Insomnia is a persistent trouble falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to go back to sleep, or waking up too early in the morning feeling weary and exhausted.
After a sleepless night your body’s motor functions and mental agility are typically negatively affected.
The first thing you need to know about insomnia that is not a disease. Insomnia is a symptom — a symptom of another underlying problem.
It can be caused by physical pain, or your body’s reaction to chemical stimulants, but in most cases it is a side effect of stress caused by our living conditions. It is often triggered by fear, anxiety, worry, and depression. Sometimes insomnia happens with no apparent reason at all.
Insomnia Facts
Insomnia is the most common sleep problem among adults — it occurs in almost half of all people.
In 2002 a poll showed that 58% of adults in the US had experienced insomnia a few nights a week or more. In 2007 United States Department of Health and Human Services reported that one out of every five Americans (approximately 64 million people) suffer from insomnia regularly. And out of every ten people at least one suffers from the long-lasting (chronic) insomnia.
Insomnia is significantly more common in women than in men. Also, you have a much higher chance to experience insomnia in your youth years than later in life.
Types of Insomnia
There are clearly several types of insomnia. They differ by how long they last and when in your sleep cycle they happen:
First, there is the so-called Onset insomnia – trouble falling asleep at the beginning of the night. This is often a result of some kind of anxiety disorder: existential fear, social anxiety, phobia or an excessive worry.
Then there is Middle Insomnia – trouble falling asleep after awakening in the middle of the night and difficulty maintaining sleep. Frequently middle insomnia is a result of medical illness or pain.
Finally, there is Terminal Insomnia – early morning waking. Terminal insomnia is most often associated with depression.
Depending on how long insomnia lasts it can be Acute or Chronic.
An acute or transient insomnia is a short-term sleep disorder. It lasts from one night to a few weeks.
Short-term insomnia can be caused by any number of things: from sudden changes in the sleep environment, being in bed with a new partner, time zone shifts (such as jet lag) and by daily stress. Its consequences are: sleepiness, muscular fatigue, and impaired physical performance the next day.
If you’re unable to fall asleep consistently, at least 3 nights a week for longer than a month – you may have chronic insomnia.
Chronic insomnia can be caused by another disorder, or it can be a primary disorder. The effects depend on its causes and may vary. They might include chronic tiredness, severe muscular fatigue, slow mental performance, and memory dysfunctions. However, sometimes people with chronic insomnia may show increased alertness.
Some people who live with severe chronic insomnia see things as if they are happening in slow motion. Some report blurred or double vision, and even hallucinations…
In the next section we’ll look at the typical symptoms of severe insomnia… (click to read)
