Insomnia is a common sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early and being unable to return to sleep. This results in poor quality or insufficient sleep, which affects how a person feels and functions during the day
Key Features of Insomnia:
- Trouble initiating sleep (sleep-onset insomnia)
- Difficulty maintaining sleep or waking up too early (sleep-maintenance insomnia)
- Feeling tired, sleepy, irritable, or having difficulty concentrating during the day
- Possible mood disturbances such as depression or anxiety
Types of Insomnia:
- Acute (short-term) insomnia: Lasts from a few days to weeks, often triggered by stress or a distressing event.
- Chronic insomnia: Persists for three months or longer, may be primary (not caused by another condition) or secondary (linked to other health issues, medications, or substance use)
Causes and Risk Factors:
Insomnia can be caused by psychological stress, medical conditions (like chronic pain, heart failure), medications, poor sleep habits, environmental factors, and lifestyle issues such as shift work or travel across time zones. Women and older adults are more commonly affected, and factors like emotional distress, inactivity, and socioeconomic status may increase risk
Impact:
Insomnia can impair daytime functioning, mood, and overall quality of life. It is associated with increased risk of accidents, chronic health problems, and mental health issues
Treatment:
Management often includes improving sleep hygiene, cognitive behavioral therapy, and sometimes medication under medical supervision
. In summary, insomnia is a disorder of inadequate or poor-quality sleep that significantly affects daily life and health, with both short-term and chronic forms influenced by various physical, psychological, and environmental factors
