Insomnia

What even is it?

Insomnia is the serious, persistent, (and very common) inability to fall and/or stay asleep at night time, along with not feeling well rested in the morning. A lot of cases are related to anxiety, depression, and certain medications, and most of the symptoms for it are also causes. The definition of insomnia is pretty simple, but it can still lead to a voluminous amount of symptoms. Insomnia is one of the reasons that teenagers are getting less and less sleep, and stress is one of the biggest causes.

Symptoms

Depression
Anxiety
Headaches
Irritability
Weariness in the morning
Waking up in the middle of the night
Falling asleep in school or afternoon fatigue
Decreased motivation

Statistics

About one in three people have at least mild insomnia, with an average of three million new cases of it every year. Seventy million americans suffer from disorders of sleep and wakefulness (60% of them have a chronic disorder).

You can see more statistics right here.

(Credit to SleepMed of Santa Barbara)

How can I treat it?

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone naturally found in the body that is produced by the pineal gland. It is taken as a pill and is meant to help improve sleep and wakefulness and treat actual sleep problems.

"For trouble falling asleep: 0.3 to 5 mg of melatonin daily for up to 9 months has been used. For sleeping problems in people with sleep-wake cycle disturbances: 2 mg to 12 mg taken at bedtime for up to 4 weeks has been used. Melatonin is POSSIBLY SAFE when used by mouth appropriately, long-term. Melatonin has been used safely for up to 2 years in some people. However, it can cause some side effects including headache, short-term feelings of depression,daytime sleepiness, dizziness, stomach cramps, and irritability." -From WebMd

Can it kill you? "It would appear that the answer is yes, if by overdose you mean feel unwell. But what might happen, if anything at all, is impossible to predict. ... Melatonin isn't known to cause death, but can make some people feel sick. You can see that there's a long list of potentially harmful effects of taking melatonin." -From No Sleepless Nights

Therapy

"Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is a structured program that helps you identify and replace thoughts and behaviors that cause or worsen sleep problems with habits that promote sound sleep. Unlike sleeping pills, CBT-I helps you overcome the underlying causes of your sleep problems." -From MayoClinic

Chamomile

Chamomile is taken as a gentle tea (the most common form) that can be used a small sleep aid for people of all ages. You may find comfort from a warm cup of chamomile when you take it about a half-hour before you go to sleep at night.

Passionflower is another gentile, botanical plant-based that can treat insomnia, restlessness, anxiety, and may more. Both teas can be taken 30 minutes before bedtime in order to acute insomnia in teens.

Passionflower

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