Sleep initiation and maintenance disorders are disorders characterized by the inability to initiate or maintain sleep. This may seem to be a mild disorder in the initial stages, but may take a monstrous form, if accompanied with other medical disorders, or any neurotic impairment and that this may occur as a primary disorder or in association with another medical or psychiatric condition.
In general 30 to 40 percent adults experience insomnia, and hence these patients have to deal with sleep initiation, and maintenance. This could be a transient, short term, or chronic condition that some of the common symptoms include:
- acute anxiety
- dizziness
- chronic fatigue syndrome
- hypertension
Symptoms of sleep initiation and maintenance disorders are detrimental to one’s health but there’s no need to worry because it is very much treatable.
It is important to treat the disorder in the early stages. Some of the therapeutic approaches include both non pharmacological, and pharmacological methods.
The following non pharmacological methods might help:
Limit caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. Stop drinking caffeinated beverages at least eight hours before bed. While alcohol can make you feel sleepy, it interferes with the quality of your sleep, and nicotine is a stimulant.
Avoid late meals. Try to avoid heavy, rich foods within two hours of bed. Fatty foods can take a lot of work for your stomach to digest and spicy or acidic foods can cause heartburn.
Get regular exercise. Regular exercise can improve the symptoms of insomnia, but it’s not a quick fix. It takes several months to feel the full effects. Aim for 30 minutes or more of activity on most days—but not too close to bedtime
However, due to individual concern, treatments are custom made to suit individual needs. Non medical treatments may entail sleep hygiene, relaxation therapy, control of stimuli, and sleep restriction while medical treatments could include prescription of certain effective sedatives, antidepressants, and benzodiazepine drugs.
Clinical trials are being carried out in this field to develop new treatments to treat the disorder. There are currently 38 different interventions being investigated in sleep initiation and maintenance clinical trials.
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