You are not alone.
Nearly 30% of adults have struggled with short term insomnia, while almost 10% of adults struggle with chronic insomnia.
What Causes Insomnia?
Insomnia simply means trouble sleeping – either trouble falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night. It’s important to note that insomnia is often a presenting symptom reflective of a deeper root cause. One of the most important initial steps is to rule out any medical conditions that could contribute to insomnia, including conditions like sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, chronic pain and hormonal imbalances, among others. Depending on the symptoms you present with, your team at Meah may recommend labwork or additional testing. In addition to screening for medical symptoms, it’s critical to evaluate your medication list and ensure that none of the medications you are currently taking could be keeping you from falling asleep. It’s important to also evaluate psychiatric symptoms or conditions. Anxiety is one of the most common reasons for onset insomnia (trouble falling asleep). Many individuals feel like they can’t shut their brain off, despite feeling exhausted. Similarly, depression can affect your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night. Other avenues that are important to assess are sleep hygiene and environmental factors, as well as diet, habits and lifestyle choices.
As you can see, evaluating insomnia and potential causes is quite complex, as there are many biological, psychological and sociological factors that can impact sleep. At Meah Modern Psychiatry, you will work with a dedicated, knowledgeable Psychiatrist or Psychiatric PA who specializes in treating sleep disorders and will work with you to understand your story and find the root cause of your symptoms.
How is insomnia treated?
One of the most effective treatments for insomnia is a specialized form of therapy called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I). It is the gold standard for treatment of insomnia, even before beginning medications for sleep. This type of therapy serves to break the powerful association the brain has made between bedtime and insomnia, and reassociate bedtime with restful sleep.
Finding the right treatment for insomnia is contingent upon finding its root cause. Once the root cause is found, a clear treatment path can be established. Treatments for insomnia may include addressing & treating any underlying medical conditions, switching or changing timing of medications, or addressing anxiety, depression or other psychiatric symptoms. It’s also important to assess your current sleep hygiene practices and any diet or lifestyle factors that could be disrupting sleep.
You may benefit from the following treatments:
- Psychotherapy (CBT-I or other types of therapy)
- Medication Management
- Integrative & Nutritional Psychiatry
- TMS
- Lifestyle Optimization
You are not alone.
All of the above treatment options are offered in-house at Meah Modern Psychiatry. Wondering which one(s) might be right for you? During your comprehensive initial evaluation, your Psychiatrist or Psychiatric PA will ask additional questions to determine the root cause of your depression and work with you to develop a treatment plan tailored to you. This is how we get you better, faster.