Expert urges Nigerians to seek help for persistent insomnia

Health

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — A mental health expert, Mr Samuel Junaidu, has advised Nigerians not to dismiss persistent sleep difficulties, warning that chronic insomnia could be a sign of underlying mental or physical health conditions requiring medical attention.

Junaidu, a psychiatric expert at the Behavioural Monitoring Unit (BMU), Karu General Hospital, Abuja, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.

He said people who consistently struggled to fall asleep or return to sleep should seek professional assessment rather than assuming the problem was caused by an uncomfortable sleeping environment or a temporary inconvenience.

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According to him, insomnia could be associated with anxiety, depression, emotional trauma, substance withdrawal, hormonal changes and other conditions that may require medical attention and appropriate clinical management.

Junaidu 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 normal sleep patterns at night.

He added that traumatic experiences could also disrupt sleep through nightmares and emotional distress, making it difficult for affected individuals to return to sleep after waking during the night.

The expert 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 require medical review.

Junaidu cautioned Nigerians to distinguish between deliberately staying awake for work or entertainment and being unable to sleep despite making genuine efforts to rest properly each night.

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

Expert recommends healthy sleep habits

Junaidu advised Nigerians to adopt healthy sleep habits by reducing exposure to screens at night, 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.

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

“Save your weakness and tiredness for night time and always keep the room dark and quiet,” 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.

He also 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.

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

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.

(NAN)