Insomnia is a sleep disorder that involves having difficulties falling asleep or staying asleep. Although most people suffer an occasional sleepless night, people with insomnia have a hard time sleeping regularly. While insomnia is not normally considered a serious medical disorder, it can disrupt the quality of life of an individual.
Types of Insomnia
There are two main types of insomnia, which are differentiated by cause. They can either be acute or chronic. Acute cases usually last from one night to a few weeks. On the other hand, chronic insomnia is diagnosed if the problem continues for over a month.
- Primary Insomnia – this occurs without any other medical condition. Patients who face challenges from this insomnia become frustrated by a lack of explanation of their problem. However, with a thorough assessment, psychological or environmental causes could be the causes for this, which include stress at home, traumatic loss, anxiety, depression, poor sleeping habits, and the likes.
- Secondary Insomnia – This is caused by another medical disorder, like chronic pain, or by medication, like blood pressure medications and stimulants.
Symptoms of Insomnia
The most obvious symptoms of insomnia are the inability to fall asleep or remain asleep for an appropriate number of hours. Other symptoms include:
- Daytime fatigue or sleepiness
- Irritability or depression
- Difficulty concentrating
- Memory loss
- Increased mistakes or accidents
- Headaches
- Gastrointestinal discomfort
Treatment for Insomnia
The treatment will depend on its cause. If it’s primary insomnia, the treatment will focus on addressing the factors that contribute to insomnia, like better stress management or treatment for depression. On the other hand, for secondary insomnia, the medical condition will be addressed, or the medication will be altered, so it will not affect the person’s sleep.
Should you have more questions about insomnia, feel free to schedule an appointment with our professional today.
