Types Of Insomnia - Insomnia: Sleep Disorders
Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School
Types of insomnia
Doctors classify insomnia by its duration: transient if it lasts only a few days, short-term if it continues for a few weeks, and chronic if the problem persists.
The causes of transient or short-term insomnia are usually apparent to the sufferer — the death of or separation from a loved one, nervousness about an upcoming event (such as a wedding, public-speaking engagement, or move), jet lag, or discomfort from an illness or injury. Chronic insomnia may be caused by a number of medications or medical conditions (see "Medical conditions and sleep problems"). In these instances, treating the condition, changing the medication, or both may relieve the insomnia.
Snoozing newsThe National Institutes of Health estimates that in the United States the annual direct cost of treating insomnia — including money spent on insomnia remedies, health care services, and hospital and nursing home care — is nearly $14 billion. The agency reports that indirect costs — due to property damage from accidents, lost productivity, and transportation to medical appointments — tally about $28 billion. |
One common form of persistent sleeplessness is learned insomnia. After experiencing a few sleepless nights, some people learn to associate the bedroom with being awake. Ways to cope with sleep deprivation — napping, drinking coffee, having a nightcap, or forgoing exercise — only fuel the problem. As insomnia worsens, anxiety regarding the insomnia may also worsen, leading to a vicious cycle in which fears about sleeplessness and its consequences become the primary cause of the insomnia.
In rare cases, insomnia begins in infancy, presumably because of an inborn abnormality of the mechanisms that control sleep. When children develop insomnia, physicians may suspect abuse or other trauma.
| Last updated: | January 23, 2007 |
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Medical content reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School. Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.
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