Insomnia

Insomnia is a type of sleep disorder in which the patient has difficulty falling asleep or staying awake.

Insomnia is currently defined or identified as the complaint of inadequate or insufficient sleep despite adequate opportunity. There are several ways in which insomnia manifests itself. In one case the patient may be able to fall asleep easily, but will wake up too soon. Another patient may have difficulty falling asleep, while another has difficulty staying asleep once they do fall asleep. In any case, the result is the patient has very poor quality sleep. Insomnia is currently divided into two main categories. The most common type of the two is secondary insomnia. Secondary implies that the insomnia is a symptom of another medical problem. There are many medical conditions which can attribute to secondary insomnia including certain illnesses, such as some heart and lung diseases, pain, anxiety, or depression. It can also be caused by any substances that could delay or disrupt sleep, such as certain medicines, caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol. It is believed that potentially 8 out 10 patients who have insomnia suffer from secondary insomnia. The other type of insomnia, primary insomnia, is not a symptom or directly related to any other medical problem, but is classified as its own disorder.

Both types of insomnia can have equally adverse effects on a person's health. It can lead to problems such as excessive daytime sleepiness, a lack of energy, irritability, and depression. It can also make inhibit a person's ability to perform certain mental tasks, such as concentrating, learning, or remembering. The effects of insomnia can range from mild to severe depending on the frequency of the problem. Insomnia can be sub-categorized as either acute or chronic, depending on how often the patient experiences the symptoms. Chronic insomnia implies that the patient is experiencing symptoms for at least 3 nights a week for at least a month. The effects insomnia will have on your health can be far more severe in these cases. Acute insomnia lasts for a shorter periods of time, but can still be harmful to a person's health.

Epidemiology

Click on the link above to view epidemiologic information related to insomnia. This will include information which relates to the incidence and distribution of insomnia across a population. This will also include information regarding the prevalence of insomnia across a population in relation to specific factors, such as ethnicity, age, sex, gender, etc...

Symptoms & Diagnosis

Click on the link above to view information regarding the diagnosis of insomnia. This will describe the preferential methods used to identify patients who suffer from insomnia.

Treatment

Click on the link above to view information regarding the treatment of insomnia. This will describe the latest techniques used to help treat patients suffering from insomnia, as well as the rate of success and possible implications of using the respective treatment.

Co-morbidities & Consequences

Click on the link above to view information regarding the types of co-morbidities that have been identified in patients suffering from insomnia.

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