Everyone experiences an occasional sleepless night, but chronic insomnia can affect a person’s quality of life. Insomnia is a sleep disorder in which patients experience difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep throughout the night. The resulting inability to achieve a restful night’s sleep often leads to drowsiness and fatigue during the day, as well as problems being able to focus and concentrate. Fortunately, there are treatments for insomnia. At Bogan Sleep Consultants, Dr. Richard Bogan is your Columbia, SC, sleep doctor for insomnia.

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Insomnia is associated with having trouble falling asleep. It often also results in waking up several times throughout the night with an inability to readily fall asleep again each time. Many individuals with insomnia also wake up much earlier in the morning than they need to for work, school, or other obligations. Individuals with chronic insomnia often experience the following adverse side effects as a result of not being able to get an adequate amount of sleep:

  • Feeling tired and unrested in the morning
  • Feeling drowsy throughout the day
  • Experiencing fatigue during the day
  • Becoming irritable
  • Difficulty concentrating

Treatment

Insomnia can be treated a few different ways. Sedatives or other medications can be prescribed to calm the brain and aid in sleeping. Behavior modification, such as developing optimal sleep habits, can also help reduce insomnia. Additionally, light therapy is also used in some cases. Before a specific treatment approach is prescribed by your Columbia, SC, sleep doctor, a sleep study might first be recommended. A sleep study simply involves being monitored by a doctor while you sleep so the doctor can observe your sleep patterns and better understand what factors might be affecting your ability to sleep.

There is help for individuals struggling with chronic insomnia. A Columbia, SC, sleep doctor can develop a treatment plan to help you achieve more restful sleep. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Bogan, contact Bogan Sleep Consultants at (803) 251-3093.