What is Insomnia?

About Insomnia:

• What is it? It is a common sleep disorder that can make it hard to fall asleep, hard to stay asleep or cause you to wake up too early and not be able to get back to sleep. 
• The condition can be short-term (acute) or can last a long time (chronic). It may also come and go.
• Acute insomnia lasts from 1 night to a few weeks. Insomnia is chronic when it happens at least 3 nights a week for 3 months or more.
• It affects women more than men and older people more than younger ones.
• Insomnia may play a role in the development of chronic diseases, such as: obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression.
• Types of Insomnia:
  • Primary insomnia: This means your sleep problems aren’t linked to any other health condition or problem.
  • Secondary insomnia: This means you have trouble sleeping because of a health condition (like asthma, depression, arthritis, cancer, or heartburn); pain; medication; or substance use (like alcohol).
• Causes:
  • Stress-related to big life events, like a job loss or change, the death of a loved one etc.
  • Things around you, like noise, light, or temperature
  • Changes to your sleep schedule like jet lag, a new shift at work, or bad habits you picked up when you had other sleep problems.

Source: Insomnia linked to risk of heart attack, especially in women: Study

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