Page 178 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2025

HEALTHY LIVING
Restless Nights, z Restful Solutionzzz
story by Dr. Nickie Harris-Ray
Individuals experiencing insomnia may struggle with falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early. Common causes of insomnia include stress, caffeine intake, physical discomfort, daytime napping, and going to bed too early. Persistent insomnia is often associated with psychiatric disorders, and some people may experience sleep-related panic attacks during the transition between sleep stages.
Habits can contribute to insomnia. Alcohol abuse can significantly disrupt standard sleep patterns as well. While it may initially help with falling asleep, it tends to reduce deep sleep during the first half of the night and increase it during the second half, resulting in vivid dreams and frequent awakenings. Withdrawal from alcohol or sedatives can lead to delayed sleep onset.
Additionally, heavy smoking, particularly when more than a pack is consumed daily, is linked to challenges in falling asleep and may correlate with higher caffeine consumption. Increased intake of stimulants like caffeine or illicit drugs close to bedtime can also diminish total sleep time, primarily prolonging the time needed to fall asleep.
Sedative-hypnotics, notably benzodiazepines, are commonly prescribed to promote sleep, increasing total sleep time while decreasing sleep latency and nocturnal awakenings. However, withdrawal from these medications can result in opposite effects,
leading individuals to continue using them to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Persistent insomnias are also linked to a variety of medical conditions, particularly delirium, pain, respiratory syndromes, uremia, and thyroid disorders.
Effective medications to treat insomnia include lorazepam and temazepam. Psychological strategies for improving sleep include education on good sleep hygiene, such as going to bed only when sleepy, using the bed solely for sleep and intimacy, and leaving the bedroom if awake for more than 20 minutes.
It is also important to maintain a consistent wake-up time, avoid caffeine and nicotine in the evening, establish a regular exercise routine, limit alcohol intake, reduce fluid consumption before bed, practice relaxation techniques, and create a bedtime ritual. Research indicates that cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is as effective as the medication zolpidem, with lasting benefits for up to a year.
178 | September 2025
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