Insomnia is more than just struggling to fall asleep. It can manifest as trouble staying asleep, waking up too early, or waking up feeling unrefreshed. Like turning the lights off but your brain keeps buzzing, keeping you awake when you desperately need rest.
If sleepless nights are becoming a pattern, it might be time to look into solutions. I encourage you to speak to your GP first as there are a lot of physical health conditions that can cause or exacerbate insomnia.
If you think there are psychological factors contributing to your difficulty sleeping then don’t hesitate to contact me.
Symptoms of Insomnia
Everyone experiences a bad night’s sleep now and then, but insomnia is more persistent and can significantly impact your daily life. Symptoms include:
- Difficulty falling asleep despite being tired
- Waking up frequently during the night
- Trouble getting back to sleep when awakened
- Unrefreshing sleep
- Relying on sleep medications or alcohol to fall asleep
- Daytime drowsiness, fatigue, or irritability
- Difficulty concentrating during the day
Getting Help with Insomnia
Understanding the underlying causes of your insomnia is a crucial step towards recovery. It might be stress, your physical health, your mental health, medications, your sleep environment or a combination of factors.
Signs that Psychological Factors are Contributing to or Causing Insomnia
Psychological factors often play a significant role in insomnia. Identifying whether psychological issues are contributing to sleep disturbances can be crucial in deciding who to see for help and for effective treatment. Here are some signs that psychological factors might be at play in insomnia:
Stress and Anxiety
High levels of stress or anxiety can activate the body’s fight-or-flight response, which can interfere with the ability to fall asleep or maintain sleep. Constant worrying or racing thoughts at bedtime are common in people with insomnia related to anxiety.
Poor Coping Strategies
If you use a lot of substances and this is impacting on your sleep then there may be an underlying psychological issue. Alternatively sometimes poor sleep routines (e.g., staying up late) are an effort to avoid unpleasant psychological experiences. For example, some people stay up late so that they don’t have to spend time around other people.
Depression
Changes in sleep patterns are a hallmark symptom of depression. This can include early morning wakefulness or excessive sleeping. Insomnia itself can also exacerbate depression, creating a cyclical pattern.
Rumination
Repeatedly thinking about past events or excessively worrying about future events can keep the mind active at night, making it difficult to fall asleep.
Cognitive Distortions
Misconceptions about sleep, such as catastrophic thinking about the consequences of sleeplessness, can exacerbate insomnia. This might include fears that one night of poor sleep will ruin the next day’s productivity or health.
Psychological Trauma
Experiencing nightmares or flashbacks, especially if related to trauma, can disrupt sleep and lead to insomnia.
Services and Resources to Help You with Insomnia
Here are some options that might help you find relief from insomnia. What works varies from person to person, so feel free to explore several approaches.
Start with
Seeing a General Practitioner (GP): A GP can discuss symptoms and potential medical causes of insomnia, and if needed, provide a referral for further treatment.
Self-Help and Community-Based Treatments for Insomnia
- Sleep Hygiene Education: Understanding good sleep practices can significantly improve your sleep quality. This includes establishing a regular sleep schedule, creating a bedtime routine, and optimizing your bedroom environment.
- Online Resources: Websites like the Sleep Health Foundation and the Sleep Council offer tips and strategies for better sleep.
- Apps for Sleep Tracking and Meditation: Apps like Sleep Cycle can track sleep patterns, while others like Calm offer guided meditations to help with sleep.
Professional Treatments for Insomnia
Seeing a Psychologist
Difficulties with sleep and insomnia are common and are issues that I help people with frequently. If you think there may be a psychological component (and this includes unhelpful habits) we can talk about how I can help you.
Programs at Public Hospitals
You may also be able to get a referral to a clinic at a public hospital from your GP.
Alfred Health: Your GP refer you to this program.
The Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH): RMH has a sleep clinic but I think that it is only open to patients of RMH and your GP cannot refer you to it directly.
Programs at Private Hospitals
Some hospitals offer specialized programs to help manage insomnia, which might be covered by private health insurance.
Lifestyle Changes
Regular Exercise: Engaging in regular physical activity can help regulate your sleep patterns, but avoid vigorous exercise close to bedtime.
Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques: Techniques such as yoga, meditation, or deep breathing can be beneficial in managing insomnia. Apps like Insight Timer, Smiling Mind and Headspace (that you should be able to easily find in your phone’s app store) have a lot of resources to help with these techniques.
If insomnia is making your nights long and your days a struggle, help is available. Together, we can explore various treatments and lifestyle adjustments to find what works best for you.
I hope this information empowers you to take the first step towards better sleep and overall well-being.
