Cause, Symptoms and Treatment of Insomnia: Overcoming the Restless Nights

"I can't sleep. Why can't I fall asleep? It's 5am and I need to be up in three hours. I've tried everything and I can't sleep. Why is this happening to me every night?"

If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. Over half of all adults experience insomnia at some point in their lives. All have different causes for their not being able to sleep. Causes from stress, to restless minds, to even depression. There are so many causes, symptoms, and treatments for insomnia. Let's start with the basics and work our way to the cures. I personally suffered from 30 sleepless days and nights triggered by depression. Throughout this article I will suggest some ways that I found my way into a restful night of pure drift-off-to-dream slumber.

But let's start with the basics. What exactly is insomnia?

According to Wikipedia, insomnia is defined as the inability to sleep and or to be incapable of remaining asleep for a reasonable period. Insomnia is not defined by the number of hours of sleep a person gets or how long it takes to fall asleep. Insomnia does not just occur with the inability to sleep it also causes many problems during the day such as tiredness, lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, and irritability.

There are three different types of insomnia. Transient, acute and chronic. Transient insomnia is considered insomnia lasting from one night to a few weeks. Acute insomnia is the inability to consistently sleep well for a period of three weeks to six months. The most serious form of insomnia is chronic insomnia. This type of insomnia lasts for at least a month and sometimes longer. Chronic insomnia is more complex and often results from a combination of factors, including underlying physical or mental disorders.