Do you typically have difficulty falling or staying asleep? Do you typically experience difficulty sleeping? If you answered “YES” to either of these questions, you may suffer from insomnia, and you are not alone.1
Nearly 1 in 3 men suffer from insomnia, which seriously hurts them physically and mentally. Sure, everyone occasionally has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, but chronic insomnia results in poor physical and mental recovery.
Most men try to cope with the sleep deprivation caused by insomnia by drinking lots of coffee, by napping during the day, or by drinking a few alcoholic drinks before bed to fall asleep easier. Unfortunately, these solutions only make the problem worse. (See Alcohol and Sleep)
Insomnia Solutions
Find out what’s causing the problem first. Insomnia can either be a completely independent problem or a result of one or more medical or psychiatric problems.
- Insomnia without a related medical or psychiatric problem can potentially be overcome with behavioral treatments (See Behavioral Insomnia Treatment) or prescription sleep aids (See Medicinal Insomnia Treatment).
- The solution to insomnia caused by a medical or psychiatric problem is to address the underlying problem. No matter what behavioral or prescription treatments you seek for your insomnia, it won’t go away without eliminating the underlying medical problem.
Medical conditions that typically cause insomnia for men include:
- Shortness of breath from heart illness (cardiovascular disease)
- Chest pain from angina
- Shortness of breath from lung illness (pulmonary disease)
- Heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux (GERD)
- Frequent urination from benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH)
Psychiatric problems that typically cause insomnia for men include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Bereavement
These lists are far from comprehensive. All of the above problems can cause issues with sleep. Considering how important sleep is in stimulating muscle repair, tissue growth, and fat metabolism (making you leaner, fitter, and stronger), it is essential to address these problems. Click on the above links to find specific information on each problem, how each problem relates to sleep, and possible ways to address each problem
External Resources: HelpGuide.org: Insomnia Treatment
Updated: April 10th, 2015
References1. Roth T. Insomnia: definition, prevalence, etiology, and consequences. J Clin Sleep Med. Aug 2007; 3 (5 Suppl): S7-10.