Insomnia
- Insomnia Overview
- Insomnia Causes
- Primary Sleep Disorders
- Insomnia Symptoms
- When to Seek Medical Care
- Exams and Tests
- Insomnia Treatment
- Non-medical treatment and behavioral therapy
- Medical Treatment
- Medications and Medical Therapy
- Next Steps
- Follow-up
- Prevention
- Outlook
- For More Information
- Web Links
- Synonyms and Keywords
- Authors and Editors
- Viewer Comments: Insomnia - Describe Your Treatment
Insomnia Overview
Most adults have experienced insomnia or sleeplessness at one time or another in their lives. An estimated 30%-50% of the general population are affected by insomnia, and 10% have chronic insomnia.
Insomnia is a symptom, not a stand-alone diagnosis or a disease. By definition, insomnia is "difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or both" and it may be due to inadequate quality or quantity of sleep. Insomnia is not defined by a specific number of hours of sleep that one gets, since individuals vary widely in their sleep needs and practices. Although most of us know what insomnia is and how we feel and perform after one or more sleepless nights, few seek medical advice. Many people remain unaware of the behavioral and medical options available to treat insomnia.
Insomnia is generally classified based on the duration of the problem. Not everyone agrees on one definition, but generally:
- symptoms lasting less than one week are classified as transient insomnia,
- symptoms between one to three weeks are classified as short-term insomnia, and
- those longer than three weeks are classified as chronic insomnia.
Statistics on Insomnia
Insomnia affects all age groups. Among adults, insomnia affects women more often than men. The incidence tends to increase with age. It is typically more common in people in lower socioeconomic (income) groups, chronic alcoholics, and mental health patients. Stress most commonly triggers short-term or acute insomnia. If you do not address your insomnia, however, it may develop into chronic insomnia.
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Insomnia
Sleep Disorders and Aging Overview
Are you one of millions of seniors in the US who think life would be pretty good….if you could just get some sleep?
Sleep disturbances are very common in older people. Changes in sleep patterns may be a normal part of aging, but many other factors common in older people contribute to sleep problems. These include physical illness or symptoms, medication side effects, changes in activity or social life, and death of a spouse or loved one. Sleep disorders decrease quality of life in older people by causing daytime sleepiness, tiredness, and lack of energy. Poor quality of sleep also can lead to confusion, difficulty concentrating, and poor performance on tasks. Sleep disorders also are linked with premature death.
The biggest sleep problem in older people is a feeling of not getting enough sleep (insomnia) or not being rested.
- Many take longer to fall asleep th...
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Insomnia »
Insomnia is defined as repeated difficulty with the initiation, duration, maintenance, or quality of sleep that occurs despite adequate time and opportunity for sleep that results in some form of daytime impairment.
