Insomnia is an unpleasant phenomenon, it seems as if it is a curse of every person. With sleep disturbance, cognitive and behavioral functions of a person decrease. Significantly worse is not only the physical condition, but also the psychological one. The causes of insomnia are often hidden in psychogenic disorder and neuralgia. Consider the most common of them. What measures should be taken to forget about insomnia forever?
VVD - what is it?
Vegetative-vascular dystonia (VVD) is a disease of the autonomic nervous system, which leads to disorders of the cardiovascular system, psychological disorders (stress), as well as breathing problems. Such a symptom as insomnia with VSD is quite common.
It should be noted that the term VVD is a bit outdated. In modern medicine, such a diagnosis has not been made for a long time. By VVD, they mean a complex of symptoms, the source of which is not specified or not identified. That is, today the IRR is not considered a disease associated with the nervous system. But experts do not deny that certain failures at the psychological level in the case of VVD have a place to be.
Causes of Insomnia
Insomnia is divided into two types: a person cannot fall asleep at all or his sleep becomes intermittent with frequent awakenings. What causes insomnia? Of course, the primary reason is anxiety. An increased sense of anxiety can be chronic or intermittent. Internal anxiety usually makes itself felt when a person finishes all his affairs and tries to accept a state of rest. At night, anxiety can be so intense that it can trigger a panic. If such panic attacks occur frequently, you must consult a doctor.
The second reason is stress. Moreover, he is the main "provocateur" of the VVD. The appearance of stress is often associated even with small changes in the usual life: troubles at work or school, in the family, even rainy weather. People who are emotional, impressionable, and with a weak psyche perceive any changes quite acutely. During any stress, a certain malfunction occurs in the human nervous system. The area of the brain responsible for sleep is turned off and refuses to perform the production of melatonin. In addition, during stress, adrenaline-like substances are released in the body that affect the nervous system overexcitation.
Insomnia with neurosis
Insomnia with neurosis finds 40% of patients with VVD. Doctors associate sleep disorders with neurosis. There is also a phenomenon such as a decrease in sleep duration. Frequent awakenings, continuous mental activity, fatigue are vivid symptoms of insomnia in neurosis.
However, insomnia may be due to psychological reasons:
- occupational stress;
- regular conflicts in the family;
- psychological trauma; usually traumatic phenomena cause sleep disturbance;
- loss of a loved one;
- emotional sphere in which there is increased anxiety.
The cause of insomnia is always individual and subjective. The manifestation of symptoms may be different. For example, paradoxical drowsiness, in this phenomenon a person has a strong desire to fall asleep, but as soon as he goes to bed, he immediately wakes up.
Another form of insomnia is a shallow, shallow sleep. Often dreams are accompanied by nightmares, anxious thoughts. If a person is diagnosed with hysterical neurosis, then as additional symptoms he feels anger towards others.
There is a third form of insomnia - neurotic phobia. She is able to form a vicious circle of anxious thoughts, followed by sleep disturbance. After many unsuccessful attempts to fall asleep, a person simply begins to fear insomnia. Consequently, the fear of not falling asleep becomes a phobia. So, first you need to get rid of the phobia, and then - from insomnia.
Insomnia with depression
Depression is a mental disorder in which three signs are steadily manifested: low mood, loss of positive thinking, sobriety of perception is violated (everything seems a little worse than it really is), stiffness in movements.
Often insomnia is a faithful companion to depression. The human body is sensitive, therefore, immediately responds to a mental state and its psycho-emotional background.
During an anxiety state, insomnia is accompanied by an early awakening, if you can fall asleep. The inability to "sleep" for several hours makes you angry. Usually, waking up occurs from 4 to 6 hours. Repeated falling asleep can be combined with a slight restless nap.
Symptoms of Insomnia
Insomnia with VVD is characterized by the following symptoms:
- I want to sleep, but I can’t sleep;
- I want to sleep during the day;
- dizzy;
- surface sleep;
- heart palpitations;
- nightmares;
- anxious sleep;
- limbs tremble or twitch;
- frequent headache.
Often, VVD is an alarming signal of diseases of the nervous system: neurosis, asthenia, depression, etc.
If a person suffers from diseases of the nervous system, then insomnia has a number of features:
- it is difficult to fall asleep (sleep does not occur for 2-3 hours);
- shallow sleep;
- frequent awakenings in the middle of the night (3-4 mornings);
- complete insomnia.
In addition to the above disorders with night rest, insomnia with VSD may occur due to such somatic diseases:
- heart attacks;
- respiratory arrest during sleep (apnea);
- arthritis;
- asthma;
- prostatic hypertrophy;
- Parkinson's disease.
Antidepressants can also affect the occurrence of insomnia. Also, problems with falling asleep are found in those who systematically abuse alcohol.
