03-16-2009, 08:32 AM
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 Insomnia OverView
Insomnia OverView Quote: Definition
Quote: Insomnia includes having trouble falling or staying asleep. It's one of the most common medical complaints. With insomnia, you usually awaken feeling unrefreshed, which takes a toll on your ability to function during the day. Insomnia can sap not only your energy level and mood, but also your health, work performance and quality of life.
How much sleep is enough varies from person to person. Most adults need seven to eight hours a night. More than one-third of adults have insomnia at some time, while 10 to 15 percent report long-term (chronic) insomnia.
You don't have to put up with sleepless nights. Simple changes in your daily habits can resolve insomnia and restore your needed rest. | | Quote: Quote: Most adults have experienced insomnia or sleeplessness at one time or another in their lives. An estimated 30%-50% of the general population are affected by insomnia, and 10% have chronic insomnia.
Insomnia is a symptom, not a stand-alone diagnosis or a disease. By definition, insomnia is "difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or both" and it may be due to inadequate quality or quantity of sleep. Insomnia is not defined by a specific number of hours of sleep that one gets, since individuals vary widely in their sleep needs and practices. Although most of us know what insomnia is and how we feel and perform after one or more sleepless nights, few seek medical advice. Many people remain unaware of the behavioral and medical options available to treat insomnia. | Quote: Insomnia is generally classified based on the duration of the problem. Not everyone agrees on one definition, but generally:
• symptoms lasting less than one week are classified as transient insomnia,
• symptoms between one to three weeks are classified as short-term insomnia, and
• those longer than three weeks are classified as chronic insomnia.
| |  Quote: Statistics on Insomnia
Insomnia affects all age groups. Among adults, insomnia affects women more often than men. The incidence tends to increase with age. It is typically more common in people in lower socioeconomic (income) groups, chronic alcoholics, and mental health patients. Stress most commonly triggers short-term or acute insomnia. If you do not address your insomnia, however, it may develop into chronic insomnia.
| Insomnia Causes
Insomnia may be caused by a host of different reasons. These causes may be divided into situational factors, medical or psychiatric conditions, or primary sleep problems. Insomnia could also be classified by the duration of the symptoms into transient, short-term, or chronic. Transient insomnia generally last less than seven days; short-term insomnia usually lasts for about one to three weeks, and chronic insomnia lasts for more than three weeks. Quote: Many of the causes of transient and short-term insomnia are similar and they include:
• Jet lag
• Changes in shift work
• Excessive or unpleasant noise
• Uncomfortable room temperature (too hot or too cold)
• Stressful situations in life (exam preparation, loss of a loved one, unemployment, divorce, or separation)
• Presence of an acute medical or surgical illness or hospitalization
• Withdrawal from drug, alcohol, sedative, or stimulant medications
• Insomnia related to high altitude (mountains)
| Quote: Chronic or long-term insomnia
The majority of causes of chronic or long-term insomnia are usually linked to an underlying psychiatric or physiologic (medical) condition.
| Quote: Psychological related insomnia
The most common psychological problems that may lead to insomnia include:
• anxiety,
• stress,
• schizophrenia,
• mania (bipolar disorder), and
• depression.
In fact, insomnia may be an indicator of depression. Many people will have insomnia during the acute phases of a mental illness.
| Quote: Physiological related insomnia
Physiological causes span from circadian rhythm disorders (disturbance of the biological clock), sleep-wake imbalance, to a variety of medical conditions.
The following are the most common medical conditions that trigger insomnia:
• Chronic pain syndromes
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Congestive heart failure
• Night time angina (chest pain) from heart disease
• Acid reflux disease (GERD)
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Nocturnal asthma (asthma with night time breathing symptoms)
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Degenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease (Often insomnia is the deciding factor for nursing home placement.)
• Brain tumors, strokes, or trauma to the brain
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