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Insomnia - Overview

Alternative Names

Psychophysiological insomnia; Learned insomnia; Chronic insomnia; Primary insomnia

Definition of Insomnia:

Insomnia is difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, or having nonrefreshing sleep for at least 1 month.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Primary insomnia refers to insomnia that is not caused by any known physical or mental condition.

Insomnia is caused by many different things. The most common causes of insomnia are:

  • Alcohol
  • Anxiety
  • Coffee
  • Stress

Secondary insomnia is caused by a medical condition. Depression is a very common cause of secondary insomnia. Often, insomnia is the symptom that causes people with depression to seek medical help.

  • Reviewed last on: 8/17/2009
  • Andrew Schriber, MD, FCCP, Specialist in Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Virtua Memorial Hospital, Mount Holly, New Jersey. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Wilson JF. In the clinic. Insomnia. Ann Intern Med. 2008;148(1):ITC13-1-ITC13-16.

Morgenthaler T, Kramer M, Alessi C, Friedman L, Boehlecke B, Brown T, et al. Practice parameters for the psychological and behavioral treatment of insomnia: an update. An American Academy of Sleep Medicine report. Sleep. 2006;29:1415-1419.

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