Physical Therapy Treatments For Insomnia

Have you experienced restless nights, and noticed it’s affecting you throughout the day?

Sleep is a vital part of both physical and mental health, so if you’re struggling you will probably notice the effects in every area of your life.

If you relate to this, you might have insomnia, a sleep disorder that affects your ability to get and stay asleep.

Insomnia can be short term or long term, and long term insomnia has especially tough side effects that you shouldn’t have to live with.

Decreased brain function and risk of disease can both increase if you’re not sleeping properly.

Did you know that a physical therapist can help you manage your insomnia?

If you’re interested, a physical therapy clinic near me can help.

For more information about how physical therapy could help treat your insomnia, read on.

What Is Insomnia?

If you’re one of the over two thirds of people who have reported having trouble sleeping at night, you may have insomnia.

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that can leave you feeling dissatisfied with the sleep you’ve been getting.

Insomnia can mean that you have trouble getting to sleep, staying asleep, or feeling rested when you awaken in the morning.

It can also mean struggling to sleep in as long as you’d like the next morning.

If you have trouble sleeping for the usual 8 hours, and this happens more than just an occasional poor night of sleep, it might be insomnia.

The following are all associated with insomnia:

• Restlessness
• Fatigue
• Difficulty with concentration
• Lack of energy
• Mental health struggles
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Other widespread health effects
• Decreased performance (at work or in school especially)
• Higher risk of automobile accidents

There are two types of insomnia that you may have.

Short Term Insomnia

Short term insomnia, also known as transient insomnia, typically lasts only a few days or a week.

This type of insomnia is usually related to increased stress in your daily life.

Whether related to a life stressor or something disrupting your usual routine, short term insomnia will usually go away on its own once your life has settled again.

Chronic Insomnia

Chronic insomnia, however, can last for three months or more.

With chronic insomnia, you may have trouble falling or staying asleep for any length of time.

Chronic insomnia will have many effects on your daily life because of the constant exhaustion it can cause.

Causes Of Insomnia

There are many causes of insomnia, and multiple causes can affect you at any one time.

Officially, hyperarousal is the cause of insomnia.

Hyperarousal is when your body goes into high alert as if it is being threatened, and can be physical or mental.

Stress is a major cause of hyperarousal and insomnia.

If you’re feeling stressed by your current workload, life circumstances, or social relationships, this could be contributing to your insomnia.

Traumatic situations can also cause chronic stress, including post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Once you start having trouble sleeping, trying to sleep may itself become a stressful event, making the insomnia even more difficult to overcome.

Unusual habits and schedules can also contribute to insomnia.

Using electronic devices late at night, napping too late in the day, late caffeine consumption, and using your bed for activities other than sleep, are all factors that could be contributing to your insomnia.

How Can A Physical Therapist Help With Insomnia?

Chronic conditions can also be a huge contributor to insomnia.

As a result, physical therapy for chronic conditions can help.

This is especially the case with:

• Physical therapy for Alzheimer’s disease
• Physical therapy for Parkinson’s disease
• Physical therapy for fibromyalgia
• Physical therapy for myofascial pain syndrome

If you experience chronic pain or other limitations, a chronic pain physical therapist can help.

Your physical therapist will conduct an assessment to get a well rounded understanding of how your physical conditions, limitations, and body positions may be contributing to your insomnia.

Your physical therapist will focus on body positioning and how to improve positions so your body doesn’t continue to go into a hyperarousal state.

They might also have recommendations for improving your routine.

For example, your physical therapist might work with you to make sure you are maintaining a regular sleep schedule.

They may recommend that you have a specific routine you do every night before bed, and ask if your sleeping environment is best conducive to sleeping.

The best sleeping environment should be dark, relaxing, and quiet.

Your physical therapist will make sure your body and environment are ready for a good night’s rest, so you can leave your insomnia in the past.

Book Your Appointment With Capitol Physical Therapy Today

If you’re interested in knowing more about how physical therapy can help your insomnia, look no further.

You don’t have to go to bed every night wondering if you’ll be able to get to sleep.

Instead, book your appointment with Capitol Physical Therapy today.