Topic: Sleeping AidsWhat is Insomnia
The lay public thinks of insomnia as a total inability to sleep, perhaps for months at a time.
Investigators have attempted to clarify the parameters of insomnia to facilitate its diagnosis.
In one study, investigators reviewed psychology trials extending back for two decades to
establish defensible criteria for insomnia. They concluded that insomnia is best defined
as the inability to sleep for 30 or more minutes after attempting to do so (known as the
"sleep latency" interval), occurring on three or more nights per week, and lasting for six
or more months.
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Stress and Insomnia
Stress is presumed to be a major contributor to insomnia.
The traditional methods of measuring stress
categorize life events in terms of the degree of stress they are thought to induce. In this paradigm,
minor stressors may include marital strife, upcoming examinations, problems with one's children,
and recoverable illnesses (eg, recent knee surgery). Major stressors are listed as acute life events,
including the death of one's parents, children, or spouse; diagnosis with a fatal illness; and an upcoming,
bitterly contested divorce. Finally, this paradigm describes insomnia as either short term or long
term based on the quality of stress that induces it.
The natural result of lack of sleep is residual sleepiness the following day. Perhaps as a result,
those with insomnia compared to people who sleep well experience increased functional impairment,
a greater number of disability-related missed work days, and increased use of medical services.
Insomnia patients also report a poorer quality of life and are more likely
suffer from mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety.
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