You’ve been lying for a couple of hours, your eyes closed and you wanted to fall into a deep sleep but can’t make it. You tried a little more… and again… and again… it goes. At 2 o’clock you fell asleep but at 5 o’clock in the morning you wake up devastated because you found out that you only slept for 3 hours. You lied again but sleep is so elusive… so you get up and eat your breakfast but you wondered why your day is already spoiled…you are easily irritated, annoyed and you felt that everything was not in their proper order… the world again started to become topsy-turvy…then you ask yourself why can’t I sleep?
If sleepless nights are bothering you, this may be a sign of insomnia or depression. Insomnia is a symptom not a separate disorder. A complaint of this needs a clinician to inquire further to disclose the underlying etiology of the complainant. Depression, conversely, is a serious medical condition that involves the body, mood, and thoughts. The main three depressive disorders are Major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder and bipolar disorder.
Sleeplessness may be due to mood disorder, either depression or mania. Treatment of mood disorder leads to normalization of sleep. Some patients suffering from insomnia require a pharmacologic treatment. The long-term use of benzodiazepine or barbiturate hypnotics though is not advisable because it might develop into tolerance, dependence, or worst delirium.
Depression attacks without warning and creates desolation, chaos and negative effects. Twenty million Americans are enslaved by depression and at times this result to suicides. Whatever the result, everyone affected is a loser. Some of its symptoms are: pessimism, “empty mood, guilt feelings, restlessness and irritability, suicide attempts, changes in appetite and weight, difficulty concentrating, decreased energy and insomnia or oversleeping. If you have five or more of these symptoms and are present for at least two weeks, you better seek professional help.
Another factor that contributes to sleeplessness is the food intake. Yes – the food that we eat! If you ate several bars of chocolate or sip a glass of rum the night before, chances are your bloodstream will be suffocated with extra sugar. Too much sugar or alcohol in the blood stream pulls out forces to fight the body’s enemies. Your brain needs glucose and because of the “pull out” it results to glucose shortage. The brain reacts to the problem, that reaction grabs you out of sleep.
The next time you lack sleep, recall what you have eaten or drank the night before. You might be able to save a trip to your doctor by finding the real cause. You might even opt for a healthier lifestyle. Don’t let depression and insomnia beat you down!
