Insomnia is rarely an isolated medical or mental illness but rather a symptom of another illness to be investigated by a person and their medical doctors. In other people, insomnia can be a result of a person's lifestyle or work schedule.
Is insomnia a mental health condition? According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, it is rare for insomnia to be an isolated medical or mental health condition. Insomnia is usually a symptom of another condition or a result of lifestyle or environmental factors, such as a work schedule or stress.
Depression and insomnia
Insomnia, or difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, is among the most common sleep disorders.
Insomnia, which means difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, is a symptom, not a diagnosis or a disease.
Insomnia is listed as a sleep-wake disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, revised text (DSM-5-TR).
Not all sleep disorders are caused by a neurologic condition. If a neurological condition is suspected to be the cause or contribute to a sleep disorder, a neurologist with specific expertise in sleep medicine will provide care.
insomniac. noun. in·som·ni·ac. in-ˈsäm-nē-ˌak. : a person who has insomnia.
It is a disorder characterized by inability to sleep or a total lack of sleep. Being the first psychosomatic disorder to be described by Johann Heinroth in 1818, insomnia clinically presents as a subjective perception of dissatisfaction with the amount and/or quality of the sleep.
Insomnia can also be caused by underlying physical conditions, including: heart conditions – such as angina or heart failure. respiratory conditions – such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma. neurological conditions – such as Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease.
In fact, research suggests that people with insomnia are 10 times as likely to suffer from clinical depression. Some people develop sleep problems first, and then go on to experience depression. In others, depression occurs before signs of sleep disorders.
Insomnia can be due to any factor, psychological or physical, that prevents you from sleeping. Anxiety and worry can prevent you from sleeping just as much as loud music or bright lights.
Sleep problems in ADHD appear to differ depending on the type of ADHD. View Source . Individuals with predominantly inattentive symptoms are more likely to have a later bedtime, while those with predominantly hyperactive-impulsive symptoms are more likely to suffer from insomnia.
Cognitive behavioral therapy, sometimes called CBT , can effectively treat long-term sleep problems like insomnia. Generally, it's the first treatment recommended.
“Insomnia may be a separate condition or it may be a symptom of depression,” Finan explains. “Your doctor needs to know as much as possible to treat the right problem.”
There is no set number of hours of sleep that qualifies someone as having insomnia because each person has different sleep needs. Generally, adults are recommended to get 7 hours of sleep each night.
Fatal familial insomnia (FFI) is a rare genetic degenerative brain disorder. It is characterized by an inability to sleep (insomnia) that may be initially mild, but progressively worsens, leading to significant physical and mental deterioration.
No matter what your age, insomnia usually is treatable. The key often lies in changes to your routine during the day and when you go to bed.
The word insomnia is recorded much earlier, in the 1600s, and comes from the Latin insom(nis), meaning “without sleep.” This is formed from the prefix in-, in this case meaning “not,” the root somn(us), meaning “sleep,” and the ending –ia, which is used in the names of diseases.
About 10% of the world's population experience insomnia that qualifies as a medical condition. It's usually not dangerous, and there are many ways — including medications and mental health options — to treat it.
Anxiety, stress, and depression are some of the most common causes of chronic insomnia. Having difficulty sleeping can also make anxiety, stress, and depression symptoms worse. Other common emotional and psychological causes include anger, worry, grief, bipolar disorder, and trauma.
If not getting enough sleep is affecting your daily activities, talk to your doctor. You may be diagnosed with insomnia if you have difficulty falling or staying asleep for at least 3 nights a week. Insomnia is considered chronic (long-term) when it occurs 3 or more nights a week and lasts for 3 months or longer.
Melatonin may improve insomnia symptoms in children with epilepsies. Patients with insomnia after stroke can be treated with benzodiazepine receptor agonists and sedating antidepressants. For patients with dementia suffering from insomnia trazodone, light therapy and physical exercise are recommended.