Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that can be a condition on its own or a result of related conditions. Stress, medications, medical conditions like chronic pain, and mental health conditions like anxiety or depression can all cause insomnia. Because sleep is so critical for our mental and physical wellness, insomnia can have negative effects in the long term. Most people need about eight hours of sleep each night, including about one and a half to two hours of REM sleep. However, sleep needs vary from one person to another.

Many cases of insomnia come and go as life situations change. If you have insomnia for more than a few nights in a row and your symptoms start to affect your daytime routine, you should talk with your primary care doctor.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss the signs and symptoms of insomnia and its relationship to your mental health.

What does insomnia look and feel like?

People with insomnia may have difficulty falling or staying asleep at any point in the night or the early morning. You might toss and turn for hours after going to bed, or you may wake up and have trouble getting back to sleep. Some wake up early in the morning without meaning to even though they don’t feel fully rested. 

Losing a few hours or an entire night of sleep usually has some immediate effects. It’s common to feel tired, cranky or irritable and feel a lack of energy. After several nights of insomnia, you may have a harder time concentrating or remembering things. Insomnia can cause worries about sleep that add to your stress level, making it harder to get restful sleep.

Nighttime symptoms of insomnia

The primary symptoms of insomnia take place at night or in the early morning when you’re unable to sleep. Lying in bed and trying to relax enough to fall asleep isn’t always helpful. You might try techniques like yoga nidra, gentle stretching or progressive muscle relaxation. Some other remedies that may help include drinking herbal tea or taking sleep aids. (Be sure to consult a health care professional before using sleep aids.) Another option is to get up and do something else for a while, like reading until you start to feel sleepy. 

In general, you should try to establish a routine by going to bed at the same time each night and waking up at the same time each morning. Try to avoid things like caffeine and bright lights in the hour before you go to bed, as these can keep you awake. Keep your bedroom clutter-free and comfortable, and don’t do things like work in the same space where you sleep.

These are the main nighttime symptoms of insomnia:

• Trouble falling asleep
• Trouble staying asleep
• Unwanted early waking

Daytime symptoms of insomnia

Losing hours of sleep every night can add up quickly. The first effects you might notice are sleepiness, lethargy and crankiness. Over time, you may start to have cognitive difficulties, like trouble focusing or remembering things. It can result in mistakes or accidents, and you may start to worry about getting enough sleep.

The following are some ways insomnia can affect you in the daytime:

• Daytime sleepiness and lethargy
• Irritability or crankiness
• Difficulty paying attention, focusing on tasks or remembering
• Making more mistakes or having accidents
• Worrying about sleep

Long-term symptoms of sleep deprivation

After several days or weeks of insomnia, you might start to notice more fatigue or a general feeling of malaise. You may start to feel more stressed or anxious and notice mood changes. If you have mental health conditions like anxiety or depression, insomnia can cause your symptoms to get worse. Eventually, a lack of sleep can contribute to health conditions like accidents and injuries, high blood pressure, obesity, stroke, and heart disease. When you start noticing these symptoms of sleep deprivation, it’s important to seek medical attention.

The following are some long-term effects associated with sleep deprivation:

• Fatigue
• Aches and pains
• Feeling generally unwell
• Mood changes, irritability and anxiety
• Worsening mental health
• Worsening physical health 

What does insomnia have to do with my mental health?

Your brain and body carry out many maintenance processes while you’re sleeping that support good mental and physical health. Your memory, your metabolism, your immune system and tissue healing processes all rely on a consistent pattern of sleep each night. Your body has a circadian rhythm, which is a 24-hour cycle that triggers your waking and sleeping instincts. Disruptions in this cycle can play a role in seasonal affective disorder (SAD). However, the primary cause is changes in serotonin and melatonin levels because of reduced exposure to sunlight.

Mental health conditions can cause a significant amount of stress and, sometimes, insomnia. The reverse is also true — insomnia can worsen mental health symptoms. If you’re predisposed to it, you may notice more insomnia during intense mental health treatment. Some psychiatric medications can cause insomnia as a side effect as well. It’s important to communicate with your care providers about how your condition and your treatment are affecting you. Each person’s insomnia is a bit different, so you’ll need personalized treatment to start getting more restful sleep.

If mental health symptoms like insomnia are interfering with your day-to-day life, there is hope that you can find relief. Contact us with any questions about seeking treatment.