Psychology Facts

▼ Insomnia ▼

》Insomnia is a sleep disorder in which you have trouble falling and/or staying asleep.
The condition can be short-term (acute) or can last a long time (chronic). It may also come and go.
Acute insomnia lasts from 1 night to a few weeks. Insomnia is chronic when it happens at least 3 nights a week for 3 months or more.

》There are two types of insomnia: primary and secondary.

Primary insomnia: This means your sleep problems aren't linked to any other health condition or problem.

Secondary insomnia: This means you have trouble sleeping because of a health condition (like asthma, depression, arthritis, cancer, or heartburn); pain; medication; or substance use (like alcohol).

》You might also hear about:

Sleep-onset insomnia: This means you have trouble getting to sleep.

Sleep-maintenance insomnia: This happens when you have trouble staying asleep through the night or wake up too early.

Mixed insomnia: With this type of insomnia, you have trouble both falling asleep and staying asleep through the night. 

Paradoxical insomnia: When you have paradoxical insomnia, you underestimate the time you're asleep. It feels like you sleep a lot less than you really do.

》People that suffer from insomnia express difficulties of:

Going to sleep at night.

Waking often in the middle of the night and having trouble going back to sleep.

Waking up earlier than planned, but unable to fall back asleep.

》Many people with insomnia report daytime problems such as:

Feeling as if sleep was un-refreshing (non-restorative).

Experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness.

General lack of energy.

Difficulty concentrating.

Mood and behavior disturbances such as irritability, aggression, and impulsive behaviors.

Difficulty concentrating.

Forgetfulness.

Decreased performance at work or school.

Troubles in personal and professional relationships.

Having accidents at work or while driving fatigued.

Decreased quality of life.

Depression.

》Primary causes of insomnia include:

Stress related to big life events, like a job loss or change, the death of a loved one, divorce, or moving

Things around you like noise, light, or temperature

Changes to your sleep schedule like jet lag, a new shift at work, or bad habits you picked up when you had other sleep problems

Your genes. Research has found that a tendency for insomnia may run in families.

》Secondary causes of insomnia include:

Mental health issues like depression and anxiety
Medications for colds, allergies, depression, high blood pressure, and asthma.

Pain or discomfort at night

Caffeine, tobacco, or alcohol use, as well as use of illicit drugs.

Hyperthyroidism and other endocrine problems

Other sleep disorders, like sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome

Pregnancy

Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia

》Insomnia Risk Factors:

Insomnia affects women more than men and older people more than younger ones. Young and middle-age African Americans also have a higher risk.

Other risk factors include:

Long-term illness

Mental health issues

Working night shifts or shifts that rotate

》Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders with approximately half of adults reporting having symptoms of insomnia occasionally.

》People that regularly use stimulants and alcohol may report symptoms of insomnia more often.

》People with poor sleep hygiene practices are more likely to report insomnia.

》Some of the effects that insomnia can have effect on the brain including the inability to concentrate, stifled creativity, short- and long-term memory loss, and mood swings.

》Other risks of a sleep-deprived brain are hallucinations, mania, impulsive behavior, depression, paranoia, and suicidal thoughts.

》Weight gain is just one of the results of sleep loss and that's almost entirely thanks to the effect that insomnia has on the digestive system.

》Insomnia Treatment:
Acute insomnia may not need treatment.

If it's hard for you to do everyday activities because you're tired, your doctor may prescribe sleeping pills for a short time. Medicines that work quickly but briefly can help you avoid problems like drowsiness the next day.
Don't use over-the-counter sleeping pills for insomnia. They might have side effects, and they tend to work less well over time.

For chronic insomnia, you'll need treatment for the conditions or health problems that are keeping you awake. Your doctor might also suggest behavioral therapy. This can help you change the things you do that make insomnia worse and learn what you can do to promote sleep.