Insomnia: The Crisis of Never-ending Nights
A dark room, soft sheets and delicate silence is not enough for some to fall asleep. No matter how many glasses of milk they take or how many hours they spend tossing and turning, they remain awake. Insomnia is a sleeping disorder that has been a common problem for usually individuals of older age, but has also emerged as a problem among teenagers recently due to increased stress and electronic use.
With stress and poor sleeping habits becoming more common among students, insomnia is a common sleeping disorder, according to Mayo Clinic. Symptoms of insomnia include but are not limited to difficulty falling asleep at night, waking up during the night, waking up too early, not feeling well-rested after a night's sleep, daytime tiredness or sleepiness, irritability, depression, anxiety, difficulty paying attention and increased errors or accidents according to the US National Library of Medicine.
Such symptoms can heavily affect students during the day, leading to a compromised performance at school and an increase in other mental health disorders. According to “Why do humans hallucinate on little sleep?” By Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute Stanford University, depending on the length and severity, continuation of sleep deprivation eventually leads to an approximate hallucinations among 80% of normal people.
Eventually, this lack of sleep can affect individuals and their perception of reality, acting as a hindrance to their daily lives, as proved by the study by National University of Singapore, when a group of college students did the same simple tasks both when they were sleep deprived and not sleep deprived. The results in which brain parts were activated and their performance of the tasks proved the detrimental effects lack of sleep have on individuals.
Portola High Junior Abby Kwon has experienced sleep insomnia for around a year now, ever since the pandemic exacerbated. Although over time she has gotten more used to the symptoms, lacking in sleep affects her daily life.
“I noticed that without sleep I am so much more sluggish,” Kwon said. “I'm a highly sensitive person, so my nervous system just cannot take caffeine, but on those days I have to have a shot of espresso before I leave the house, which kind of ruins my day because I’m jittery and it helps me stay awake, but I'm never a hundred percent there.”
Individuals that experience increased rates of anxiety and irritation due to insomnia will, in turn have trouble sleeping, propelling the disorder.
It is important that students find a routine for sleep while staying away from electronic devices before their sleeping time, as blue light can intervene with the circadian rhythms of individuals. Students should also reach out to psychiatrists and professionals who can give them medication or advice if they are having recurring problems with sleep. Various tips online also provide suggestions to combat insomnia for individuals wishing to resolve the issue.