1. Slideshow Pictures: Insomnia -- 10 Tips to Avoid Insomnia
2. Sleep Slideshow: Foods That Help or Harm Your Sleep
3. Sleep Quiz: Test Your Medical IQ

Medical Author:

Aparna Ranjan, MD

Coauthor:

Angela Gentili, MD

Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Psychophysiological insomnia:

• Sleep disturbance varies from mild to severe.
• Sleeplessness may manifest as difficulty falling asleep or as frequent awakenings in the night.
• Persons with insomnia often find that they can sleep well anywhere else but in their own bedroom.
• Persons with this type of insomnia tend to be more tense and dissatisfied compared to good sleepers. Emotionally, they are typically repressors (suppress their feelings), denying problems.

Idiopathic insomnia:

• Insomnia is long-standing, typically beginning in early childhood.
• Persons with idiopathic insomnia often complain of difficulties with attention or concentration or hyperactivity.
• Emotionally, persons with childhood-onset insomnia are often repressors, denying and minimizing emotional problems.
• Individuals often show atypical reactions, such as hypersensitivity or insensitivity, to medications.
• Insomnia tends to persist over the entire life span and can be aggravated by stress or tension.

Sleep state misperception: Persons complain of insomnia subjectively, while sleep duration and quality are completely normal. They typically do not display daytime sleepiness or other signs of poor-quality sleep. These people may be described as having "sleep hypochondriasis." They may subsequently develop anxiety and depression.

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