Insomnia is a sleep disorder in which a person faces difficulty falling or staying asleep or a lack of quality sleep for a period of time.If left untreated, long term sleep disturbances can decrease quality of life and lead to increased morbidity and mortality.
Symptoms
- Sleepiness during the day
- General tiredness
- Irritability
- Problems with concentration or memory
Common Causes
- Significant stress that can be caused by job loss or change, death of a loved one, divorce, moving etc
- Illness, emotional or physical discomfort
- Environmental factors such as noise, light, or extreme temperatures (hot or cold) that interfere with sleep
- Medications that may interfere with sleep
- Interferences in normal sleep schedule that may be caused by jet lag or switching from a day to night shift
- Depression and/or anxiety
- Hormonal changes especially in women who are experiencing premenstrual syndrome, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause
