if it continues for too long. It’s common and happens to most of us at some point in our lives. If work pressure or life stress has made it hard for you to fall asleep (or stay asleep) for a few days or weeks, you’re likely dealing with acute, or short-term insomnia, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). This state of heightened awareness makes it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep at night, which can spur an unfortunate cycle: Sleep deprivation tends to make stress and anxiety worse, which then continue to contribute to sleep struggles, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Stress triggers a series of reactions in your brain and body to put you in a state of hyperarousal, or being “on alert.” Hormones like epinephrine and cortisol prompt your heart to beat faster and increase blood glucose. “Stress is definitely one of the most common factors.” Stress, shift work, chronic medical conditions (like liver disease and arthritis), alcohol, caffeine, a hot or uncomfortable sleeping environment, and exposure to bright lights (like your smartphone or laptop) too close to bedtime can all disrupt a healthy sleep schedule, explains Phil Gehrman, PhD, an associate professor of clinical psychology in psychiatry at the hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. 2010 3(6):895-901.If you’ve lived through a stressful life event - like a move, a job change, trauma, or a pandemic - you may have noticed it can mess with your sleep. Chamomile: a herbal medicine of the past with bright future. Therapeutic efficacy and safety of chamomile for state anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia, and sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials and quasi-randomized trials.
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