The Sleepless Nights – Understanding Insomnia in Teens

Have you ever found yourself wide awake in the middle of the night, staring at the fan rotating above your head? Or continuously tossing and turning in an attempt to fall asleep? 

Well, if you experience this for a prolonged and reasonable time, then most likely you are dealing with insomnia. 

But what exactly is insomnia?

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the United States, insomnia is a common sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or obtaining high-quality sleep. This can get in the way of one’s daily activities and make one sleepy.’

Now you may wonder why this is such a serious problem for teenagers, since most of us, anyway, struggle with our sleep but still manage to get through the day. 

To understand the depth of insomnia, we first need to recognize the importance of good quality sleep for teenagers like ourselves.

Quality sleep is crucial for maintaining our physical, mental, and emotional health, as well as our overall well-being. It also significantly affects our academic performance, influencing the analytical and cognitive functions of our brain.

According to research, teenagers need 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night. However, in the current scenario, many teenagers are barely able to get 6 to 7 hours of sleep. Ask yourself how many hours of sleep you got today? 

Causes of Insomnia

Insomnia – a sleep-disrupting disorder has multiple causes. Some are listed below – 

• Mental health conditions like anxiety or depression 

• Other sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome 

• Developmental conditions like ADHD or autism spectrum disorder 

• Taking certain medicines and steroids. 

• Certain health issues like asthma or eczema, etc.

In these cases, insomnia is a side effect of the above medical conditions, which will recede over time. 

One of the primary contributors to insomnia is a delay in the secretion of the melatonin hormone. So, what is melatonin? It is a hormone produced by the brain in response to darkness, playing a crucial role in regulating your circadian rhythms (the body's 24-hour internal clock) and facilitating sleep. In teenagers, melatonin is released later at night than it is in children and adults. As a result, teens often stay up late, leading to a disruption in their circadian rhythms. 

Certain lifestyle choices are conducive to insomnia. The three prominent ones are – 

1. Too much screen time before sleep 

2. Excessive consumption of caffeine 

3. Stress and pressure 

Since we have looked at the causes, let's have a look at the symptoms of Insomnia. 

Symptoms 

Some symptoms to identify insomnia are -

- Struggling to fall asleep at night.

- Experiencing interruptions in sleep throughout the night.

- Getting up too early in the morning.

- Feeling fatigued or drowsy during the day.

- Experiencing irritability, sadness, or anxiety.

- Difficulty concentrating, focusing on tasks, or recalling information.

- Increasing frequency of mistakes or accidents.

- Persistent concerns about sleep quality.

These are experiences that nearly all of us encounter daily, but how can we determine when they become serious enough to require professional help? When it starts hampering one’s day-to-day functioning, it deteriorates the productivity level of an individual. 

Treatments 

Since Insomnia is mostly a consequence of some lifestyle choices, we can rectify it by adopting certain choices like 

• Reducing usage of computers, cell phones, etc, at night

• Refrain from consumption of caffeinated products late in the evening 

• Maintaining a consistent sleeping time and sleep schedule 

• Resolving prevalent health issues

• Engaging in physical activity daily 

Certain cases of chronic Insomnia require professional intervention, especially when it hinders one’s daily routine. 

In most cases, professionals resort to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to comprehend one’s thinking style, fears, anxieties, etc. And also try to remodel it more optimistically. They also advise opting for a sleep clinic to monitor one’s sleep cycle. 

In rare cases, sleep medicines are prescribed, mostly melatonin, to help with Insomnia. Since these medicines have certain side effects, doctors refrain from prescribing them. 

When we consider the bigger picture, many of us are experiencing some form of insomnia, often due to late-night activities like binge-watching or socializing with friends. While it’s okay to unwind and have fun occasionally, this mustn’t become a habit that disrupts our sleep patterns and ultimately impacts our overall health.

Prioritizing quality sleep is not just about avoiding fatigue; it’s about nurturing our mental health, enhancing academic performance, and improving our daily lives. If you find yourself struggling consistently with sleep, consider implementing some of the changes discussed, and don’t hesitate to reach out for help if needed.

Hence, focus on Sleep, and automatically things will fall in place. 

Sources 

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/insomnia-teens.html

https://www.healthline.com/health/insomnia/insomnia-in-teens

https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/insomnia-teens