Dealing with Insomnia 5 of 11

What is it?

There are four basic kinds of insomnia:

1. Difficulty falling asleep
2. Difficulty staying asleep
3. Waking up too early
4. Poor quality sleep

Someone with insomnia may have the following symptoms:

·    Feeling tired and grumpy during the day

·    Having trouble concentrating at work

·    Falling asleep during the day

You can be tired and grumpy even if you don’t have insomnia. You may be worn-out from staying up too late at night. This does not mean that you have insomnia. Many people are sleepy during the day simply because they went to bed too late the night before. They don’t have a sleep disorder; they just didn't get enough sleep.

Everyone has an occasional night of bad sleep. For most people insomnia lasts only a few days and goes away without treatment. But stress or depression can cause a higher level of insomnia that may last for several weeks. This kind of insomnia may not go away on its own.

Who gets it?

If you have insomnia, then you are not alone. It is a common sleep disorder. About 30% of adults have symptoms of insomnia. Less than 10% of adults are likely to have chronic insomnia. It is more common among elderly people and women. Some medical conditions cause insomnia, or it may be a side effect of a medication.

How do I know if I have it?

1. Do you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, or do you wake up too early or feel unrefreshed after sleeping?
2. For a child, does the child resist going to sleep or sleeping alone?
3. Does this problem occur even though you have the opportunity and the time to get a good night’s sleep?
4. Do you have at least one of the following problems?

• Low energy
• Lack of motivation
• Attention, concentration or memory problems
• Poor performance at school or work
• Extreme mood changes
• Daytime sleepiness
• Trouble making errors at work or while driving
• Tension, headaches or stomach aches
• Frustration or worry about your sleep

If your answer to these questions is yes, then you might have insomnia.

It is also important to know if there is something else that is causing your sleep problems. They may be a result of one of the following:

• Another sleep disorder
• A medical condition
• Medication use
• A mental health disorder
• Substance abuse

Do I need to see a sleep specialist?

First, you should try to follow good sleep hygiene. You also may want to discuss your sleep problems with your primary care doctor. If the insomnia causes you distress or daytime sleepiness, then you may want to visit a sleep specialist. He or she can find the cause and treat your insomnia.

What will the doctor need to know?

First, the doctor will need to know when your insomnia started. He or she will also want to know what else has been happening in your life. Finally, your medical history is very important. Be sure to tell the doctor if you are taking any medications. (This includes medicine that you may buy from the drugstore without a prescription.)

Keep a sleep diary for two weeks. Record when you go to sleep and when you wake up, along with how long you were awake during the night. The sleep diary will help the doctor see your sleeping patterns. The sleep diary information gives the doctor clues about what is causing your problem and how to correct it.

Will I need to take any tests?

Doctors do not need any tests to treat most insomnia patients. A sleep specialist may give you a written test to analyze your mental and emotional well-being. The specialist may need to test your blood in the lab if he or she suspects that you have a related medical problem.

You would need an overnight sleep study only if the doctor suspects that you may have sleep apnea or another sleep disorder.