What Is Insomnia?

The answer to the question "What is insomnia?", is about as complex as the condition itself! While a dictionary definition of the word 'insomnia' is -

....... in reality, insomnia is much more complicated than it sounds!

Classifying Insomnia

• People who have difficulty falling asleep


• Those who wake up several times during the night and can't fall back asleep


• People who wake up much too early in the morning, and again, can't fall back asleep


• People who think they sleep well, but wake up exhausted and never feel well rested

Another way of looking at the question 'what is insomnia?", is to break it up into 3 separate 'types' based on how often the person suffers from sleepless nights.

• Transient Insomnia - This generally lasts from 1 night to a week


• Short-Term Insomnia - Last for approximately 1 week to a month


• Chronic Insomnia - Lasts for a month or more (can be indefinitely)

Chronic Insomnia is then divided further, into two more categories -

• Primary Insomnia - When the insomnia isn't directly related to, or caused by, any other health problems such as allergies, arthritis, chronic pain, depression etc.


• Secondary Insomnia - This is when insomnia is caused by a medical condition or is the result of a poor sleep environment or poor sleep hygiene.

Insomnia & You

If you suffer from Transient or Short Term Insomnia, there are a whole lot of tips and tricks that can help you find your way back to The Land of Nod. The same applies to people with Secondary Insomnia.

If you're struggling with Chronic Primary Insomnia, the first step to better sleep, better health and a better life is to get a correct diagnosis of your individual sleep problem. A visit to your Primary Care Physician is in order, and then on to a Sleep Lab or Sleep Specialist.

There are a whole host of insomnia tips, treatments, therapies and prescription medications, otc sleep aids and more that can help you banish the insomnia demons and begin to enjoy a good night's sleep once again.

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