INSOMNIA AND HEALTH

This is one of the most common questions asked! There are different answers for every individual , but there are also common factors .

Let me explain .

Predisposing, precipitating and perpetuating factors

One of the best ways to think about hoe insomnia develpos is to consider the three Ps.

The first P refers to predisposing factors . This means the types of things that can make it more likely you will develop insomnia. Perhaps of poor sleep , perhaps you are the type of person who tends to react to stress or is generally very anxious, oe perhaps you’ve had a lot of upheavals at home or at work.

The second P stands for Prepetuating factors, – events that affect you and stop you sleeping well. You might have been under quite a bit of stress because of an illness, a bereavement, or a period of unemployment . Percipitating factors, however , can also be veryday things, like noise disturbing your sleep, or having a new baby around percipitating factors are not always bad. Any major changes-good or bad – can lead to short -term insomnia.

The third P stands for Perpetuating factors, meaning things that keep a sleep problem going once it’s started. Commonly, people say that they remember when their problem started, but they don’t understand what’s kept it going for so long! This is exactly what is meant by perpetuation-for some reason the problem remains, even though there may not currently be any major triggers. Often there is a vicious cycle of not being able to sleep, being concerned and worried about not sleeping , and about the daytime effects of not sleeping well , and then trying to fix things, leading to a continued inability to sleep. This cycle leads to a lot of frustration and anxiety , which of course makes the insomnia worse, not better.