Mehiläinen Health Care Agreement
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Insomnia
The most common symptoms of insomnia are difficulty falling asleep, interrupted sleep and waking up too early. If the insomnia lasts for more than three weeks, occurring on several nights a week, it's a good idea to see a doctor.
Specialists in the article
LT,Keuhkosairauksien ja allergologian erikoislääk.
Palvelukoordinaattori, unihäiriöt
Revised 9/27/2024
Insomnia at a glance
- Insomnia is a condition where you repeatedly have difficulty falling asleep, your sleep is interrupted or you wake up too early.
- The treatment focuses first on identifying and treating the underlying causes.
- Insomnia is treated through lifestyle changes, non-pharmacological methods and, if necessary, short-term medication.
Related services
CPAP therapy
Positive airway pressure ventilation effectively reduces sleep apnoea symptoms and improves the quality of life.
Sleep and sleep disorders
Sleep disorders can be caused by both physical and psychological factors. It's a good idea to seek help if you have a sleep disorder.
Sleep apnea examination, night polygraphy
A reliable at-home examination to diagnose and assess the severity of sleep apnoea.
What is insomnia?
Insomnia refers to a situation and symptoms in which:
- you have repeated difficulties falling asleep within a reasonable time,
- your sleep is interrupted and you wake up repeatedly during the night or
- you wake up too early.
In practice, insomnia means being unable to sleep even if the conditions for sleep are good. Insomnia may involve difficulties falling asleep, difficulties staying asleep or sleep that is not restorative. As a result, the sleep time may be too short or the quality of sleep may be poor, which leads to feeling tired.
The sleep-wake cycle may also shift so that you can only fall asleep in the early morning hours. Occasional, temporary insomnia – e.g. after adversity – is normal and experienced by almost everyone. Sleep problems can be prevented by following certain routines and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Seeking help at an early stage is recommended, however. Prolonged insomnia can put a strain on the body. It's also a good idea to examine and treat conditions that typically cause insomnia, such as pain and restless legs syndrome.
Mehiläinen's specialists can help with both common and rare symptoms of insomnia or illnesses that cause it.
Causes of insomnia
Insomnia can be caused by just one factor, but it's often caused by a combination of multiple factors.
The causes of insomnia include the following:
Treatment of insomnia
Discussion. It's a good idea to first discuss the treatment of your insomnia and sleeping problems with a general practitioner or your occupational health physician or nurse, for example. In the treatment of insomnia, the focus will first be on identifying the underlying causes and then on treating them.
Survey. The treatment of insomnia begins by carefully surveying the possible underlying causes of the problem. After this, there will be an assessment of what kinds of examinations may need to be carried out and what actions should be taken to treat the problem.
Medication. In some cases, temporary use of sleeping pills may be warranted, but the primary methods for treating insomnia are non-pharmacological.
Non-pharmacological treatment. The non-pharmacological treatment of insomnia is based on methods that help to calm the body and the mind. Non-pharmacological treatment uses various methods to reduce the factors that sustain insomnia.
Non-pharmacological treatment methods for insomnia
When it comes to lifestyle, it's a good idea to pay attention to sufficient daytime activity, regular and balanced eating, and reducing the use of caffeine, alcohol and other substances.
Relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises and stretching promote good sleep. It's also a good idea to perform relaxation exercises during the day and, if necessary, at night if you wake up and can't immediately fall back asleep.
When it comes to identifying and changing thinking patterns, it can be useful to stop to observe your own thoughts and emotions. Recognising thoughts and emotions that maintain insomnia and neutrally observing them, or even accepting them, helps reduce their potential to affect sleep. Sometimes it's necessary to actively create alternative ways of thinking.
Self-compassion, managing the fear of insomnia and mindfulness exercises can also help tackle sleep problems.
A sufficiently quiet, dark and cool bedroom, as well as a good bed, mattress and bed linen, are all part of improving sleeping conditions.
A regular sleep-wake cycle is important for good sleep and daytime alertness.
The cycle is regulated by the central circadian pacemaker in the brain, which reacts strongly to changes in light and darkness. Regular mealtimes and bedtimes also affect the cycle.
Paying attention to the sleep-wake cycle and sleep stimulus control are essential factors in building good sleep habits.
You should limit the use of smart devices before bedtime.
