At the Florida Sleep Specialists, Dr. Jeremy McConnell offers the highest level of personalized, evidence-based care to patients suffering from sleep disorders like insomnia in Bradenton and Sarasota, FL.

What Is Insomnia?

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder. You may have insomnia if you struggle to fall asleep, stay asleep, or both. Insomnia affects your quality of sleep and may affect your daytime functioning. 

What Are the Symptoms of Insomnia?

We have bouts of sleeplessness from time to time. This may be from too much caffeine, stress, or a change of environment, among other reasons. However, a formal diagnosis of insomnia falls into one of two main categories (with multiple subcategories), including:

• Acute insomnia does not last longer than three months.
• Chronic insomnia persists and is most often thought to occur more than three times per week and for longer than three months.

The symptoms of insomnia include:

• Struggling to fall asleep
• Trouble staying asleep, often accompanied by unwanted early morning wake-ups
• This may look like difficulty or resistance to sleep in children or teens
• Fatigue from loss of sleep
• Impaired memory and concentration
• General irritability and moodiness
• Behavioral issues may arise in children, including aggression, irritation, and hyperactivity

In Bradenton and Sarasota, FL, you can get an insomnia diagnosis based on your medical history and sleep habits. Sometimes, a sleep study may be needed to rule out other sleep-related disorders. A sleep study is where you are admitted to a sleep facility to be observed overnight.

What Causes Insomnia?

There is no one reason why people have insomnia, but there are several risk factors associated with insomnia, including:

• Age, gender, and lifestyle
• Lower social and economic status
• Chronic disorders
• Mood disorders
• Other sleep disorders
• Direct family members who have insomnia
• Stress

What Solutions Are Available for Patients Who Have Insomnia?

The good news is that there are solutions for insomniacs. Your sleep specialist may offer you one of the following solutions based on your personal sleep profile:

• Sleep restriction to improve sleep efficiency by limiting the amount of time spent in bed.
• Stimulus control to limit the bedroom to sleep, illness, and intercourse, and practice good sleep hygiene.
• Relaxation therapy to promote calm before bedtime, including meditation and focusing on pleasant thoughts.
• Cognitive therapy to help you manage any anxiety surrounding sleep and promote better sleep habits.
• Sleep medication in moderation

Contact Details

Dr. McConnell at Florida Sleep Specialists in Bradenton and Sarasota, FL, offers a lifeline for patients suffering from insomnia and other sleep-related disorders. To schedule a consultation, call us now at (941) 792-8383 for our Bradenton office or (941) 827-0701 for our Sarasota office.