Insomnia Symptoms

Insomnia symptoms are the effects of a sleep disorder that usually causes a sufferer to have difficulty falling asleep, or sometimes staying asleep for far longer periods than normal.

An individual diagnosed with this type of sleep disorder will generally have one or more of the following symptoms:

? Difficulty falling asleep

? Wakes up often during the night and has trouble going back to sleep

? Wakes up too early in the morning

? Feels tired upon waking up

There is more than one type of insomnia, and the causes and symptoms of each type will have to be treated differently in every patient. The four main types are primary, secondary, acute and chronic. Each group has its own set of causes, and the treatments done to alleviate each will differ as well.

Primary Insomnia

In primary Insomnia the sufferer typically has sleep problems that are not directly associated with any other health condition or problem.

This temporary condition is often treated with sleep aids or by changing nightly sleep habits.

Secondary Insomnia

Secondary Insomnia means that the patient?s inability to sleep is being caused by a secondary condition or reason.

It could be a health condition, like depression, heartburn or asthma, leading to having a difficult time falling asleep.

It could also be due to chronic pain, or the side effect of a medication they have been taking for pain. Substance abuse will also cause sleep deprivation in some cases, especially alcohol abuse.

Acute Insomnia

Insomnia can also vary in the length of time it lasts, as well as how often it occurs. When it is considered to be short-term, from one night to a few weeks, it is considered to be an acute condition.

The causes can range from the physical to the environmental, and can include:

? Significant life stress: job loss, death, divorce, and moving.

? Illness: colds or flu

? Uneasiness: Emotional or physical discomfort

? Environmental: noise, light and extreme temperature fluctuations.

? Medications: cold medicine, allergy medicines, anti-depression, high blood pressure and asthma.

? Deviations from normal sleep patterns: jet lag, switching work or school schedules.

Chronic Insomnia

To be considered chronic, the sleep disorder should last for at least three nights a week, for a month or more. There can be many causes, many extreme and recurring without cessation:

? Depression

? Anxiety

? Pain or discomfort at night

Symptoms of Acute and Chronic Insomnia

All four types share the common symptoms listed above, but acute and chronic insomnia can also be represented by the following symptoms, in varying degrees of severity:

? Sleepiness during the day

? Overall fatigue

? Chronic irritability? Continuing problems with both concentration and memory

Because insomnia is often difficult to clearly diagnose, unlike conditions like sleep apnea and other sleeping disorders it may take some time for the physician to determine what exact condition the patient is dealing with.

The patient?s sleep patterns will often be monitored, either in a sleep lab setting or by keeping a sleep diary.