Ways to Identify Terminal Insomnia
Insomnia: A Common Sleep Disorder
While insomnia is associated with older adults or people who are stressed or suffering from depression, the reality is that anyone may suffer from insomnia at some point in their life. The indicators could be trouble sleeping and extreme fatigue during the day.
Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Insomniacs experience problems falling asleep at night, waking during the night, having bad dreams, and feeling tired during the day. Women are more likely than men to suffer from insomnia.
There are three main types of insomnia, characterized by duration:
- Transient insomnia: Lasts for less than one month
- Short-term insomnia: Lasts for one to six months
- Chronic insomnia: Lasts for more than six months
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What is Terminal Insomnia?
Terminal insomnia, despite the rather alarming name, is not fatal. It occurs when you consistently wake up earlier than your desired wake-up time and cannot fall back to sleep. For example, you could wake up between 2 AM and 4 AM, then have trouble falling back to sleep.
In most instances, you do not have a challenge falling asleep at night but cannot go back to sleep if you wake in the middle of the night.
Terminal insomnia results in daytime sleepiness and an inability to focus due to fatigue.
Causes of Terminal Insomnia
While there may not be one specific cause of terminal insomnia, it may result from several factors, including:
- Stress and anxiety
- Depression
- Jet lag
- Chronic pain
Symptoms of Terminal Insomnia
Terminal insomnia deprives you of sleep after a disruption to your sleep cycle. You may feel tired or unrefreshed after sleeping. If you have terminal insomnia, you often wake up groggy and unable to function correctly. You may also have headaches, muscle aches, and fatigue.
Several symptoms can occur when you have not slept well over a long period. You may experience anxiety, depression, irritability, and other mood disorders. These feelings may worsen if you continue to lack quality sleep.
Because you cannot fall asleep again after waking, you are awake from an early hour and cannot stay awake throughout the day. If this problem persists over time, it could lead to chronic fatigue syndrome, narcolepsy, and even death.
If you are having trouble staying focused throughout your day, lack of sleep could be the reason.
When you haven’t had enough sleep over several nights, your brain doesn’t receive the amount of stimulation it needs to store information effectively. Your short-term memory is affected, making it harder to retain what you learned during the day.
Your long-term memory is also negatively affected as, over time, memories are not being properly consolidated.
Treatment for Terminal Insomnia
There are a few different things you can try to improve your terminal insomnia.
- Plan your traveling
- Try cognitive behavioral therapy
- Avoid alcohol before bedtime
- Employ relaxation techniques
- Use herbal remedies
- Reduce caffeine
- Talk to your doctor about medication options
If you suspect you may have terminal insomnia, talk to your doctor. They can diagnose you based on your symptoms. If you do have terminal insomnia, they can recommend ways to treat it.
Find Clinical Trials for Terminal Insomnia
Would you like to get a diagnosis and find a solution for terminal insomnia? Contact us at HealthMatch, where we help you understand your condition, inform you of your treatment options, and give you access to leading specialists. Visit our website or email [email protected].