Insomnia with VSD: how to fight
Control methods must be timely and comprehensive. It is necessary to throw out of our heads the fear that insomnia will come. What to do with VSD? The following measures must be taken:
- If you can’t sleep, stop trying. If you stop adjusting yourself to sleep, then the anxiety about the unfulfillment of the desire for sleep will pass. An alarm will pass - a dream will come. The main condition is to lie in bed. The moment of falling asleep will come imperceptibly.
- Try relaxing before bed and think about the good. No need to go to bed before working hard. These classes are better to postpone for a day.
Before going to bed, it is advisable to listen to light pleasant music, the sounds of nature or read a "light" book.
Recommendations
Self-treatment should begin with autogenic training (the psychological method of self-hypnosis), taking weak hypnotic sedatives. An excellent aid to a good sleep is a ventilated room before going to bed.
It is necessary to protect yourself from external distractions on the eve of sleep. Do not spend time in front of a computer monitor, browsing social media accounts on a smartphone, etc.
Treatment
People with VSD and insomnia need to see a therapist. Usually medications are not prescribed. But if insomnia does not go away for a long time, then the patient is prescribed drugs. One of the most popular drugs for insomnia today is Persen Night. But is he really able to help?
"Persin from insomnia" is made on plants, so it will not bring any harm to the body. It is intended for oral use. "Night Persen", the price of which is approximately 200 rubles, is intended to eliminate insomnia only at night. It should be drunk only before bedtime. Taking the drug for more than 7–9 weeks is not recommended continuously.
Good for insomnia helps valerian root. It reduces the excitability of the nervous system and establishes neuroregulation of the heart. Valerian root and Persen, whose price is not much higher than the first remedy, is a double effect in the fight against insomnia. At least, experts say so.
Electrosleep: indications and contraindications, reviews
Electrosleep is a procedure that is performed using a special apparatus. During the procedure, a person is given weak pulses of low-frequency current through electrodes, which are pre-fixed for ever.
Through the optic nerves, through the eye sockets, a current impulse enters the vessels and the brain. Thus, the work of the nervous system slows down and a drowsy state occurs.
In one session, lipid and carbohydrate balances in the structure of the brain increase. Its functionality is normalized.
One procedure lasts 60 minutes. The required number of sessions is from 10 to 15.
Indications for electric sleep:
- gastrointestinal tract diseases;
- body recovery;
- with neurosis;
- with hypertension;
- with bronchial asthma;
- with atherosclerosis;
- with vibrational disease;
- with ischemia;
- with enuresis;
- with neurodermatitis.
Judging by the reviews, electrosleep accelerates the metabolism in the body, improves blood coagulation.
Contraindications:
- individual intolerance;
- epilepsy;
- fever;
- hysteria;
- circulatory disturbance;
- dermatitis of the face;
- inflammation of the eyes (conjunctivitis, blepharitis, and so on);
- myopia;
- microstroke;
- retinal pigment degeneration;
- oncological diseases;
- metal objects in the skull.
Acupuncture is the best treatment
Acupuncture treatment for insomnia is a common procedure. With the help of it, bioactive points are activated, which are responsible for the work of many body functions, in particular, the nervous system.
Acupuncture is carried out using special medical needles, the thickness of which is not more than a human hair.
With the introduction of needles in the nervous system, reflex processes begin that increase stress resistance. In addition, acupuncture brings stability to the emotional background of a person. Accordingly, this is a positive technique in the fight against insomnia.
One session - 30 minutes, the procedure is painless. Acupuncture eliminates the cause of insomnia, without taking medication or side effects.
Folk remedies
Insomnia with VSD can be treated with traditional medicine. If medications can be addictive, then from folk remedies this will not happen.
Effective recipes:
- Broth for sound sleep: add 0.5 g of dill seeds to 0.5 liters of red wine. Boil for 20 minutes. Then insist for about an hour and strain. Such a soothing tincture will help you fall asleep faster. Take 2 tbsp. l before bedtime.
- Soothing infusion: grind the root of valerian and pour 1 tbsp. hot water in proportion: 1 tsp. per 200 ml of water. Insist 2 hours and use the infusion half a glass before bedtime.
- Lavender oil. It can be used as an aroma lamp. Some people lubricate their whiskey before going to bed.
Before using traditional medicine, be sure to consult a doctor. If you are allergic, then remember about herbs that can provoke an undesirable reaction of the body.
Insomnia with VSD is incurable. An integrated approach is needed that will be aimed at neutralizing negative factors. For example, if there is a conflict in your family, throw all your strength into resolving it. Problems at work - fix it. Therefore, your calm and harmonious life is the key to a good sleep. A great dream is a guarantee of a successful life.