What cause it?
There are many causes of insomnia. Transient and
intermittent insomnia generally occur in people who are
temporarily experiencing:
- advanced age (insomnia occurs more frequently in those
over age 60)- female gender
- a his
tory of depression
How is it diagnosed?Patients with insomnia are evaluated with the help of a
medical history and a sleep history. The sleep history may be obtained from a sleep diary filled out by the patient or by an interview with the patient's bed partner concerning the quantity and quality of the patient's sleep.- change in the surrounding environment
- medication side effects
What's Insomnia?
Insomnia is the perception or complaint of inadequate or
poor-quality sleep because of:
difficulty falling asleep waking up frequently during the night with difficulty
returning to slee p waking up too early in the morning unrefreshing sleep
Chronic insomnia is more complex and often results from a
combination of factors, including underlying physical or
mental disorders which includes arthritis, kidney disease,
heart failure,asthma, sleepapnea, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome,
and Parkinson's disease
How is it treated?Transient and intermittent insomnia may not require
treatment since episodes last only a few days at a time.However, for some people who experience daytime sleepiness
and impaired performance as a result of transient insomnia,
the use of short-acting sleeping pills may improve sleep and
next-day alertness.For chronic insomnia
First, diagnosing and treating underlying medical or
psychological problems. Identifying behaviors that may worsen insomnia and
stopping (or reducing) them. Possibly using sleeping pillsOther treatments
Relaxation Therapy Sleep Restriction