Insomnia is more than just difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Insomnia affects sleep quality. A person with insomnia may experience insomnia temporarily or suffer from it chronically (long term). Short-term insomnia refers to a sleep problem lasting less than three weeks, while chronic insomnia lasts at least three weeks but no more than three months.

Insomnia comes in various forms. The three main types of insomnia include:

• Initial insomnia–difficulty in falling asleep.
• Middle insomnia–waking up during the night or early morning.
• Terminal insomnia –early morning awakening without the ability to return to sleep.
• Mixed insomnia–more than one type of difficulty in initiating sleep or staying asleep.

Insomnia is a highly challenging health problem to treat. If you have insomnia, these simple steps can help you fall asleep faster and sleep through the night to wake up feeling refreshed.

1. Don’t eat, drink, or do anything stimulating—including exercise—after dinner. 
2. Avoid using your bed for activities other than sleep 
3. Keep your bedroom quiet and dark. 
4. Keep the temperature in your bedroom comfortable.
6. Keep your bedroom neat–not cluttered.
7. Set a time limit on the amount of time you spend in bed each day.
8. Wake at the same time each morning and go to bed at the same time every night.

Another cause of insomnia is overthinking. You may worry about what has happened in the past or worry about the future. Also, anxiety or fear is likely to keep you awake. The best way to deal with this type of ‘mental insomnia’ is to learn how to relax your body and mind before bedtime. When you’re tensed up and stressed – your mind won’t ‘shut off. 

Practicing mindfulness can help you calm your mind, relax, and stop worrying. You can do a few minutes of meditation before bedtime so that your body and mind can relax. You can practice breathing, mindful walking, or another form of meditation before you go to sleep. Meditating regularly at night can improve your quality of sleep, your mood the next day and even reduce your stress level. 

Insomnia is a problem that people face now and again. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, and it’s essential to learn how to manage those nights when you can’t get a good night’s sleep. Treatment for insomnia varies depending upon the cause of insomnia. If the insomnia is due to an underlying mental health problem, such as depression or anxiety disorder, treatment will focus on treating that mental health problem rather than insomnia itself. But if sleep problems are due to a physical condition that affects sleep, such as chronic pain or heartburn, then antidepressant medications may be prescribed in addition to other treatments.

Luckily, NorthTex MedCare Clinic and Urgent Care provide a wide variety of resources for insomnia. 

If you or a loved one has insomnia, you should explore your options. Contact the health professionals at NorthTex MedCare Clinic and Urgent Care and put your mind is at ease so that you can enjoy a good night’s sleep. We serve patients from Fort Worth TX, Addison TX, Carrollton TX, Richardson TX, Farmers Branch TX, Hebron TX, Forest Hill TX, North Richland Hills TX, White Settlement TX, and Highland Park TX.