In the wee small hours of the morning, there is a multitude of distressed and harried individuals tossing and turning. This condition of not being able to doze off or have sound sleep is called insomnia and with the current barrage of social and personal predicaments that beset a significant proportion of the population today, this sleeping disorder is all the more becoming prevalent. Insomnia may not only be distressing. In fact, it could go to the point of being tormenting as the brain and the body is deprived of its respite and recharging mechanism – sleep. Much more so, disturbing thoughts of fear, anxiety and worry may all the more persist causing the person to be agitated which all the more contributes to the inability to fall asleep.

Insomnia is of two categories: Primary and Secondary insomnia. An individual is categorically suffering from primary insomnia when the underlying factors that contribute to the lack or inability of sleeping are worry, anxiety and high levels of stress. This has become a prevailing condition as social, economic and personal issues are aggravated by an increasingly becoming progressive yet complex society. Once the mind is stripped of its soundness, the subsequent reactions can be alarming, and one of them is insomnia. And insomnia itself can lead to the development of other diseases as well including those of physical, psychological and emotional in nature.

It can be a vicious cycle of ill health and it can all start with what others may think is negligible – the lack of sleep. Once beset by primary insomnia, it would be essential to take things easy and relax when bedtime is nearing. A glass of warm milk can be helpful 30 minutes prior to sleeping to induce drowsiness. Light exercise may also be of aid in tiring the body thereby making it conditioned for resting. Heavy exercise on the other hand must be avoided as it would tend to stimulate the body rather than tone it down. Alleviating stress and addressing the stressors may also facilitate in treating the disorder as well as adapting a sound attitude and perspective on the constant setbacks that beset living.

Once the inability to sleep is triggered by a physical or mental condition, then that is termed as secondary insomnia. This may be a lot more chronic than primary insomnia as it may require the attention of a medical specialist and the implementation of medications. Secondary insomnia usually initially entails the treatment of the underlying physical or mental illness therefore treatment may be more intensive. Care and caution must foremostly be considered on the proper treatment measures to be employed especially on the use of pharmaceutical drugs. A large percentage of individuals often take the convenient recourse of sleeping pills and foreign sedatives but resorting to such can cause dependency not to mention they are capable of inducing harmful side effects.

Seeking expert opinion in dealing with insomnia in order to find a safe, effective and appropriate means to remedy the condition may be vital. With the utilization of conventional methods as well as alternative practices, the state of a healthy and restful sleep may well be within the insomniac’s reach.

Author's Bio: 

The author of this article Rose Windale is a Health and Wellness Coach who has been successful with several natural health programs for many years. Rose decided to share her knowledge and tips through her website healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free newsletter and enjoy a healthy and happy life.