What is it? Insomnia is defined as difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. While most people need about eight hours of sleep a night, insomniacs tend to feel tired even after a full sleep cycle. While it's frequently thought of as a sleep disorder, insomnia can be a possible symptom of other problems, such as fear, stress, physical pain, anxiety, mental over-activity, medications or caffeine.
Problems from insomnia can carry over into the day causing excessive sleepiness, fatigue, trouble thinking clearly or staying focused, as well as feeling depressed or irritable.
Different types of insomnia: Short term insomnia (also called transient insomnia) lasts from a single night to a few weeks and rarely turns into a serious problem. Short term insomnia can be treated with over-the-counter medicine or natural remedies.
On the other hand, on-going or chronic insomnia (at least three nights a week for over a month) can lead to problems in your daily life. Chronic insomnia often requires some kind of medical treatment and can be caused by a medical condition, drugs, mental over- activity or a bad sleep setting.
