Looking for accurate facts about insomnia? Insomnia is a sleep disorder that I can really relate to! Over the years, and through many life changes (children, work, etc.), I have suffered from varying degrees of this sleep disturbance. I know how frustrating and exhausting it can be.
Insomnia is the perception or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep because of one or more of the following:
difficulty falling asleep
waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep
waking up too early in the morning
unrefreshing sleep
The disorder is not defined by the number of hours of sleep a person gets or how long it takes to fall asleep. Individuals vary normally in their need for, and their satisfaction with, sleep. Insomnia may cause problems during the day, such as tiredness, a lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, and irritability.
Insomnia Causes
There are many factors that can cause you to suffer from insomnia...from disease to actually worrying about falling asleep!
Click here
to read about them.
Types of Insomnia
There are several types and degrees of insomnia. What type of insomniac are you?
Find out here
.
Symptoms of Insomnia
Insomnia symptoms include:
Lying awake for a long time before falling asleep.
Waking up several times during the night
Waking up too early in the morning and not being able to fall asleep again.
Feeling tired and run down.
Feeling irritable during the day.
Inability to function or focus during the day.
People with insomnia are usually aware that they are suffering. However, sometimes it takes an individual a little while to recognize the symptoms.
Diagnosing Insomnia
To accurately diagnose insomnia, a health care professional can use an in-depth sleep history, sleep diary, a sleep study, a physical examiniation, symptom checklists, psychological screening tests, bedpartner interviews, or patient questionnaires (two popular ones are: The Insomnia Severity Index and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale).
Effects of Insomnia
The effect of insomnia on your body is widespread. Usually insomnia leads to sleep deprivation, which needs to be dealt with. Untreated insomnia side effects can eventually lead to fatal insomnia. See
what side effects of insomnia
can do to your body over time.
"Insomnia in adults affects between 30-35 percent of the US population and 45-57 percent of those over 65 years of age. Some form of sleep disruption affects over half of the 29 million Americans over age 65."
Treatment for Insomnia
The insomnia treatment that is right for you depends on the severity of your case.
Read about
different cures for insomnia, and decide which one may work best for you.
Therapy for Insomnia
Insomnia therapy is a more natural treatment for insomnia because it teaches your body new ways of relaxing and falling asleep.
Explore different insomnia therapies
, and discover how these natural remedies for insomnia can retrain your sleep pattern.