A mental health expert, Samuel Junaidu, has advised Nigerians not to dismiss persistent sleep difficulties, saying chronic insomnia can indicate underlying mental or physical health problems requiring prompt medical attention.

Mr Junaidu, a psychiatric expert at the behavioural monitoring unit (BMU), Karu General Hospital, Abuja, gave the advice on Thursday in Abuja.

He said people who consistently struggle to fall asleep or return to sleep should seek professional assessment rather than assuming the problem resulted from an uncomfortable sleeping environment or temporary inconvenience.

According to him, insomnia can be associated with anxiety, depression, emotional trauma, substance withdrawal, hormonal changes and other conditions requiring medical attention and appropriate clinical management when necessary for affected individuals.

He explained that excessive worrying about work, financial obligations, family responsibilities and personal goals could keep the brain in a heightened state of alertness and interfere with sleep patterns at night.

Mr Junaidu added that traumatic experiences could also disturb sleep through nightmares and emotional distress, making it harder for affected persons to return to sleep after waking during the night.

He noted that hormonal changes, including those experienced during pregnancy, could contribute to sleep disturbances, while conditions such as dementia could also be associated with chronic insomnia and warranted medical review.

The expert cautioned that people should distinguish between deliberately staying awake for work or entertainment and being unable to sleep despite making genuine efforts to rest properly each night and recover.

He said persistent sleep difficulties could eventually result in fatigue, low energy, poor concentration, mood changes and reduced productivity during the day, affecting daily activities and overall wellbeing and daily functioning.

Mr Junaidu advised people to adopt healthy sleep habits by reducing night-time screen exposure, limiting caffeine intake from the afternoon, avoiding prolonged daytime naps and keeping their sleeping environment dark and quiet.

He also encouraged regular daytime exercise and advised against excessive fluid intake shortly before bedtime to reduce unnecessary night-time waking and interruptions that could further affect sleep quality consistently each night.

“The patient should indulge in a lot of exercise, especially during the daytime, avoid sitting in one place always for too long, and avoid too many regular long naps during the daytime.

“Save your weakness and tiredness for nighttime, and always keep the room dark and quiet,” Mr Junaidu said.

The expert urged people experiencing persistent insomnia to visit a health facility for proper assessment and diagnosis, stressing that identifying the underlying cause was essential to effective management and recovery overall.

He warned against self-medication, saying treating insomnia without determining its cause could delay attention to a more serious underlying condition and increase the risk of dependence or complications from untreated conditions.

“Just go to professional mental health experts and know the root cause of the chronic insomnia to get a proper diagnosis and prevent reliance on self-medication,” he said.

Mr Junaidu emphasised that early professional intervention could help prevent chronic sleep problems from affecting an individual’s mental wellbeing, productivity and relationships, while supporting timely treatment and recovery when treatment began promptly.

(NAN)