Espedilla: Are there medical causes for insomnia?

DEAR Dr. Fritz,

Good day to you. I am Amy T. I have a problem which had been disturbing me lately. I think I am having insomnia as I can’t sleep. I hope you can help me. I also wanted to know if there are medical causes to this.

Thanks and God bless.

Amy T. of GSIS

***

Dear Amy T. of GSIS,

Yes, there are medical causes of insomnia. Let me count the ways.

1. Stress

Of course, who can’t sleep well if you are so problematic - you have heart breaks, you lose someone, or you lose a job. If you can’t sleep well for a few nights after the event, then, that’s acute insomnia. But, if your worries persist for some time, this can lead to the more serious chronic insomnia.

2. Irregular Sleep Times

If your bedtime is inconsistent, as you have been from a long flight, or because of shifting work schedules, or of overnight work or study, these can lead to a confused body clock, which would make you sleep hard at “normal” times.

3. Troubled Mind

People with depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorders have more sleep problems. A troubled sleep can tell some signs of mental illness.

4. Anything that interferes with your breathing

The first in the list is heavy snoring, which can lead to sleep apnea, which can then, cut off one’s breathing and could wake one up several times during the night. Then, there’s the nasal allergies and asthma.

Oh, but, we run out of space. So, hold and on and let me continue this in my next column for the list of the medical causes of insomnia. Until then.

Dr. Fritz

(Dr. Fritz Legarde Espedilla is an aesthetic dermatologist and surgeon and a clinical sexologist. She is also trained in hypnotherapy and Medical Acupuncture. She has been in the broadcast media for more than a decade and has written a book based on her 15 year stint with her radio program, “Healthy is Sexy Secrets ni Dr. Fritz.” She is the program host of Secrets with Dr. Fritz over Hugyaw.com. For your questions, you may send them to Dear Dr. Fritz, c/o SunStar-Davao Publishing Inc., Ebro-Pelayo Building, Jacinto St., Davao City, (former Department of Foreign Affairs office), across Ateneo de Davao University and beside Holy Child School of Davao, or you e-mail them to dokfritz@yahoo.com. If you don’t wish your letter to be published, we regret that we can not answer them. Thank you for your understanding.)

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