Sleep is important for your well-being. If you are suffering from a sleep-wake disorder, such as insomnia, it can affect your body and brain processes and functioning. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that can make it hard to fall asleep, hard to stay asleep, or cause you to wake up too early and not be able to get back to sleep.”

If insomnia is robbing you of a good night’s rest, you want to resolve it as soon as possible, before it impacts your physical and mental health. Popping a pill before bedtime can help, but why rely on medication that can have side effects when seeing a therapist can be more natural and healthy in the long run?

It Could Be a Disorder

Why is seeing a professional not just an option, but a necessity? Sleep-wake disorders can be a symptom of either a medical or an emotional issue. Insomnia could be triggered by a medication you are taking, or it could be a disorder in itself. A doctor can help you rule out the medical or medication causes. If, however, your insomnia isn’t caused by a medical condition or a drug you are taking, it is time to see a therapist.

A therapist can help in the diagnosis of insomnia. According to Theravive, insomnia can be “a precursor to, and comorbid with, a number of mental and medical disorders.” In fact, it is included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM-5, “the standard classification of mental disorders used by mental health professionals in the United States … [which] contains a listing of diagnostic criteria for every psychiatric disorder recognized by the U.S. healthcare system.”

Understanding Insomnia

Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep is a common experience for many people. The National Sleep Foundation says that about 30 to 40 percent of American adults experience some symptoms of insomnia, while 10 to 15 percent of them have chronic insomnia.

Transient and acute insomnia can be caused by stress, a challenging situation, or an unfortunate life event. This may last for a few nights to a few weeks, but eventually resolves itself. However, if your insomnia is the chronic type, meaning you can’t sleep for three or more nights a week for a month to three months, it may not just dissipate on its own without treatment.

Insomnia should not be ignored. It can negatively affect your health, increase your risk for emotional conditions such as depression and anxiety, and hurt your performance at work. You may not believe it, but insomnia is costing the U.S. workforce some $63 billion annually in lost productivity.

Why Can’t You Sleep?

The three Ps of insomnia, according to Dr. Simon Kyle of Sleepbio, are “predisposing, precipitating and perpetuating factors.” The predisposing factors, such as “history of poor sleep, generally being a ‘worrier’ or never having been a good sleeper,” make you prone to insomnia. The precipitating factors or triggers can include challenging life transitions and stressful conditions. Perpetuating factors are those things that can sustain sleeplessness or even worsen it.

Paying attention to sleeplessness is important because it may be associated with certain medical causes. Thus, seeing a physician is critical. If your doctor does not find anything medically wrong with you, consulting a therapist is a sensible move. The National Sleep Foundation says that aside from medical conditions and medications, insomnia may be linked to emotional conditions like depression and anxiety.

Goodbye, Insomnia … Hello, Sleep

One of the immediate effects of sleeplessness is getting your thoughts and focus muddled. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute attests that about 20 percent of road accidents that aren’t alcohol related are attributable to sleepy drivers. Accidents in the workplace, not to mention poor performance at work/school, can also happen because of lack of sleep.

Sleep is undervalued by many, but it impacts every aspect of your life and health. If insomnia is stealing the benefits and the pleasure of sleeping from you, don’t wait for something bad to happen before addressing it. It can be treated by a therapist independently contracted with Carolina Counseling Services — Pittsboro, NC.

Therapy has helped many people struggling with insomnia. There are powerful non-medical treatments that can help you finally get a good night’s sleep. If you wish to resolve your sleeplessness for good, Carolina Counseling Services — Pittsboro, NC, can help treat the underlying causes of insomnia. Don’t underestimate the havoc that insomnia can wreak in your life. Call CCS to say goodbye to insomnia and head to dreamland.