Insomnia, or sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder in which there is an inability to fall asleep or to stay asleep as long as desired (Wikipedia).
Insomnia is most often thought of as both a medical sign and a symptom that can accompany several sleep, medical, and psychiatric disorders characterized by a persistent difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep or sleep of poor quality. Insomnia is typically followed by functional impairment while awake. Insomnia can occur at any age, but it is particularly common in the elderly. Insomnia can be short term (up to three weeks) or long term (above 3–4 weeks); it can lead to memory problems, depression, irritability and an increased risk of heart disease and automobile related accidents. (Wikipedia)
The DSM-5 criteria for insomnia include the following:
Predominant complaint of dissatisfaction with sleep quantity or quality, associated with one (or more) of the following symptoms:
Types of insomnia:
It is important to identify or rule out medical and psychological causes before deciding on the treatment for insomnia.
Dear @Sundar, I have the experience with because of Asthma. One of the definitions available follows! "Insomnia is a sleep disorder. Individuals who suffer from insomnia find it difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep, or both. They don’t feel refreshed when they wake up from sleeping, which can lead to fatigue and other symptoms. It can be short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic)." Causes, symptoms, diagnosing and treatment of insomnia are given in the articles attached!
It is very important issue of Insomnia and aging!
http://www.healthline.com/health/insomnia
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/basics/causes/con-20024293
http://www.webmd.boots.com/sleep-disorders/guide/insomnia
Dear @Sundar, this is a good informative question about the causes and cures for Insomnia that I follow to learn about it; the following link discusses this issue: Can’t sleep? Understanding insomnia and its symptoms: Insomnia is the inability to get the amount of sleep you need to wake up feeling rested and refreshed. Because different people need different amounts of sleep, insomnia is defined by the quality of your sleep and how you feel after sleeping—not the number of hours you sleep or how quickly you doze off. Even if you’re spending eight hours a night in bed, if you feel drowsy and fatigued during the day, you may be experiencing insomnia.
Although insomnia is the most common sleep complaint, it is not a single sleep disorder. It’s more accurate to think of insomnia as a symptom of another problem, which differs from person to person. It could be something as simple as drinking too much caffeine during the day or a more complex issue like an underlying medical condition or feeling overloaded with responsibilities.
The good news is that most cases of insomnia can be cured with changes you can make on your own—without relying on sleep specialists or turning to prescription or over-the-counter sleeping pills.
See the report at the link:
www.helpguide.org/articles/sleep/cant-sleep-insomnia-treatment.htm
Dear @Sundar, I have the experience with because of Asthma. One of the definitions available follows! "Insomnia is a sleep disorder. Individuals who suffer from insomnia find it difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep, or both. They don’t feel refreshed when they wake up from sleeping, which can lead to fatigue and other symptoms. It can be short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic)." Causes, symptoms, diagnosing and treatment of insomnia are given in the articles attached!
It is very important issue of Insomnia and aging!
http://www.healthline.com/health/insomnia
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/basics/causes/con-20024293
http://www.webmd.boots.com/sleep-disorders/guide/insomnia
Adequate sleep is a primary component of a healthy lifestyle. Normally, as we age, quality of sleep can decrease. Often the undesirable insufficient sleep due to outcome of our daily lives may also be indicative of imperfect health, and can lead to future health problems. There are several other reasons why people have a difficult time staying asleep including stress, anxiety, depression, change in work schedule, consumption of caffeine, nicotine and alcohol, late dinners, noise, temperature changes and a change in surroundings can all cause insomnia. Medications such as those taken for the common cold and nasal allergies, high blood pressure, heart disease, thyroid disease, birth control, asthma, and depression can also cause insomnia. Also, there are many medical conditions (mild or serious) nasal/sinus allergies, gastrointestinal problems such as reflux, endocrine problems such as hyperthyroidism, arthritis, asthma, neurological conditions such as parkinson's disease, chronic pain, low back pain, etc. can lead to insomnia. PMS, menopause, menstruation, or pregnancy can also cause insomnia in adult women. Using sleeping pills to cope with insomnia or alcohol to fall asleep will disrupt sleep even more over the long-term and will actually make the problem worse. However, sleep disorders can be addressed without the use of medication. Often, changing the habits that are reinforcing sleeplessness is enough to overcome insomnia altogether. It may take a few days for the body to get used to the change, but once someone affected does, he/she will sleep better. While different types of insomnia have different causes, most people can find relief through natural remedies for insomnia, regardless of the source of their insomnia. Establishing a consistent bedtime routine, regular exercise during the day, low or no intake of caffeine, stimulants and alcohol, avoiding large meals late in the evening, practicing meditation and yoga are good and effective natural ways to tackle the problem of insomnia.
Here are some detailed cures suggested:
Avoid large meals late in the evening.
Don't obsess about not sleeping. Not surprisingly, studies have shown that individuals who worry about falling asleep have greater trouble dropping off. It may help to remind yourself that while sleeplessness is troublesome, it isn't life-threatening.
Spend some time outdoors as often as you can to get exposure to bright, natural light. If you are concerned about harmful effects of solar radiation, do it before ten in the morning or after three in the afternoon or use sunscreen.
More details can be found in the link given.
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02037/sleep-aid
Insomnia is when you can’t fall asleep or stay asleep. Symptoms of insomnia include sleep difficulties, chronic sleeplessness, and eventually sleep deprivation – which can affect your overall health. Sometimes insomnia is caused by a current life situation, such as stress or an injury. Other times, we have no idea what’s causing our insomnia – which is frustrating!
http://hopingfor.com/zzz/causes-insomnia-cures/
In Chinese medicine, we have different classifications. Maybe the over eat stomachache is acute insomnia, wake up with pain can be acute or chronic depends on the pain is acute or chronic. The majority of the insomnia is chronic.
If anyone has interest, I will post the treatments. Please let me know. The treatment is powerful without lifelong under treatment.
https://universaltcm.com/insomnia-causes/
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