Insomnia – Knowing the Facts

By being informed of the important facts about insomnia such as the various types, who is more likely to be affected and an overall understanding of the definition of insomnia can assist in the management and treatment of the condition.  It can also lead to overcoming the problem by realizing some of the trigger points that can cause this condition.

To varying degrees, insomnia affects approximately 30 per cent of all adults.  That’s an incredible number of people who are having trouble sleeping at night!  Some suffer from severe insomnia, while others are affected to a much milder extent. Yet, not much is known about this common medical condition.

Misunderstanding Insomnia 

Those who don’t know the facts about insomnia might be under the delusion that the condition is only used to describe people who can’t sleep at all.  However, this is not the correct definition of the disorder.

Insomnia is defined as a condition wherein a person has difficulties with regards to his or her sleep patterns.  This means that the term could be used to describe difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep, or restlessness during sleep.

Who Gets Insomnia?

This medical disorder is more common in some groups than others although it is possible for insomnia to affect almost anyone.  It has been found that insomnia is more common in women than in men, especially following menopause.  Additionally, one little known fact about insomnia is that the ability to sleep, not the need for sleep, decreases with age.  Thus, insomnia is also more common in the elderly.

Types of Insomnia

Another fact about insomnia is that there are two main types affecting people in varying degrees.  The two categories of insomnia are primary and secondary.

The type of insomnia that is most common is secondary insomnia.  Secondary insomnia is caused by other factors, such as pain, disease, environmental changes, depression, or schedule changes.  Treating secondary insomnia simply involves removing the cause.  For example, if the patient drinks a lot of coffee, ending this habit would be a way to end the insomnia.

When insomnia occurs and a cause cannot be determined, it is usually classified as primary insomnia and can often be traced back to some emotional disturbance or long term illness.  One of the facts about primary insomnia is that it is usually more difficult to treat than secondary insomnia and often some type of therapy is involved in the treatment.

Knowledge Is Power

Knowing the facts about insomnia and will enable you to understand the disorder and help you to take control of the condition once and for all.  Going to the source of the problem might be the solution you were looking for. Once you accept the source you are then able to treat the source.

Many studies have been undertaken into the causes and effects on insomnia so there is plenty of information to guide you.