PIQ for USA College #4

Prompt: Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

The most significant challenge I have faced is having insomnia. It is a sleeping disorder with which I struggled to get enough sleep and fall asleep. As a result, I was stressed on an everyday basis. This problem occurred at the start of 2024, when I could be falling asleep at 7 am and waking up at 3 pm. My sleep schedule was inconsistent; I tried to fall asleep at a specific time, but I was three and up, falling asleep at 5 am or later. This has caused me to worry about getting enough sleep to function during the day or to do schoolwork properly. I would struggle with time management in my classes and would need more time to finish my assignments on time.

At first, I started searching for ways to help me fall asleep and tried the solutions I found online from reliable sources. They included studies of sleep specialists treating patients using specific techniques, such as getting out of bed and going to another room if you have not fallen asleep after 20 minutes. I had also attempted using melatonin gummies, but they did not work. Up until June, I had been struggling with an unhealthy sleep schedule until I got help from a friend who suggested that I take sleeping medicine. I decided to try out melatonin pills at first, and it helped me sleep, but this method worked for a few days. Only using melatonin pills was no longer effective in assisting me to sleep, so I decided to use Diphenhydramine, as it is a sleeping aid that is effective for those who struggle with insomnia. There is another sleeping aid that I use to help with my insomnia, depression, and anxiety, which a doctor recommended. The combination of sleeping aid medications has helped me establish a healthier sleep schedule.