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Question: Hi Dr,
For the past month now I have had troubles with my sleep patterns. Now im not having any troubles initially falling a sleep, but I seem to be constantly waking up throughout the night at least 3-4 times. Sometimes I might fall back to sleep within a couple of minutes and others within the hour. It is just really frustrating me that this is happening because when I used to sleep I would barley ever wake up or maybe once or twice but quite rarely. What exactly could be causing this? Not much has changed in my life besides maybe the weather? I even stopped using my phone before bedtime and facing the bed side clock away but it hasn't helped much. What can I do to stop me or reduce the amount of times I am waking up?
Kind Regards,
XXXX
For the past month now I have had troubles with my sleep patterns. Now im not having any troubles initially falling a sleep, but I seem to be constantly waking up throughout the night at least 3-4 times. Sometimes I might fall back to sleep within a couple of minutes and others within the hour. It is just really frustrating me that this is happening because when I used to sleep I would barley ever wake up or maybe once or twice but quite rarely. What exactly could be causing this? Not much has changed in my life besides maybe the weather? I even stopped using my phone before bedtime and facing the bed side clock away but it hasn't helped much. What can I do to stop me or reduce the amount of times I am waking up?
Kind Regards,
XXXX
Brief Answer:
try sleep hygiene first
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing to us. You are suffering from insomnia.
Insomnia (sleep disturbance) is of two types:
1. Primary: There is problem of only sleep disturbance and no other physical or psychological problem is there. In this case treatment for sleep problem is needed.
2. Secondary: There is some underlying physical or psychological problem which is responsible for sleep disturbance. In this main treatment is done for underlying problem.
First of all try to follow some measures called 'sleep hygiene' which would help in sleep. You can find the same in below link.
sleepfoundation.org/ask-the-expert/sleep-hygiene
Drinking a cup of warm milk before going to bed helps in 30-40% of patients and they do not need medicines as per my clinical experience.
To help you further I would like know more from you.
- How did problem begin? Was there any specific incidence?
- What was the schedule and duration of sleep before the problem started? How much reduction in sleep from previous?
- Any medicines have you tried for sleep?
- Do you have any stress in life?
- Do you have any physical illness?
- Any day time sleepiness is there?
- What is your daily schedule from morning to night? Mention your study/occupation also.
I will be happy to help further after your response.
Regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki.
try sleep hygiene first
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing to us. You are suffering from insomnia.
Insomnia (sleep disturbance) is of two types:
1. Primary: There is problem of only sleep disturbance and no other physical or psychological problem is there. In this case treatment for sleep problem is needed.
2. Secondary: There is some underlying physical or psychological problem which is responsible for sleep disturbance. In this main treatment is done for underlying problem.
First of all try to follow some measures called 'sleep hygiene' which would help in sleep. You can find the same in below link.
sleepfoundation.org/ask-the-expert/sleep-hygiene
Drinking a cup of warm milk before going to bed helps in 30-40% of patients and they do not need medicines as per my clinical experience.
To help you further I would like know more from you.
- How did problem begin? Was there any specific incidence?
- What was the schedule and duration of sleep before the problem started? How much reduction in sleep from previous?
- Any medicines have you tried for sleep?
- Do you have any stress in life?
- Do you have any physical illness?
- Any day time sleepiness is there?
- What is your daily schedule from morning to night? Mention your study/occupation also.
I will be happy to help further after your response.
Regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Hi Dr,
Thank you for the detailed reply. Before this problem started I had a pretty strict schedule where I was at school from 8am-3pm and I went to bed around 10pm with waking up at 7am. Since then I finished school a month ago and I have been doing exams. I had my mock exams 2 weeks ago which finished a week ago and I still have the final exams 2 weeks time from now but in saying that I don't really feel too stressed about them. I do not have any physical illness but I do feel very tired during the day. At the moment I usually go to bed around 11pm or 12am and wake up about 9am but obviously throughout the night as well. I am usually on the computer or my phone quite a lot as well, and I had a similar problem to this about 2 years ago for around 4 months and then it went away somehow. I have not tried any medications for this and I would rather resolve it naturally if possible.
Kind Regards,
XXXX
Thank you for the detailed reply. Before this problem started I had a pretty strict schedule where I was at school from 8am-3pm and I went to bed around 10pm with waking up at 7am. Since then I finished school a month ago and I have been doing exams. I had my mock exams 2 weeks ago which finished a week ago and I still have the final exams 2 weeks time from now but in saying that I don't really feel too stressed about them. I do not have any physical illness but I do feel very tired during the day. At the moment I usually go to bed around 11pm or 12am and wake up about 9am but obviously throughout the night as well. I am usually on the computer or my phone quite a lot as well, and I had a similar problem to this about 2 years ago for around 4 months and then it went away somehow. I have not tried any medications for this and I would rather resolve it naturally if possible.
Kind Regards,
XXXX
Brief Answer:
problem is likely due to change in schedule
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
Thanks for follow up.
Problem had started just after you finished school. You have been doing exams so likely there is less physical activity then previous. As well as you are taking sleep for 9 hours thought fragmented. This is happened likely due to some disturbance in circadian rhythm (biological clock of the body).
I think you will be normal as soon as final exams complete. You can try following measures with sleep hygiene.
- Do some exercise in daytime.
- Do not go to bed until you feel sleepy.
- Do not take daytime snap.
- At last if you not get good sleep with above measures you can go to doctor for melatonin prescription or ambien (zolpidem) which can be taken as on required basis.
Hope this answer will help.
Take care.
problem is likely due to change in schedule
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
Thanks for follow up.
Problem had started just after you finished school. You have been doing exams so likely there is less physical activity then previous. As well as you are taking sleep for 9 hours thought fragmented. This is happened likely due to some disturbance in circadian rhythm (biological clock of the body).
I think you will be normal as soon as final exams complete. You can try following measures with sleep hygiene.
- Do some exercise in daytime.
- Do not go to bed until you feel sleepy.
- Do not take daytime snap.
- At last if you not get good sleep with above measures you can go to doctor for melatonin prescription or ambien (zolpidem) which can be taken as on required basis.
Hope this answer will help.
Take care.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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