If necessary, limit the time spent in bed, i.e. if you think that you will not fall asleep within about 15–20 minutes of going to bed, get up and, for example, read on the sofa until you start to feel sleepy.
The short-term therapy CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia) includes both behavioural methods, i.e. methods that affect behaviour, and cognitive methods, i.e. methods that affect thinking patterns. CBT-I therapy takes into account both the behaviour that affects sleep and the sleep itself, as well as thoughts and emotions. Like many other forms of treatment for sleep disorders, CBT-I also uses a sleep diary.
Cognitive methods, i.e. methods that affect thinking patterns, are used to recognise, change and manage unhelpful thoughts and emotions that affect both falling asleep and staying asleep. Behavioural methods are intended to help change and avoid behaviour that causes sleep problems and create good conditions for sleep.
When should I seek help for insomnia?
In order to diagnose insomnia, it's a good idea to find out whether the insomnia is functional or caused by an illness. When the underlying causes are found, they can be treated correctly.
See a doctor if:
- your own attempts to correct the situation do not help and
- the insomnia lasts more than three weeks, occurring on several nights a week,
- the insomnia affects your day-to-day functional capacity, or
- you are concerned about the insomnia or its underlying cause, such as pain or restless legs syndrome.
The most important of all indicators is your own coping. If you constantly sleep too little, you will lack refreshing and restorative sleep.
If prolonged, constant fatigue can cause problems for both physical and mental health. A drop in mood and activity are signs that not everything is as it should be.
Prices are starting prices and depend on the selected studies and treatment methods. An outpatient clinic fee and Kanta fee are added to consultation visits.
| Service | Price estimate |
|---|---|
| Start of CPAP machine therapy (1st appointment with a sleep apnoea nurse) *The customer purchases a CPAP machine for themselves, starting from EUR 223.90. | from 223,90 € No Kela reimbursement |
| Initial examination for snoring | from 66,80 € Without Kela reimbursement from 96,80 € |
| Concise sleep polygraphy No Kela reimbursement will be paid for a concise sleep polygraphy. Learn more and book an appointment for a concise sleep polygraphy | from 542,40 € No Kela reimbursement |
| First visit for sleep apnea splint Total cost estimate for the sleep apnea splint from 1200 €. Learn more about the sleep apnea splint and book an appointment (in Finnish) | from 96,80 € Without Kela reimbursement from 123,80 € |
| Initial evaluation for sleep apnoea | from 66,80 € Without Kela reimbursement from 96,80 € |
| Initial examination of sleep disorders | from 66,80 € Without Kela reimbursement from 96,80 € |
Frequently asked questions about insomnia
Insomnia can be caused by many factors, such as poor sleeping conditions, illnesses, medication, alcohol and caffeinated drinks, irregular daily rhythm, menopause, sleep apnoea or prolonged anxiety and stress.
If your insomnia persists for a long time, affects your day-to-day functional capacity or causes concern, you should see a doctor. It's also a good idea to contact a professional when the underlying cause of insomnia, such as pain or restless legs syndrome, is causing concern.
In the treatment of insomnia, non-pharmacological methods are preferred. Sleep quality can be improved through lifestyle changes, such as making your evenings calmer, maintaining a regular sleep-wake cycle and reducing the use of substances. In addition, outdoor activities, exercise, regular mealtimes and good sleeping conditions can help.
Prolonged insomnia can cause a wide range of symptoms and consequences, including fatigue, difficulty concentrating, mood changes and reduced performance. It can also increase the risk of many illnesses, such as cardiovascular diseases and mental disorders.
About one in three people regularly experience insomnia. About 10–15% of patients have insomnia that affects their normal functional capacity, and about 10% of all adults in Finland have long-term insomnia that lasts for more than a month.
Insomnia has even been called a new common disease due to its prevalence. Insomnia has always existed, but it's now more common than before. The increase in insomnia is strongly related to changes in our surroundings. Atypical working hours, being busy and stress have increased. Social media can also create a feeling that you should be present all the time and that there is not enough time for calming down.
As you age, the structure of your sleep changes and your sleep becomes lighter, which can lead to you being more prone to waking up in the early morning hours. Menopause can also affect sleep, causing you to wake up during the night more often and decreasing your sleep quality.
