Dopamine and Insomnia

Insomnia is a condition that can affect all aspects of your life. The lack of sleep will inevitably leave you drained both physically and mentally. It will affect not only your personal life but also you professional and social life as well. This is a serious condition that can leave a person at such an adverse state and must be treated as soon as possible.

Insomnia

Insomnia is a condition wherein a person experiences sleeplessness or lack of proper sleep. Based on a current study, this is one of the most common disorders that physicians encounter. Insomnia can be diagnosed by using the DSM-4 TR book and by taking into account the person’s statements about his own difficulties in sleeping and basing it off a set of criteria. As there are several types of insomnia it is essential that doctors are able to differentiate which one the patient has in order to develop the proper treatment strategy.

Sleep Disturbance and Sleep Disorder

Difficulty sleeping does not always mean that the person has insomnia. It can only be called a sleeping disorder once it starts affecting you mentally and physically. Insomnia is usually caused by stress, intermittent insomnia for example is a type of insomnia that usually lasts for a week and can be treated by natural means such as relaxation methods and medication. When it comes to more serious types of insomnia that lasts more than a month, medical intervention is necessary once the cause of the disorder has been discovered.

What are the Causes of Insomnia?

Insomnia can be caused by a variety of reasons. It can be caused by taking stimulants that have caffeine or it can also be caused by physical ailments that cause pain and discomfort. Another factor in the cause of insomnia could be psychological such as bipolar disorder, stress and depression. Psychological causes are seen to be the biggest detriment as it will usually take more time to treat. Environmental factors can also be the cause for sleep disturbance such as outside noise and temperature.

Insomnia and the Dopamine Effect

There is a connection between the level of dopamine and sleep. Dopamine levels will have some massive effects on the human mind and body depending on its production. Low level of dopamine can cause depression and dulled concentration while high levels of dopamine can make the person feel hyper. Dopamine is currently being studied as one of the causes of insomnia as imbalance with this neurotransmitter can have some negative effects on the body, with one major side effect being sleep disorder. However, it does show some positive elements.

Reversing the Dopamine Effect

Medications that contain dopaminergic ingredients can be prescribed to patients who are suffering from sleep disorder. Depending on the type and cause of insomnia, this medication can help the person acquire some much needed sleep. However, as stated earlier it is important to know what triggers the particular bout of insomnia.

Using dopamine agents may also backfire if the cause is diagnosed incorrectly. In this instance, doctors will prescribe standard sleeping pills. Dopamine is still being researched today on how it affects insomnia, it may hold the key to one day beating this disorder but it is still a long hard road ahead.