what isinsomnia?

What is Insomnia?

Causes of Insomnia

Primary insomnia is more than justtransient sleep difficulties, it is persistentproblems with sleep, lasting for morethan one month, and may include: Difficulty falling asleep - also known as
onset insomnia
 Waking up on and off during the night - also known
as middle insomnia
 Waking up very early and not returning to sleep
 Unsatisfactory sleep quality

There is a wide range of factors which may contribute toinsomnia. Just some of these factors are: Respiratory problems such as sleep apnea
 Restless legs or twitching legs during sleep
 Pain Side effects of medications
 Alcohol - leads to more fitful, less refreshing sleep
 Caffeine and nicotine Severe anxiety or depression
 Stressful life events
 Habits such as daytime napping Dependence on sleeping medication

These are different to other sleep problems, such as
excessive daytime sleepiness, effects of shift work andjet-lag, or nightmares and sleepwalking.
Surprisingly, insomnia is the most common psychologicalhealth problem - it has been estimated that 15-30% of
the adult population suffers from insomnia, with twice as
many women as men suffering. Insomnia becomes morecommon as we get older, but it affects a range of ages.
Most of us experience problems with sleep at somepoint in our lives, generally when under stress, but you
should consider seeking help for what we call chronic
insomnia. This is when your problems with sleep havelasted for more than one month or if you cannot get agood night’s sleep without sleeping pills.
Insomnia is often associated with other psychologicaldisorders such as depression, generalised anxiety
disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. People mayunderplay the importance of insomnia by regarding it asjust a symptoms of another issue, when in fact it may
require treatment in its own right.

Impact of Insomnia
Although insomnia is common, it is certainly not a minor
issue. Ongoing sleep problems can impact on yourfunctioning during the daytime as well as night. People
who do not sleep well may experience: Low mood or easily irritable Poor memory & concentration
 Trouble staying alert
 Worry about not sleeping Poor work performance Conflict in relationships
 Less quality of life

If you are experiencing some of these consequences ofpoor sleep, then you may need to seek help.

There may be one set of factors associated with the initialcauses of insomnia, and quite another that keeps insomnia
going and makes into a chronic problem.

The Vicious Cycle of Insomnia
People can become stuck in a vicious cycle of insomnia,
developing habits or beliefs which help keep the sleep
problems going beyond the original cause. For example:
Initial poor sleep due to stress, pain, or other reason

Continued poor sleep
Habits intended
to improve sleep
which in fact makethings worse e.g.
napping, lots oftime spent in bed
trying to sleep,
bedtime routinesor surroundings
associated withsleeplessness.

Negative thoughts such as
I will not be able to cope if I
don’t have 8 hours sleep anight or If I don’t sleep wellI will surely feel terrible
tomorrow and perform
badly at work
Anxiety and worry
about not being able
to sleep, apprehension,muscle tension

Further sleeplessness

Management of Insomnia
There are many medications which are used to treat
insomnia, yet these are usually only effective in the shortterm. For long-term management of sleep problems, you
may need to consider strategies such as sleep hygiene,
cognitive therapy, and reducing your stress levels.

This document is for information purposes only. Please refer to the full disclaimer and copyright statement available at
http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au regarding the information from this website before making use of such information.

See website www.cci.health.wa.gov.au for more handouts and resources.

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