Insomnia is an illness which has the main symptom of sleep deprivation. People who suffer from insomnia can often find themselves laying in bed for hours with their eyes closed but are unable to ’switch off’ their mind. While Insomnia is not often regarded as a real problem it affects 64 million Americans alone every year, and that is only the reported cases. The majority of people with Insomnia will never actually consult a doctor for it and tend to suffer for several weeks before their sleep patterns regain normality.
Insomnia is not just characterised by the lack of sleep however. The majority of insomnia sufferers will find their ability to function while awake severely impaired and may have trouble performing simple tasks aswell as finding themselves suffering from frequent short term memory loss.
There are three main types of insomnia, though around each one there are several grey areas. These types are Transient, Acute and Chronic.
Transient Insomnia tends to last from several days to weeks, and tends to be caused by an external problem, be it stress or a change in sleeping patterns. If this re-occurs consistently it becomes known as Intermittent Transient Insomnia. Intermittent Transient Insomnia often occurs in people who regularly travel long distances, work in alternating factory shifts or in other areas where a good sleep pattern is unable to form.
Acute Insomnia is similar to Transient Insomnia, however it lasts from 3 weeks to 6 months. Some of the side effects such as memory loss and impaired motor functions that may become apparent in lesser forms of insomnia become much more pronounced with sufferers of Acute Insomnia.
Chronic Insomnia is often characterised by the sleep deprivation lasting from several months to years. It can be a secondary or primary disorder, meaning it can be caused by an illness or could just be ‘he problem’ Sufferers of Chronic insomnia may show signs of mental and muscular fatigue, however they tend to show a high degree of alertness, something not apparent in Acute or Transient Insomnia.
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