Insomnia is considered to be the next big battle that the world will face. The reasons attributed to the same would be excess stress levels, addiction to mobile phones and other electronic gadgets the emit a lot of light and also increase in the population of smokers and alcoholics.

If you are having trouble sleeping, you should consult a doctor. Your doctor might put you through sleep studies which are of four kinds.

Diagnostic overnight Polysomnography (PSG)
This is general monitoring of the sleep along with other body functions while at sleep which includes breathing patterns, heart rhythms, oxygen levels in the blood and also limb movements

Diagnostic daytime multiple sleep latency tests (MSLT)
This is largely used for narcolepsy – a condition wherein people experience excessive sleepiness during the daytime. It is not only intermittent but also uncontrollable. MSLT gives the degree of sleep during the day. It calculates how soon you fall asleep during the day and how quickly along with how often you enter REM sleep. Usually, doctors do a PSG test first and immediately follow it up with MSLT the very next day.

Two-night PSG evaluation and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
While doing the PSG, if the doctors diagnose sleep apnea, they would make you come for the second night for CPAP treatment; the air is sent into your airways through a specially designed nasal mask. You will be put through the test again to see how efficient the procedure has been.

Split-night PSG with CPAP
Usually, doctors monitor the sleep for the entire night in PSG. However, one night’s sleep is divided into two for effective monitoring. If the doctors find that you have chronic sleep apnea in the first half of the sleep, they would suspend the test and give you the CPAP pressure that is needed to offset sleep apnea.

Other aided tests include

• Electroencephalogram (EEG) to measure your brain wave activity
• Electro-oculogram (EOG) to record your eye movements. This will calculate the various sleep stages, more so the stage of REM in sleep.
• Electrocardiogram (EKG) to measure your heart rate and its rhythm
• An electromyogram (EMG) records muscle activity including twitches on the face, teeth grinding and also leg movements.
• Snore microphone to record your snoring activity
• Nasal airflow sensor to record the airflow in your air passage

What next?
While your doctors are more than capable of giving you the right treatment plan, try to make some lifestyle modification in your life. There are also other treatment methods available if alternative healing methods are your thing.

• Acupuncture
  This is a traditional Chinese method, where the treatment is done mainly for the disease as such than the symptoms. It is quite similar to watering a plant, where you don’t just focus on the leaf but water the roots.
• Swimming/Cycling
  A rigorous exercise routine will force you to sleep. Swimming is extremely relaxing and works like a miracle on people with insomnia. Besides, when you inculcate an outdoor activity which brings you sheer joy, you are all set for a dreamy night!