Insomnia is a disorder of sleep. In this condition, people face significant difficulties in falling asleep or staying asleep. People with insomnia are commonly referred to as ‘night owls.’ The other general symptoms include waking up often from sleep and having a lot of trouble in getting back to sleep and feeling extremely groggy after waking.

Insomnia can be classified into two types — primary insomnia and secondary insomnia.

Primary insomnia: It is a situation where the person has sleep problems only and these are not associated with any other health condition.

Secondary insomnia: The sleep problem arises out of other health condition like depression, cancer, heartburn, asthma, side effects of certain medication and also due to alcohol consumption and substance abuse.

Insomnia can also vary based on how long it lasts and also how frequently it occurs. Insomnia that usually occurs for a short period is referred to as acute insomnia and when it lasts a long time, it is called chronic insomnia. Acute insomnia can last anywhere between one night to a few days and sometimes a few weeks. Chronic insomnia is known to last for months.

What are the causes of insomnia?

• Lifestyle continues to be the single most reason for a lot of health complications. Stress as such is a major cause for insomnia. Change of job or lack of job satisfaction, the death of a loved one or even divorce or separation could trigger insomnia.
• Environmental causes like temperature, light, and noise also play a crucial role. For example, hot weather can interfere with the quality of sleep and if you are inclined towards insomnia, then it might interfere with your sleep itself.
• Jet lag is another reason why one develops insomnia. Working people who are put through the ordeal of working even before their jet lag-induced tiredness reduces, go through serious insomnia issues.
• Medications are yet another reason why one develops insomnia. Medicines taken for asthma and high blood pressure could interfere with your sleep pattern.
• Old age is another trigger. As people age, they tend to sleep less and more so, find it difficult to sleep. They eventually become strong candidates for chronic insomnia.
• Other allied reasons would include recovery from traumatic surgery or procedure. The pain that a person experiences after surgery could result in insomnia.
• Studies also show that bed wetting as adults could lead to insomnia because the adults feel embarrassed to put themselves in that position.

The symptoms of insomnia include:

• Tiredness that always lingers around during the day
• Feeling sleepy during the day
• Irritated mood or severe mood swings
• Problem with memory
• Trouble focusing on anything
• Inability to speak coherently
• Inefficiency at any activity done

It is important for family members to understand what the person is going through. Days or months of not sleeping properly could even alter reality and lead to hallucinations. While there are several treatment options available for insomnia, it is imperative for the family members and support group to stay patient and have a positive outlook on the whole situation.