December Topic Insominia

December 1st 2025 Monthly Topic: Insomnia Resources Used: mayoclinic.org Author Note: I am not a professional of any kind. I am strongly against self-diagnosis and encourage my audience to seek the professional advice of their trusted medical professional and any other trusted professional, depending on the topic at hand. The Abler Blog ONLY PROVIDES LIMITED GENERAL INFORMATION and ALWAYS CITES WHERE THEY FIND THEIR RESOURCES AND OR INFORMATION. Jessica Niziolek, Founder Of The Abler Blog and online community. What is insomnia? This is a very common sleep disorder. This disorder can affect a person’s quality of life (potentially). Because it can keep a person from sleeping through the night, or prevent the person from staying asleep throughout the night. How can this condition affect a person? This condition can affect the person’s work performance, their energy level, and mood. How much sleep should the average person be getting? This can vary from person to person. But on average, a person should be getting 7-9 hours a night. Short-term Insomnia Many adults can have short-term Insomnia. How long can it last? This can vary from anywhere from days to weeks. What causes short-term insomnia? Typically, this type can be triggered by stress and or a stressful event that may be happening in the person’s life. Long-term (chronic) insomnia This type can also affect a person. How long does this type of insomnia last? This type can last up to three months or more for a person. What other things could cause a person to have this condition? This condition can also be linked to another medical condition or a possible medication that the person may be taking for something else. Without them realizing they’re linked to one another. What can help someone with this condition? Changing some of your daily habits is a suggested option. What are the symptoms of this condition? Having a hard time falling asleep at night. Waking up during the night. Waking up too early. Feeling tired or sleepy during the day. Feeling cranky, anxious, or depressed If you suspect you, or someone you love/care for, may have this condition. Please go see your doctor. They will have you get the appropriate diagnoses. If they suspect that insomnia is a possibility, they may suggest that the person go have a sleep study done. How is insomnia diagnosed? This can depend on the situation, but some things may include: : A physical exam : A sleep habits review, which involves a questionnaire. The person may also be asked to keep track of their sleeping habits by keeping a journal for a few weeks. : Completing a sleep study at a sleep center. What are some of the treatment options that can help a person with insomnia? cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), medicines or both to improve relaxation and sleep. CBT for insomnia Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia can help you control or stop negative thoughts and actions that keep you awake. It's usually recommended as the first treatment for people with insomnia. Typically, CBT is as effective or more effective than sleep medicines. The cognitive part of CBT teaches you to learn and change beliefs that affect your sleep. It can help you control or stop negative thoughts and worries that keep you awake. It also may involve ending the cycle of worrying so much about getting to sleep that you cannot fall asleep. The behavioral part of CBT helps you learn good sleep habits and stop behaviors that keep you from sleeping well. Strategies include: Stimulus control therapy. This method helps train your mind and body to sleep better and not fight sleep. For example, you might be coached to set a regular time to go to bed and wake up, not nap, and use the bed only for sleep and sex. You also may be coached to leave the bedroom if you cannot go to sleep within 20 minutes, only returning when you're sleepy. Relaxation methods. Progressive muscle relaxation, biofeedback and breathing exercises are ways to lower anxiety at bedtime. Practicing these methods can help you control your breathing, heart rate and muscle tension so that you can relax. Sleep restriction. With this method, you reduce the time you spend in bed and stop napping during the day, so you get less sleep. This makes you more tired the next night. Once your sleep improves, you gradually increase your time in bed. Remaining passively awake. Also called paradoxical intention, this strategy for learned insomnia aims to reduce your worry and anxiety about being able to get to sleep. You get in bed and try to stay awake rather than expect to fall asleep. This approach reduces your extreme focus on sleep and anxiety over not sleeping, making it easier to fall asleep. Light therapy. If you fall asleep too early and then wake up too early, you can use light to push back your internal clock. You can go outside when it's light outside in the evenings or you can use a light box. Talk to your doctor for advice. Your doctor may recommend other strategies related to your lifestyle and sleep area to help you create habits that lead to sound sleep and daytime alertness. Prescription medicines Prescription sleeping pills can help you get to sleep, stay asleep or both. Doctors generally do not recommend relying on prescription sleeping pills for more than a few weeks. And medicines should not be the only treatment. But several medicines are approved for long-term use. It's not known how long medicines can be wisely used. Rather, medicines are prescribed on a case-by-case basis, with you and your doctor weighing the benefits and risks. In general, it's best to use the lowest effective dose and not use medicines for too long. Options for treating those who are having trouble falling asleep are: Eszopiclone (Lunesta). Ramelteon (Rozerem). Temazepam (Restoril). Triazolam (Halcion). Zaleplon (Sonata). Options for treating those who are having trouble staying asleep, waking too early or finding it hard to get back to sleep are: Doxepin hydrochloride (Silenor). Eszopiclone (Lunesta). Suvorexant (Belsomra). Temazepam (Restoril). Zolpidem tartrate (Ambien, Ambien CR, Edluar). Prescription sleeping pills can have side effects, such as causing daytime grogginess and creating a higher risk of falling. They can also be habit-forming. If your doctor prescribes a medicine to help you sleep, ask for more information, including possible side effects and how long you can take it. Sleep aids are available without a prescription Sleep medicines available without a prescription contain antihistamines that can make you sleepy. These medicines are not for regular use. Talk to your doctor before you take these medicines, as antihistamines may cause side effects. Side effects may include daytime sleepiness, dizziness, confusion, problems with thinking, and difficulty urinating. Side effects may be worse in older adults. PLEASE NOTE: I AM AGAINST SOMEONE DIAGNOSING THEMSELVES WITH ANY CONDITION THAT THEY SUSPECT THEY MAY HAVE. IN MY OPINION, it IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. PLEASE CONSULT WITH A TRUSTED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL IF YOU SUSPECT YOU MAY HAVE THIS CONDITION. OR ANY OTHER CONDITION.  WE WILL RETURN TO MONTHLY TOPIC IN APRIL. I AM TAKING THE NEXT FEW MONTHS TO PROMOTE MY NEW POETRY COLLETCTION TIED TO YOU A POETRY COLLECTION ON. GRIEF and LOVE. THE EBOOK IS CURRENTLY AVAIALABLE TO PREORDER. I WILL BE HEAVILY PROMTIONG THIS NEW COLLECTION ON BOTH PLATFROMS. TO GIVE EVERYONE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE IT IF THEY WISH. HAVE A SAFE AND JOYOUS HOLIDAY SEASON EVERYONE. JESSICA