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Is insomnia a sleep disorder?
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What is an insomnia diagnosis?
Is insomnia a health problem?
How long does insomnia last?
If you have insomnia for a short time (less than 3 months) it's called short-term insomnia. Insomnia that lasts 3 months or longer is called long-term insomnia. How much sleep you need. Everyone needs different amounts of sleep. On average: adults need 7 to 9 hours; children need 9 to 13 hours; toddlers and babies need 12 to 17 hours
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- Sleep Problems
Insomnia is a sleep disorder that can last for months or...
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- Overview
- Symptoms
- Causes
- Risk factors
- Complications
- Prevention
Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that can make it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep. It also can cause you to wake up too early and not be able to get back to sleep. You may still feel tired when you wake up. Insomnia can drain your energy level and affect your mood. It also can affect your health, work performance and quality of life.
How much sleep is enough varies from person to person. But most adults need 7 to 9 hours a night.
At some point, many adults have short-term insomnia. This can last for days or weeks. Short-term insomnia is usually due to stress or a distressing event. But some people have long-term insomnia, also called chronic insomnia. This lasts for three months or more. Insomnia may be the main problem, or it may be related to other medical conditions or medicines.
You do not have to put up with sleepless nights. Simple changes in your daily habits often can help.
Insomnia symptoms may include:
•Having a hard time falling asleep at night.
•Waking up during the night.
•Waking up too early.
•Feeling tired or sleepy during the day.
•Feeling cranky, depressed or anxious.
Insomnia may be the main problem or it may be related to other conditions.
Long-term insomnia is usually due to stress, life events or habits that disrupt sleep. While treating the cause of your sleep problem may stop your insomnia, sometimes it can last for years.
Common causes of long-term insomnia include:
•Stress. Concerns about work, school, health, money or family can keep your mind active at night, making it hard to sleep. Stressful life events, such as the death or illness of a loved one, divorce, or a job loss, also may lead to insomnia.
•Travel or work schedule. Your body's "internal clock," known as circadian rhythms, guides things such as your sleep-wake cycle, metabolism and body temperature. Disrupting these rhythms can lead to insomnia. Causes include feeling jet lag from traveling across multiple time zones, working a late or early shift, or changing shifts often.
•Poor sleep habits. Poor sleep habits include going to bed and waking up at different times each day, taking naps, being too active before bedtime and having a sleep area that is not comfortable. Other poor sleep habits include working, eating or watching TV while in bed. Using computers or smartphones, playing video games, or watching TV just before bed can disrupt your sleep cycle.
Nearly everyone has an occasional sleepless night. But you're more likely to have insomnia if:
•You're a woman. Changes in hormones during the menstrual cycle and in menopause may play a role. During menopause, night sweats and hot flashes often disrupt sleep. Insomnia also is common during pregnancy.
•You're over 60. Because of changes in sleep patterns and health, it's more likely you'll have insomnia as you get older.
•You have a mental health or physical health condition. Many issues that affect your mental or physical health can disrupt sleep.
•You're under a lot of stress. Being stressed can cause short-term insomnia. Major or long-lasting stress can lead to long-term insomnia.
•You do not have a regular schedule. For example, changing shifts at work or traveling can disrupt your sleep-wake cycle.
Sleep is as important to your health as a healthy diet and regular physical activity. Whatever is keeping you from sleeping, insomnia can affect you mentally and physically. People with insomnia report a lower quality of life compared with people who sleep well.
Complications of insomnia may include:
•Lower performance on the job or at school.
•Slowed reaction time while driving and a higher risk of accidents.
•Mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety or substance misuse.
•Higher risk or worsening of long-term diseases or conditions, such as high blood pressure and heart disease.
Good sleep habits like these can help prevent insomnia:
•Keep the time you go to bed and the time you wake up the same every day, including weekends.
•Stay active. Regular activity can lead to a good night's sleep.
•Limit naps or do not nap at all.
•Limit or do not use caffeine, alcohol and nicotine.
•Do not eat large meals or drink a lot of fluids before bed.
Mar 27, 2024 · Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or both, even if you have ample time and a bedroom environment conducive to restful sleep. An insomnia diagnosis requires these sleep troubles to also cause daytime impairments, such as sleepiness or difficulty concentrating.
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Insomnia is a sleep disorder that can last for months or years. Changing your sleeping habits often helps with sleep problems including insomnia. If this does not help or you think you have a sleep problem, see a GP.
May 31, 2024 · Symptoms of insomnia. If you have insomnia, you might: find it hard to fall asleep. lie awake at night. wake up several times during the night. wake up early in the morning and not be able to get back to sleep. not feel refreshed when you get up. feel tired and irritable during the day. have difficulty concentrating because you’re tired.
May 7, 2024 · Insomnia is characterized by an ongoing difficulty to fall or remain asleep despite wanting to sleep and having enough time to sleep. People with insomnia also experience daytime sleepiness and may have difficulty functioning while they are awake.
Dec 22, 2023 · Fact-Checked. Up-to-Date. Approximately 10% to 30% of adults experience insomnia symptoms, or persistent difficulty falling or staying asleep on a nightly basis. The signs and symptoms of insomnia vary from person to person, and largely depend on whether the insomnia is a chronic or short-term condition. Chronic Insomnia Symptoms.
