What is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a fancy term that means a person has trouble falling or staying sleeping. A person can have primary insomnia, terminal insomnia, or both. Primary insomnia means the person has trouble falling asleep, while terminal insomnia means the person has trouble staying asleep. Most people think of insomnia as having a hard time falling asleep, but many people have terminal insomnia instead or in addition to the primary insomnia. Most people have trouble falling asleep at one time or another, so doctors like to classify insomnia by how long a person has had trouble sleeping. Someone with trouble falling asleep for less than one week has transient insomnia, while someone who has this problem for one to three weeks has short-term insomnia, and if it goes longer than that it is classified as chronic insomnia.

What are Insomnia Symptoms?
The symptoms of insomnia are very easy to self-diagnose. If you have a hard time falling asleep or sleeping through the night, you have insomnia. Waking up too early in the morning is also a symptom of insomnia. When a person doesn’t get enough sleep, they can seem irritable, sleepy, and forgetful during the day.

What are Insomnia Causes?
Sometimes insomnia is simply caused by a person’s natural clock not working properly. A person who has a sleep disorder like delayed sleep-phase syndrome might be naturally inclined to go to bed at 3AM, and forcing their body to go to bed at 10PM can be extremely hard. Many physical health problems, like asthma, arthritis, and heartburn, can keep a person awake because of discomfort. Depression, and anxiety, and just plain having a lot on the mind can keep a person awake late into the night. Caffeine, nicotine, certain medicines, and exercise can all cause insomnia, especially if they’re done at night or later in the afternoon. Alcohol disrupts REM sleep, so even though you may fall asleep (or pass out!) after drinking, chances are your brain will wake you up a few hours later. And of course, a crying baby or noisy neighbors can both cause insomnia!

What are Insomnia Treatments?
Most treatments for insomnia are very effective. Aside from treating the underlying cause (see below), doctors can prescribe a wide variety of sleeping aids. Patients can even get certain medicines and herbal supplements over the counter, like anti-histamines, valerian root, and melatonin. The effectiveness of the drug or supplement depends a lot on the person; for example, someone with a late natural sleep time will usually do much better taking melatonin than an anti-histamine, and someone who has depression-related insomnia will often improve on a sedating anti-depressant. Practicing relaxation techniques like meditating, listening to music, or taking a hot bath can help tremendously, especially if stress is the cause of the insomnia. Trying to go to bed at the same time every night can help your body know when it’s time to fall asleep. Lastly, many people report having an easier time falling asleep when they avoid spending much time in their bed during the day. If you spend a lot of time lying on your bed doing work, watching television, or surfing the internet, your brain will associate it with waking activities.

What are Insomnia Cures?
There is no cure for insomnia, but because insomnia is considered a symptom, the underlying problem can usually be fixed. Sometimes the problem is fixed without the person realizing it (until they discover they can sleep normally again). Fixing an environmental or physical problem that’s hindering sleep can “cure” insomnia for many people, and some people experience permanent improvement after finding the right anti-depressant, pain medicine, or breathing exercise. However, insomnia is an incredibly common problem, and most people will experience it at least once if not more often in their lifetime.

You are welcome to join our discussion on insomnia at our Insomnia Forum.