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Why You Shouldn't Ignore Insomnia
It’s estimated that between 10-30% of adults live with chronic insomnia. While this may seem like no big deal, or something that could be resolved easily by just taking a sleep aid, it’s actually a public health issue.
SLENT, or South Louisiana Ear, Nose, Throat & Facial Plastics, has locations in Mandeville, Hammond, and Slidell, Louisiana. We help people with insomnia, which can increase not only your safety but the safety of people around you.
Types of insomnia
The word insomnia makes most people think of cartoons of characters lying in bed with their eyes like saucers staring at the ceiling. However, insomnia is far from a laughing matter. If you have insomnia, the type you have can affect which treatment can help you get your life back.
Sleep-onset insomnia
If you have issues with sleep onset, meaning you go to bed but you can’t seem to nod off, there may be an obvious cause. Natural sleep cycles can be thrown off if you travel a lot, work swing shifts, or have anxiety that causes racing thoughts as you struggle to relax and fall asleep.
Sleep maintenance insomnia
If you seem to be able to drop off to sleep without issues, but then wake up frequently during the night and can’t get back to sleep again, you may be struggling with sleep maintenance. This is very common among people who have sleep apnea, as well as seniors. You might also have issues with wakefulness in the night if you drink a lot of alcohol or caffeine before bedtime.
Chronic insomnia
People with chronic insomnia usually suffer from both sleep onset and sleep maintenance issues, struggling to fall asleep, then waking over and over again to face the same challenge every night.
Dangers of insomnia
Insomnia leads directly to sleep deprivation, which in addition to general fatigue and irritability, can cause serious side effects.
Poor concentration, memory lapses, or “brain fog”
If you have a job that requires precision, and health or safety depends on that precision, insomnia can be a definite danger. Imagine a pharmacist trying to fill a prescription and using the wrong pill or dosage instructions. That could be a very serious situation. Likewise, leaving a child or pet in a hot car due to “blanking” on the fact that they’re in the back seat could have serious consequences.
Daytime sleepiness
If you’re sleepy and inattentive during the day, your career, education, or even safety could be at risk. Fading out at work or in class isn’t just embarrassing, it can lead to failure. Even worse, studies show that drowsy driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving!
Getting help
If you have readily identifiable insomnia, seek help from a sleep specialist at SLENT. Even if you think you’re sleeping okay, but have symptoms like fatigue, mood swings, daytime sleepiness, and brain fog, you could have sleep apnea, which interrupts sleep without ever waking you fully. We can help diagnose the cause of your sleep issues and lay out a treatment plan.
Schedule an appointment by calling the location closest to you, or visit the contact page for more information.
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