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Conditions InDepth: Insomnia

by Editorial Staff And Contributors

En Español (Spanish Version)
 

Insomnia is defined as inadequate or poor-quality sleep despite having adequate time to sleep. Insomnia may take the form of difficulty falling asleep, or middle-of-the-night or early-morning awakening. It may be a short-term problem or occur more often over a long period of time. It becomes more common as you get older.

Over the course of a year, about one third to one half of adults experience some level of insomnia. About 10%-15% have more severe or chronic insomnia. It may cause problems during the day, such as tiredness, a lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, and irritability.

Insomnia is not a disease. Instead, it is a result of a behavior or a symptom of an underlying mental or physical problem. There are many causes of insomnia.

Short-term insomnia is often due to temporary situations. It generally occurs in people who are experiencing one or more of the following:

  • A life crisis or stress
  • A change in the sleep environment, including factors such as noise, light, or temperature
  • Sleep/wake schedule problems such as with jet lag or temporary shift work
  • Side effects of medication

Chronic insomnia often results from a medical condition. Examples include:

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Arthritis
  • Manic disorders
  • Conditions that cause chronic pain
  • Kidney disease
  • Heart failure
  • Asthma
  • Sleep apnea
  • Narcolepsy
  • Restless legs syndrome
  • Parkinson's disease
  • Dementia or Alzheimer disease
  • Hyperthyroidism
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
  • Pregnancy
  • Menopause
  • Sickle cell disease

Chronic insomnia may caused by lifestyle or behavioral factors. These may include:

  • Misuse of nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, or other substances
  • Disrupted sleep/wake cycles from shift work or other nighttime activity schedules
  • Chronic stress

For some people, insomnia is aggravated by 2 common responses:

  • Expecting to have difficulty sleeping and worrying about it, or
  • Excessive napping in the afternoon or evening
• What are the risk factors for insomnia? • What are the symptoms of insomnia? • How is insomnia diagnosed? • What are the treatments for insomnia? • Are there screening tests for insomnia? • How can I reduce my risk of insomnia? • What questions should I ask my doctor? • Where can I get more information about insomnia?
REFERENCES:

Buysse DJ. Insomnia. JAMA. 2013;309(7):706-716.

Insomnia. Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians website. Available at: https://familydoctor.org/condition/insomnia. Updated July 2017. Accessed March 6, 2018.

Insomnia. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. Available at: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/insomnia. Accessed March 6, 2018.

Insomnia. National Sleep Foundation website. Available at: https://sleepfoundation.org/insomnia/home. Accessed March 6, 2018.

Insomnia in adults. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T114839/Insomnia-in-adults . Updated June 5, 2017. Accessed March 6, 2018.

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Last reviewed March 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Monica Zangwill, MD, MPH
Last Updated: 3/15/2015

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