Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by difficulty sleeping. Insomnia symptoms are more visible in some individuals then they are in others. While some people will have problems falling asleep, others will wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to get back to sleep. Insomnia sufferers often experience daytime fatigue, anxiety, and a number of physical symptoms.
Usually those who suffer from insomnia will also suffer from fatigue throughout the day. This lack of energy can interfere with the insomniac's normal activities. It can be caused by the sufferer lying in bed for hours on end while trying to fall asleep. In the end, he or she simply spends a good part of the night tossing and turning, and thus becomes frustrated from the unsatisfactory sleep he or she does receive. This can lead to even more insomnia symptoms, the most common being anxiety at bedtime because he or she fears another night of tossing and turning, unable to sleep.
There are essentially three different types of insomnia: transient, intermittent, and chronic. The intensity and the duration of these various types of insomnia will vary, but the insomnia symptoms are all the same. Chronic insomnia is the most common form of insomnia.
The sleep problems that occur with chronic insomnia include difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. This form of insomnia may occur for several weeks or months. It is often caused by stress or a medical condition. For this reason, both physical and psychological disorders have to be considered when looking for the cause of this sleeplessness.
One of the most common causes of insomnia is sleep apnea. This respiratory disorder can often cause the sufferer to wake up much earlier than desired. Other apnea-related insomnia symptoms may include waking up repeatedly during the night and a feeling of tiredness even after getting a full night's sleep.
People with insomnia often receive a poor quality of sleep. The reason for this is that they may never reach the deepest stage of sleep, also known as delta or slow-wave sleep. Although it is not known exactly why humans need deep sleep, it is believed to contribute to the feeling of being "restored" after a good night's sleep.
When insomnia lasts for a prolonged period of time, it can begin to take a toll on a person's body. This may be because of the stress caused by the insomnia, which can manifest itself in physical symptoms. This stress may be felt in the form of gastrointestinal issues, high blood pressure, heart disease, fluctuations in weight, and a lowered immune system. These serious insomnia symptoms can have a big impact on a person's life.
It is important to understand insomnia symptoms, so that the causes of the insomnia can be treated. Insomnia caused by sleep apnea, for example, may be treated with special breathing equipment, while stress-induced insomnia may be treated with stress-reduction and relaxation techniques. Such treatments can help return a person's life to normal as soon as possible.