Insomnia

Symptoms

Each person experiences insomnia differently. People with insomnia may:

• Have trouble falling asleep. This can mean lying in bed for up to an hour or more, tossing and turning, waiting to fall asleep.
• Wake up and have trouble falling back to sleep.
• Wake up too early in the morning.
• Feel tired when they wake up, like they didn't get enough sleep.
• Feel grouchy, sleepy, or anxious, and be unable to get things done during the daytime.

One Man's Story: “When I wake up at 2 or 3 in the morning, my mind starts processing stuff—things that I need to get done, that I forgot to do. Trying to relieve that anxiety seems to me a very worthwhile sleep prescription.”—Cort, 64 Read more about Cort and how he learned to cope with insomnia.

Quality versus quantity of sleep

The quality of their day is what makes people with insomnia different from people who generally sleep fewer hours or who have a different sleep disorder. With insomnia, you sleep so badly that you feel grouchy and perform poorly during the day. But it is possible to be a restless sleeper or to sleep less than 8 hours a night and yet get the amount of sleep you need. If you wake up refreshed with energy and are able to get things done during the day, then you are probably getting enough sleep.

Not getting enough sleep can affect your quality of life. It can lead to serious problems including injury, accidents, anxiety, and depression. Talk with your doctor if you think that you have insomnia.

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Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS	Last Updated: January 22, 2008
Medical Review:	Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine Catherine D. Serio, PhD - Behavioral Health Jan Ulfberg, MD, PhD - Sleep Disorders
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