You may suffer from insomnia when you struggle to get to sleep no matter how tired you are. Insomnia is a common problem that takes a toll on your energy, mood, health and ability to function during the day.
There are many root causes of insomnia. Firstly, you might be under a lot of stress. When you are dealing with difficult problems, it is easy to feel depressed and hopeless. Carrying a big responsibility at school, for example, can cause feelings of anxiety or worry.
Apart from that, research also suggests that people who have just experienced a traumatic event find it hard to be able to sleep soundly.
Last but not least, it is possible that you are unable to have your shut-eye because you are taking medications that affect your sleep.
Although sleeping may not be as critical to our physical health as eating and drinking, insomnia has negative effects on daily functioning. In addition to feeling tired and fatigued, insomnia affects mental functions including our ability to learn, remember and concentrate. Excessive daytime sleepiness and decreased alertness from insomnia result in hundreds and thousands of automobile accidents each year. The inability to sleep regularly does not just affect one’s mood, it can also lead to depression and other emotional problems.
Questions for discussion:
- Can you name some of the causes and effects of insomnia.
- Have you ever experienced insomnia before?
- Can you share an experience where you suffered from insomnia since coming to Malaysia? How did you solve it?