Insomnia

Insomnia

• What is insomnia?
• What are the types of insomnia?
  • Insomnia overview
  • Insomnia outlook
• What causes insomnia?
• Who is at risk for insomnia?
• What are insomnia symptoms and signs?
• How is insomnia diagnosed?
• How is insomnia treated?
• Key points

What is Insomnia?

Insomnia is a condition in which you have trouble falling or staying asleep. Some people with insomnia may fall asleep easily but wake up too soon. Other people may have the opposite problem, or they have trouble with both falling asleep and staying asleep. The end result is poor-quality sleep that doesn't leave you feeling refreshed when you wake up.

Types of Insomnia

There are two types of insomnia. The most common type is called secondary insomnia. More than 8 out of 10 people with insomnia are believed to have secondary insomnia. Secondary means that the insomnia is a symptom or a side-effect of some other problem. Some of the problems that can cause secondary insomnia include:

• Certain illnesses, such as some heart and lung diseases

• Pain, anxiety, and depression

• Medicines that delay or disrupt sleep as a side-effect

• Caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, and other substances that affect sleep

• Another sleep disorder, such as restless legs syndrome; a poor sleep environment; or a change in sleep routine

In contrast, primary insomnia is not a side-effect of medicines or another medical problem. It is its own disorder, and generally persists for least 1 month or longer.

Source: MedicineNet.com
http://www.medicinenet.com/insomnia/article.htm