Self-Care Pocket Guide • Insomnia
Insomnia

Overview

Insomnia is recurrent difficulty falling or staying asleep. It's very common, but it can cause major health consequences. Even one night of poor sleep can weaken your immune system and increase your susceptibility to infections. There's a wide variance in tolerance to sleep deprivation. Some people are just light sleepers and have to work hard at getting enough sleep. Others tolerate chronic insomnia for relatively long periods of time with few problems.

Occasional insomnia is normal. But those who suffer from chronic insomnia eventually will experience increased physical illnesses and/or a decrease in mental functioning that can lead to poor academic performance, diminished quality of life, and even physical injuries. The following advice pertains only to insomnia that isn't associated with a significant medical or psychiatric illness. For "uncomplicated" insomnia, self-care measures should be sufficient to help you sleep.

Signs and Symptoms:

• Inability to go to sleep within 30 minutes of lying down.
• Waking up before your normal rising time and inability to go back to sleep.
• Daytime fatigue and/or sleepiness and/or falling asleep at inappropriate times.
• Poor concentration.
• Irritability, emotional instability, depression, anxiety or feeling stressed, inability to enjoy things, and/or lack of motivation.
• Frequent viral infections (colds, cold sores, etc.)
• Chronic tension headaches.
• Sub-optimal academic, professional, social, sexual, and/or athletic performance.

Self-Care Measures

• Go to bed around the same time most nights and get up at the same time most mornings (regardless of when you go to bed).
• Keep daytime naps to less than 45 minutes—even if you haven't slept much (or any) the night before. Set your alarm to wake you up, if necessary.
• Sleep while the sun is down. Sleeping 11pm to 7am provides better quality sleep than sleeping 3am to 11am.
• Make your bedroom a quiet, comfortable place that is conducive to sleep.
• Limit the use of your bed/bedroom to sleeping. Eating, studying, watching TV, etc., in the bed or bedroom may keep you from falling asleep easily or sleeping well.
• Eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly.
• Avoid stimulants (caffeine, decongestants, etc.) and alcohol close to bedtime. Alcohol initially relaxes you but later causes a stimulant-like rebound that can interrupt sleep.
• Avoid stimulating activities like exercise or intense studying right before bedtime. Do something relaxing instead.
• Don't watch the clock if you can't sleep. Get out of bed, go to a chair or another room, and do something calming until you get sleepy.
• If you feel you must use them, occasional use of OTC sleep aids is acceptable.
• Contact the UT Counseling and Mental Health Center if difficulty coping with life situations, anxiety, or other emotional health issues are keeping you awake.

Red Flags

CALL THE UHS 24-HOUR NURSE ADVICE LINE 475-NURS (475-6877) IF THE FOLLOWING OCCURS:

• Excessive daytime sleepiness, especially if you're falling asleep during activities that could be dangerous to yourself or others.
• Concern that you might have an underlying physical, emotional, or psychiatric condition that's keeping you from sleeping well.
• Excessive use of alcohol or recreational or OTC drugs to help you sleep.
• You're told that you snore and sometimes stop breathing for short periods.
• Insomnia that doesn't improve with self-care.