Respiratory Disease
Insomnia
What is insomnia?
If you experience difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or
enjoying a restful night's sleep, you may be suffering from insomnia,
the feeling or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep because
of one or more of the following:
- difficulty falling asleep
- waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep
- waking up too early in the morning
- non-refreshing sleep
Insomnia is a common symptom in the US, reported by nearly half of Americans surveyed
in a 1995 National Sleep Foundation Gallup Poll.
It is classified as:
- transient (short term) - lasting from a single night to a few weeks
- intermittent (on and off) - episodes
occurring from time to time
- chronic (constant) - occurring on most nights and
lasting a month or more
What are the causes of
insomnia?
Insomnia may be caused by many factors, including:
- stress
- depression
- anxiety
- physical illness
- caffeine intake
- irregular schedules
- circadian rhythm disorders
- drugs (including alcohol and nicotine)
- occasional or chronic pain
Guidelines that may help sleep problems:
- Get up about the same time every day.
- Go to bed only when you are sleepy.
- Establish relaxing pre-sleep rituals, such as a warm bath, a light bedtime
snack, or 10
minutes of reading.
- Exercise regularly. If you exercise vigorously, do this at least 6 hours before bedtime.
Mild exercise -- such as simple stretching or walking -- should be done
at least 4 hours before bedtime.
- Maintain a regular schedule. Regular times for meals, taking medications, doing
chores
and other activities help keep your "inner clock" running smoothly.
- Do not eat or drink anything containing caffeine within 6 hours of bedtime.
- Do not drink alcohol within several hours of bedtime, or when you are sleepy.
- Avoid smoking close to bedtime.
- If you take naps, try to do so at the same time every day. For most people, a
mid-afternoon nap is most helpful.
- Avoid sleeping pills, or use them conservatively. Most physicians avoid prescribing
sleeping pills for a period of longer than 3 weeks. Never drink alcohol while taking
sleeping pills.
People who suffer from insomnia that lasts for more than a few
days should consult a doctor so that the underlying cause can be identified, if possible,
and treated.
This page was last updated on: June 8, 2006.
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