Insomnia: What it is and How to Get Some Sleep

Insomnia: What it is and How to Get Some Sleep

Insomnia is the inability to sleep. Insomnia, however, is not a condition, it is a symptom of underlying conditions. In order to treat insomnia, it is sometimes necessary to treat the underlying conditions. Insomnia occurs to most adults from time to time, but when it lasts for longer than 4 weeks, then it is time to seek medical advice.

Insomnia is in the family of sleep disorders. Insomnia can have psychological origins or it can have physical origins. Some psychological origins can be stress, anxiety depression or bi polar disorder. Some physical origins can be caffeine or medications. The incidence of insomnia increases with age.

To cure insomnia, it is necessary to find the underlying cause. Few people seek medical help in dealing with insomnia. Sometimes insomnia can be reduced by improving sleeping habits. Sometimes insomnia can be treated with over the counter medications. Sometimes medical attention is needed. If insomnia is left untreated, it can progress to a more serious form.

There are three types of insomnia. They are transient, acute and chronic. In transient insomnia, a person is usually experiencing jet lag or anxiety. The insomnia is brief, usually lasting up to 2 to 3 weeks. This type of insomnia usually goes away as the cause goes away. If the insomnia is recurring, it is call intermittent insomnia. Acute insomnia lasts up to 6 months. Stress may be a factor in acute insomnia. Chronic insomnia occurs almost nightly for as long as a month.

People who are at a high risk of having insomnia are shift workers, pregnant women, women in menopause, people who have chronic pain and people who are depressed. Sometimes the loss of a loved one causes insomnia if the person is not expressing true feelings of grief. People who eat one food over and over again are likely to experience insomnia.