What causes insomnia?

Most people have experienced having a hard time falling asleep or even sleepless nights, and many times it’s been due to our mind racing about something that has happened, or has yet to happen in our life, or something that is worrying us. Most adults at some point will experience short-term insomnia, which can last for days or even weeks. But chronic insomnia is different than just a hard time getting to sleep or the occasional sleepless night, because it can go on for months or even years. Chronic insomnia can be the primary problem and can in itself cause further health issues, or it may be the symptom of other underlying medical conditions or a side effect of medications.

Below are some common causes of insomnia:

• Stress – Work, school, health, finances, or family trauma

• Travel or work schedule – Crossing time zones

• Poor sleeping habits – irregular bedtime, frequent daytime naps, electronics before bed

• Eating late in the evening – A light snack is fine, but too much makes sleep uncomfortable

• Drug use – both medicinal and recreational drugs can have a dramatic effect on sleep

• Mental health disorders – Anxiety disorders are the leading mental health disorder that causes sleep problems

• Medical conditions – Chronic pain, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, sleep apnea, and other conditions have all been linked to insomnia

• Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol – certain substances are known to cause sleep problems

How can neurotherapy help insomnia?

Neurotherapies are becoming a powerful tool to help people fall asleep and stay asleep. There are currently over 3000 neurotherapy practitioners helping their patients every day across the United States who report consistent and significant improvements for their clients’ insomnia. Neurotherapies stabilize the part of the nervous system that regulates sleep, wakefulness, and arousal and address problems of imbalanced brain activity.

What does the treatment process look like?

First, we need to identify any external factors regarding sleep hygiene that may be contributing to your symptoms. Behaviors such as inconsistent bed times, screen exposure, diet, and routine can all play a significant role in causing the insomnia, so they must be part of the solution, as well. Other possible contributors such as sleep apnea or stress also need to be considered and carefully reviewed. Using EEG sensors placed on the scalp, electrical brainwave activity is displayed on a computer screen by your neurofeedback practitioner, and they will record a brain map to see if there are any specific EEG problems associated with the sleep areas of the brain. By observing the brain in action, and sharing that information with the patient, the brain is rewarded for changing to more appropriate patterns. This trains the patient’s brain in self-regulation, which is necessary for healthy brain functioning. This process, typically in combination with neuromodulation and biofeedback training, can bring relief to those who are in desperate need of a good night’s sleep. Contact us for a free consultation to learn more about the process.