Insomnia is a common sleep disorder. Difficulty falling asleep or difficulty staying asleep are common symptoms of insomnia. However, it has many types, and one of them is short-term insomnia. What is it? What are its causes? How to manage and treat it? When to see an insomnia specialist Silver Spring? Here is a guide.

What Is Short-Term Insomnia?

Short-term or acute insomnia is difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep for more than three nights per week that lasts for less than three months. If it lasts more than that, it can be categorized as chronic or long-term insomnia.

Sleep disruption affects sleep routine, causing daytime sleepiness, difficulty focusing, mood swings, and other problems. Generally, this inability to sleep is not caused by any medical condition, any usage of prescription drugs, or substance use.

In many cases, acute insomnia can go away on its own, but if it doesn’t, it could become chronic insomnia, which is characterized by a persistent sleep problem that can stay for months or even years.

Other names for short-term insomnia are adjustment insomnia and sudden insomnia.

Causes Of Short-Term Insomnia

Stress Or A Distressing Event

Any recent stressful event can cause sleep problems or insomnia, such as work stress, job loss, school or study-related issues, personal relationship problems, loss of a loved one, financial difficulties, or any other significant life event.

Stress is a common cause of short-term insomnia. As the stress or the event that caused the stress dissipates over time (in many cases), the sleep pattern gradually returns to normal, and insomnia fades away.

Keep in mind that some mental health problems, like anxiety, depression, or others can be long-term, so this is why they are usually the causes of long-term insomnia or chronic insomnia. However, the doctor will still check the medical history of the patient even if they have short-term insomnia because these problems can cause short-term insomnia as well in some people.

Travel Or Frequent Time Zone Changes

Jet lag is a cause of sleep dissatisfaction, which is essentially short-term insomnia if the sleep disruption lasts for more than three nights each week. Commonly, as the person returns from travel or adjusts themselves to the time zone changes, their sleep can become better. But this issue can become long-term as well if not managed.

Disruption In The Sleep Environment

Many things in the sleep environment can create disruptions, leading to difficulty falling asleep or not getting enough sleep. It can be a noisy neighborhood, construction work nearby, bright light, uncomfortable temperatures, bed bugs, an uncomfortable bed, disruption caused by the sleep partner, etc.

Irregular Sleep Schedule

Not having a set sleep schedule can affect sleep quality and lead to short-term insomnia. It can be staying awake late at night, napping during the day, eating a heavy meal before sleeping, or exercising right before going to bed.

Caffeine Consumption

Caffeine is useful if you want to stay awake or alert during the day. However, caffeine intake before going to bed or after the evening can cause trouble falling asleep.

Alcohol Or Drug Use

Even though alcohol makes people sleepy or dizzy, it can happen out of their normal sleep schedule, so the person would not be able to sleep at night when they want to.

Pain Or Illness

Any pain (back pain, etc.) or illness (flu, cold, etc.) can cause discomfort and keep you from having a good night’s sleep.

Hormonal Changes

Hormonal changes can affect sleep, especially in women. They can be triggered by pregnancy, menstruation, menopause, etc.

Symptoms Of Short-Term Insomnia

• Trouble falling asleep
• Difficulty staying sleep
• Waking up too early

There are other signs that are the symptoms of sleep disruption:

• Daytime sleepiness
• Trouble focusing, staying alert, or paying attention
• Feeling tired and sluggish
• A drop in performance at work or school
• Difficulty in memorizing things
• Mood swings and irritation
• Stress and anxiety

Risk Factors

• People over 60 are at a higher risk of developing short-term insomnia
• Women can go through hormonal changes that can trigger sleep disruptions.
• Medical problems
• Mental health problems
• Stress
• Improper sleep schedule

Diagnosis Of Short-Term Insomnia

A general physician may refer you to a sleep clinic Walkersville for diagnosis. The doctor at the sleep clinic may start with a physical examination and questions about your sleep habits. They may also take a blood test to check for thyroid problems or any other condition.

Moreover, if the cause is not determined, the doctor may suggest a sleep study, in which you have to spend a night at a sleep center where your body’s activities are noted during your sleep.

How To Treat And Manage Short-Term Insomnia?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT helps you control thoughts or actions that may be negatively impacting your sleep. It also helps you stop worrying about not being able to sleep, as it only causes more sleep disruption.

There are various strategies doctors suggest based on the individual. They can be stimulus control therapy, relaxation methods, sleep restriction, remaining passively awake, light therapy, sleep hygiene education, and others.

Improving Sleep Hygiene

Sleep hygiene education is a part of CBT for insomnia, and you can practice it yourself. It yields excellent results for people with short-term insomnia. Here are the things you can do to improve your sleep hygiene:

• Optimize the sleep environment to your liking so there are no disruptions. You can control the temperature, light, noise, bed comfort, etc., for a better sleep environment.
• Have a regular sleep schedule so you go to sleep and wake up at a set time.
• Avoid stimulants like caffeine, nicotine, heavy meals, or certain medications before sleeping.
• Reduce napping in the day or don’t sleep during the daytime at all.
• Limit screen time before sleep.
• Don’t stay in bed for anything other than sleeping.
• Don’t try too hard to sleep. Stay relaxed and let sleep come to you.

Check Your Medication

Some medications can cause sleep problems. So, consult a doctor who will help you out in finding out if any medication is playing a role in triggering insomnia. If you’re using OTC drugs, make sure they don’t have stimulants like caffeine and pseudoephedrine.

Use Medication Mindfully

Medication is usually not favored by doctors for short-term insomnia, however, they see every case individually and may prescribe medication or suggest an OTC solution if the sleep disruption is severe. Even then, medication is not prescribed for more than a few weeks. Long-term use can lead to dependency, tolerance, and other problems.

OTC solution: Antihistamines can be suggested by a doctor as an aid for falling asleep. However, it may have some side effects, like dry mouth and daytime drowsiness. Its long-term use is not recommended.

Prescription medication: There are many prescription medications doctors may prescribe after weighing the benefits and drawbacks. If prescribed, only take it as suggested and never use it long-term. Plus, ask the doctor for more information, such as side effects.

Conclusion

Short-term insomnia is temporary for most people, but it can still be a huge problem because sleep disruption directly affects your daily activities. Plus, if not managed properly, it can turn into chronic insomnia. Therefore, see a sleep doctor Jessup if you’ve been having trouble falling asleep for more than a few days.