I'm Doctor Nancy Fishback, a sleep disorders specialist with the Sleep Disorders Center, a joint program of Eastern Virginia Medical School and Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.
Insomnia is difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep.
It may result in daytime sleepiness, fatigue or mood changes. All of us have an occasional sleepless night and it is normal for adults to awaken briefly several times at night. It becomes a problem when every night is not restful and the bed becomes enemy territory. In many cases, difficulty falling asleep is the result of bad habits and learned behavior. Traumatic events such as the death of a loved one, surgery or divorce may result in poor sleep.