What is insomnia? Insomnia refers to the subjective experience of feeling unsatisfied with sleep time and/or quality despite having appropriate sleep opportunities and environments, and affecting daytime social function. The main symptoms are difficulty falling asleep, sleep maintenance disorders, early awakening, decreased sleep quality, and reduced total sleep time, accompanied by daytime dysfunction. Insomnia is divided into three types: transient insomnia, short-term insomnia, and chronic insomnia. In daily life, everyone has experienced insomnia to some extent: some people have been under a lot of work or study pressure recently and may experience insomnia; Some people are sensitive to caffeine and may experience insomnia at night after drinking coffee during the day. The occasional insomnia mentioned above belongs to transient insomnia and generally does not require treatment. Insomnia can be alleviated or improved by relieving stress or avoiding triggers. Short term insomnia refers to insomnia symptoms occurring less than 3 times a week and/or lasting for less than 3 months; When insomnia symptoms occur more than or equal to 3 times a week and last for 3 months or more, it is chronic insomnia. Both short-term insomnia and chronic insomnia require intervention and treatment. What are the hazards of long-term insomnia? Long term insomnia can cause fatigue or lethargy, decreased attention, concentration or memory, and affect daily work and study; Causing emotional instability or irritability, and even causing mental disorders such as anxiety or depression that affect daily interpersonal communication; Causing a decrease in the body's immune system, making it susceptible to various diseases and increasing the risk of falls; Long term insomnia in the elderly can cause cognitive impairment and trigger degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (also known as senile dementia). For chronic insomnia, standardized treatment is needed. Firstly, the possible causes should be eliminated, followed by psychological therapy, including sleep hygiene education and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Secondly, physical therapy should be used. If the effect is not good, medication should be added for treatment. For short-term insomnia, relevant triggers can often be identified. Removing these triggers can help some patients recover normal sleep, but there are still some who may develop chronic insomnia and require active treatment. The treatment methods for insomnia include psychological therapy, physical therapy, medication, traditional Chinese medicine treatment, and comprehensive treatment. When encountering insomnia problems, the following methods can be tried. 01 Psychological therapy - Sleep hygiene education 1) Avoid using excitatory substances (such as coffee, strong tea, cigarettes, etc.) 4-6 hours before bedtime (usually after 4pm). 2) Do not drink alcohol before bedtime, as alcohol can interfere with sleep. 3) Regular and moderate physical exercise should be carried out daily, and vigorous exercise should be avoided 3-4 hours before bedtime. 4) At least one hour before bedtime, do not engage in stimulating mental labor or watch stimulating books or TV shows. 5) It is not advisable to overeat or consume indigestible food before bedtime. 6) The bedroom environment should be quiet, comfortable, and maintain appropriate lighting and temperature. 7) Maintain a regular sleep schedule. 02 Psychotherapy - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 1) Maintain reasonable sleep expectations and do not attribute all problems to insomnia. 2) Maintain natural sleep and avoid forcing yourself to fall asleep. 3) Don't overly focus on sleep, don't feel frustrated and anxious just because you haven't slept well all night. 03 Stimulus Control Therapy 1) Only lie in bed when feeling drowsy. 2) If you still can't fall asleep after lying in bed for 20 minutes, you should get up and leave the bedroom, engage in some simple activities, and return to the bedroom to sleep when you feel sleepy. Attention: Do not engage in activities unrelated to sleep in bed, such as eating, watching TV, using your phone, reading novels, listening to the radio, and thinking about complex problems; Regardless of when you fall asleep, maintain a regular wake-up time; Avoid taking too long daytime naps. 04 Sleep restriction therapy 1) Reduce bed rest time to match actual sleep time, and increase bed rest time by 15-20 minutes while maintaining sleep efficiency (the ratio of total sleep time to bed rest time) at 85% or more for at least one week. 2) When sleep efficiency is below 80%, reduce bed rest time by 15-20 minutes. 3) When the sleep efficiency is between 80% and 85%, the bed rest time remains unchanged. 4) You can take regular naps for no more than half an hour, avoid other daytime naps, and maintain a regular wake-up time. Relaxation therapy mainly includes progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, and abdominal breathing training, which can alleviate muscle tension symptoms caused by emotional anxiety and other factors in patients. Physical therapy can include phototherapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation, biofeedback therapy, and transcranial microcurrent stimulation therapy, as well as dietary therapy and aromatherapy. Does drug therapy mainly include benzodiazepines? Class receptor agonists, melatonin and melatonin receptor agonists, orexin receptor antagonists, and antidepressants with hypnotic effects. Drug selection should be individualized under the guidance of a doctor, avoiding self medication or adjusting medication. Pay attention to the possibility of adverse reactions after taking medication and seek medical attention promptly. (New Society)