Insomnia, the complaint of not sleeping well, is among the most frequent complaints in a primary care doctor's office. At some point in our lives, each of us will experience some degree of insomnia. When trying to determine the cause, a detailed description of the sleep disruption can be helpful. Difficulty falling asleep is called sleep-onset insomnia. Difficulty staying asleep is termed sleep maintenance insomnia.
Nonrestorative sleep is the term used to describe sleepiness despite an adequate amount of sleep.
Insomnia can be short-lived, lasting only one to two nights. This is called transient insomnia. Transient insomnia is usually due to a new life stressor or a change in our daily routine. Insomnia that lasts more than a few days but less than 1 month is called short-term insomnia. This is usually due to a bigger stressor, such as a short-term illness.