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
Insomnia 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 can be generated through a number of causes.
People who suffer from insomnia are called insomniacs. Insomniacs can be of any age, sex, social class or nationality.
- difficulty falling asleep
- waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep
- waking up too early in the morning
- unrefreshing sleep
Insomnia 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 can be generated through a number of causes.
People who suffer from insomnia are called insomniacs. Insomniacs can be of any age, sex, social class or nationality.
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Last Updated: Sep 2009
Last Updated: Sep 2009
What is Insomnia?
Some rare cases of insomnia, or permanent insomnia, renders victims unable to sleep at all. This condision is so rare that there are only 3 to 4 people known in the world at present known to suffer from this condition. An example is a case of a man from San Francisco in 1986. He had not slept since World War 2. Taking sleeping pills only gave him a slight drowsiness.
As we grow older, we tend to have shorter sleep cycles and may wake up more frequently, but insomnia is not a normal part of aging. Sometimes people may have medical problems such as urinary frequency or urgency which causes multiple awakenings. If your sleep is disrupted, try to avoid daytime naps. If you must nap, limit the naps to ½ hour, even if you have to set an alarm clock. Prolonged naps can interrupt your night-time sleep. Older people experience quantitative and qualitative changes in sleep: length of sleep, distribution of sleep throughout the day, sleep quality, and stages of sleep patterns change. Total sleep time is decreased by frequent awakenings, taking longer to return to sleep, and lying in bed for longer periods of time awake.
Sleep hygiene is important for a good night's sleep. Make sure the room is comfortable in terms of temperature, and darkness. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, as well as nicotine. Try to retire at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, even if you have not slept well. If you have difficulty falling asleep, get up and leave the room. Do not engage in stimulating activities, but try to read a boring book until you feel sleepy again. Exercise should be done in the morning or early afternoon, not before going to bed.
As we grow older, we tend to have shorter sleep cycles and may wake up more frequently, but insomnia is not a normal part of aging. Sometimes people may have medical problems such as urinary frequency or urgency which causes multiple awakenings. If your sleep is disrupted, try to avoid daytime naps. If you must nap, limit the naps to ½ hour, even if you have to set an alarm clock. Prolonged naps can interrupt your night-time sleep. Older people experience quantitative and qualitative changes in sleep: length of sleep, distribution of sleep throughout the day, sleep quality, and stages of sleep patterns change. Total sleep time is decreased by frequent awakenings, taking longer to return to sleep, and lying in bed for longer periods of time awake.
Sleep hygiene is important for a good night's sleep. Make sure the room is comfortable in terms of temperature, and darkness. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, as well as nicotine. Try to retire at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, even if you have not slept well. If you have difficulty falling asleep, get up and leave the room. Do not engage in stimulating activities, but try to read a boring book until you feel sleepy again. Exercise should be done in the morning or early afternoon, not before going to bed.
