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What is insomnia?

Insomnia means having difficulty in fallen asleep, waking up too early, or waking intermittently, resulting in insufficient sleep.

What causes insomnia?

There is no single cause for insomnia, but a number of factors are known to contribute:

• Psychological - including stress, anxiety or depression
  
  
• Lifestyle - jet lag, smoking, consuming drinks with caffeine or other stimulants just before bed-time
  
  
• Environment - noise, light or strange odour, insect bits, or uncomfortable bed or extreme room temperatures (hot or cold)
  
  
• Physical - frequent urination, coughing, pain and other forms of discomfort.

What are the effects of insomnia?

Occasional nights of disturbed sleep will not have a great effect on your physical health. If insomnia lasts for an extended period of time, it can cause:

• Reduction of creativity
  
  
• Slowing of response
  
  
• Loss of memory
  
  
• Inability to perform complicated tasks

The irritability that results from insomnia may also affect your partner, family and work colleagues.

How can I deal with insomnia?

Determine and treat the cause of insomnia. If insomnia is only temporary, it can be resolved by methods, other than medication, such as:

• Get into a daily routine, especially in relation to sleep
  
  
• Stop smoking
  
  
• Get regular exercise, but avoid strenuous activity immediately before going to bed
  
  
• Do not go to bed with a full or empty stomach. Avoid caffeine-containing drinks such as coffee, cola or tea
  
  
• Make your sleeping place comfortable: dark, quiet, not too warm or too cold
  
  
• Do something to relax, such as meditation, listen to soothing music, or have a warm bath
  
  
• If you can't sleep, get up and do something else until you feel sleepy again.

Persistent insomnia needs professional support. Do not take over the-counter treatment. Consult your doctor who will look out for any underlying cause of insomnia and prescribe appropriate treatment for you.

Statistics

• A local survey in 2001 showed that about one in nine men self-reported of not sleeping well.
  
  
• Statistics have shown that insufficient sleep can double the chance of having an accident while operating machinery or driving a car.

Do You Know...

Insomnia is not defined by how long you sleep every night because the amount of sleep a person needs varies. While the average night's sleep for an adult is around seven or eight hours, some people only need four (such as Napolean Bonaparte or Dr Sun Yat Sin), while others like up to 10 hours or more.

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