It is important to take into account your lifestyle habits, as they will play a fundamental role when it comes to knowing what type of insomnia you have.
Insomnia, generally, is a fairly frequent pathology in the population.
A study published in the Annals of the Navarra Health System estimates that around 10-15% of the adult population suffers from chronic insomnia and that 25-35% have suffered occasional or temporary insomnia in stressful situations.
For this reason, there are times when you suffer from insomnia in a more intense way; and then one recovers, getting adequate rest again. However, there are those who suffer, on the other hand, from chronic insomnia. Do you want to know if it could be your case with this simple questionnaire? We invite you to discover it.
1. Questionnaire on the level of insomnia
When you suffer from insomnia, the most appropriate thing is to know the causes that can cause it.
- Everyday stress, worries or anxiety can be clear reasons why you get adequate rest.
- The joint diseases themselves make being able to rest also become complicated since pain is felt.
- Cramps in the hands, pain in the hip, neck… are without a doubt reality also to take into account.
- Another aspect that must be taken into account is that over the years, sleep becomes somewhat lighter and it would also cost to sleep in a restorative way.
- Food is another fundamental pillar, without also counting on factors as important as lifestyle habits: going to bed at one hour each day, spending a lot of time in front of the computer before going to sleep… things that are worth knowing to understand the true origin of insomnia.
But what good is the questionnaire proposed today? Well, it would help to know what kind of insomnia you might suffer from. Delving into its characteristics, this information could be useful for a doctor’s official diagnosis.
1. How many times do you usually wake up at night?
- (1 point)
- Between 1 and 3.(2 points)
- Between 4 and 5.(3 points)
- More than 5 times.(4 points)
2. How long does it usually take you to fall asleep at night?
- Less than 20 minutes.(1 point)
- Between 20 minutes and half an hour.(2 points)
- Between half and 1 hour.(3 points)
- More than 1 hour.(4 points)
3. How do you rate the quality of your rest normally?
(Think about the feeling you get when you wake up in the morning.)
- Very good.(1 point)
- (2 points)
- (3 points)
- (4 points)
4. In general, how many hours do you usually sleep?
Think about the hours you are in bed at night without being able to close your eyes, and when you really get to rest.
- 8 hours.(1 point)
- Between 6 and 7 hours.(2 points)
- Between 5 and 6 hours.(3 points)
- Less than 5 hours.(4 points)
5. During the day, do you usually feel drowsy? Do you fall asleep without realizing it in the most unexpected places?
- Never.(1 point)
- Once a day.(2 points)
- In many moments of the day.(3 points)
- Often throughout the day.(4 points)
6. How many times a month do you usually suffer from insomnia?
- Two or three days a month.(1 point)
- One week a month.(2 points)
- Three weeks a month.(3 points)
- Possibly every day.(4 points)
2. Interpretation of the level of insomnia according to the questionnaire
Score between 6 and 10 points
Insomnia is mild, in fact it wouldn’t be labeled insomnia itself. That is, there are days when it is more difficult for you to sleep but, in general, your quality of sleep is quite good and you get a good rest.
Score between 10 16 points
You would have moderate insomnia. In these cases, the causes that cause it can be controlled. Try to change some lifestyle habits, better manage stress, have a lighter dinner, close the computer 2 hours before going to sleep so that the light from the screen does not stimulate you, take a relaxing bath… things like these can help you relieve this problem.
Score between 16 and 24
You could suffer from chronic insomnia. It would be appropriate to seek help from a professional because you could find yourself more tired, slower and even become ill every day since not sleeping would lower your defenses and your spirits.
In addition, according to a study published by the Colombian Medical Act, there is a risk of suffering from acute anxiety and even depression.
The association of insomnia with affective disorders, mainly depression and anxiety, is well known. The study does not apply specific scales to analyze these aspects and only the WHO-5 scale was used to measure subjective perception of emotional well-being, in which more than 20% of the subjects with insomnia obtained a score compatible with depressive disorder.
Delve into the cause that makes you unable to sleep and work on it. In general, it is usually about continuous periods of stress; because that is where you feel most defenseless and do not know how to rearrange your life.
You can also use lemon balm and sage infusions, do some sport and eat in a more appropriate way. Another strategy that can help is to follow some constant routines: always have dinner at the same time, rest, take a relaxing bath or go for a walk at night. It also produces well-being to read a half hour in bed, put aside worries and see rest as one of the best allies for problems.