An estimated 30% to 50% of the general population is affected by insomnia. Insomnia is most often thought of as both a sign and a symptom that can accompany several sleep, medical and psychiatric disorders, characterized by persistent difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep or sleep of poor quality.
Opinions may differ when it comes to classifying insomnia, but generally it can be classified by the duration of the problem:
· Transient insomnia – symptoms lasting less than one week
· Short-term insomnia or Acute insomnia – symptoms between one to three weeks
· Chronic insomnia – lasts for longer than one month
Insomnia is caused by many different things. The most common causes are:
· Alcohol
· Depression
· Stress
· Caffeine
· Anxiety
The most common symptoms are:
· Difficulty falling asleep
· Waking up several times during sleep
· Not feeling refreshed when you wake up
· Feeling tired during the day or falling asleep during the day
When medical treatment is sought, generally it will entail both non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic aspects. Treatment should be tailored for the individual, based on the potential cause. Studies show that combining medical and non-medical treatments are more successful in treating insomnia than either one alone.
