At one time or another, most people will experience insomnia. While being unable to sleep for one or two nights may have more to do with something going on in your life, a continual pattern of not sleeping indicates there’s a more serious issue. How much do you know about this condition and what can be done to correct it? Here are some common questions that people ask and some answers that may help.
Is Insomnia More than an Inability to Sleep?
Most people do understand insomnia as not being able to get to sleep. What they may not realize is that the condition is also present if you are able to doze off and find yourself waking up several times throughout the night. Consistently waking up well before you need to is also another sign that you have this condition. Essentially, if you are not getting at least seven hours of recuperative sleep each night, then you have a problem that needs to be resolved.
What Can Cause Insomnia?
Stress is easily one of the more common reasons for insomnia. That’s because stress stimulates the body and makes it harder to relax. People with chronic pain also find it difficult to ease the tension within their muscles and be able to sleep. It’s not unusual for anyone who works long hours during the night or day to find it difficult to relax and get to sleep.
There are also medications that may cause this issue as a side effect. For example, you may be taking something to help with an anxiety disorder. While it serves the purpose, it may or may not interfere with your ability to get to sleep. The most practical approach is to see your doctor and have a checkup. Once the origin for the problem is identified, it will be easier to determine what course of treatment would provide the best chances for relief.
Is It a Permanent Condition?
Depending on the underlying cause of insomnia, you’re not likely to live with the condition for the rest of your life. In some cases, basic dietary or lifestyle changes will allow you to sleep soundly again. At other times, adjustments or changes to medication will alleviate the issue. If the problem has to do with stress in your life, finding ways to minimize or deal with the stress more effectively will allow you to sleep well again.
What Can Be Done to Correct the Problem?
The ideal treatment for insomnia is the one that addresses your particular circumstances. Some people find they need to take a prescription strength medication in order to get the sleep they need. Your doctor will select something that does not negatively interact with any other medication you currently take. There’s even the possibility that exercising moderately several hours before bedtime will make it easier to get to sleep and stay that way for the entire night.
Get In Touch with Us for More Information
The bottom line is that you don’t have to deal with insomnia by yourself. To learn more, we invite you to make an appointment with Montana Psychiatry & Brain Health Center. At our convenient location in Billings, our team will come up with a treatment strategy that helps you get back to enjoying a full night of restful sleep. Contact us today to set up your consultation!
TMS
by Deb (age 64)
Category: generalThe hoops I jumped through in order to be evaluated were straightforward and efficient. I met with PA Kaitlin for about an hour to discuss my history and previous medications. Then Dr. Amato joined us to further discuss my history, the TMS treatment, and answer any questions. Myrna gathered all of the information and submitted it to my health insurance company to request coverage for TMS. Fortunately, insurance approved the treatment and I was able to begin the next week. I’m sure most people have anxiety about starting a treatment like TMS. No matter how many times it’s described to you, there are many unknowns. How will I feel during treatment? Is it painful? What if this doesn’t work? What if it works for a while but then stops? In all honesty, I was very uncomfortable during the first couple of weeks of treatment. The alternating two seconds of tapping sensation caused some pain during treatment, and at the end of the first week I thought about quitting. But I had sworn to myself that TMS was a last resort and I HAD TO complete the treatment and give it a chance to work. My technician, Heather, told me that some people don’t feel the tapping at all, they only hear it. Guess I wasn’t one of those people! But as the days went by, it became easier to tolerate the treatments. During this time I also saw Lauren weekly for CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy). This is highly recommended for people undergoing TMS treatment, and it was a positive complement to my total of 100 minutes each week “under the helmet”. The weekend between weeks three and four, I started to notice subtle improvements in my mood, increased belief in my self-worth, and enthusiasm for simple things like going for walks, meeting friends for lunch, and taking on volunteer work in the community. I hesitated at first to believe that TMS was helping me. I was afraid that I was convincing myself it was working because I so desperately wanted it to! But now that I am past the treatment I can say with cert
TMS
by Barbie (age 68)
Category: generalI feel so blessed to participate in the TMS protocol at MT Psychiatry. After struggling so many years with depression and not getting significant results from medication, particularly of late, I noticed positive results in the first two weeks of treatment. TMS can literally give you back the beauty & joy in living as well as the courage to make positive life changes and improvements in your daily living situation. I heartily encourage anyone to put yourself into the hands of the amazing TMS team who so gently and graciously make this journey with you out of the black hole that is depression. It is my honor and privilege to give the TMS treatment the highest recommendation.
TMS
by Shayne (age 66)
Category: generalI am grateful for the support and caring I have received from Dr. Amato (and Heidi, Heather and Myrna) in my quest for mental health and a fuller more productive life. While the TMS results have been subtle, I feel more positive about my future and I would recommend this team absolutely. Thank you!
TMS
by Carrie (age 65)
Category: generalNot realizing how fuzzy my head was, I thought I was only going through severe anxiety and depression. Through the insight of Pat, I was able to go through TMS treatments which brought down the anxiety and depression immensely and has cleared up the fuzzy, far off substantially. All the personnel treated me with kindness and I’m sure their attitudes helped in my recovery.
TMS
by Bridget (age 47)
Category: generalThe first outcome of TMS I noted happened early in my treatment, at about the beginning of week two. I felt as though my “brain fog” had been chipped away. I wish I could report that I feel my mental health issues are in “remission”, but I can’t do so yet. My hope is that I will see improvement in the weeks to come, now that my TMS cycle has ended. I can say that my brain feels – in some way – different; I can’t explain exactly how. I continue to struggle at this point in time but sill have hope for more improvement.
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