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Insomnia is
defined as a difficulty falling asleep, staying
asleep, or a disturbance in sleep
patterns that results in
inadequate amounts, or quality of
sleep. Insomnia can be
categorized into to two broad
groups, including; sleep
onset insomnia (also called
Initial Insomnia) and sleep
maintenance insomnia (also
called early morning insomnia).
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The most common
causes of sleep
onset insomnia are:
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anxiety
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depression
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pain
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stimulant drugs
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respiratory
problems
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poor sleep
hygiene
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alcohol use
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withdrawal from
hypnotic medications.
Sleep maintenance
insomnia, or early
morning waking, is often due to factors, such as:
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aging
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poor glycemic control
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depression
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self-reproach.
Other chronic
conditions can contribute to
insomnia and may be to blame.
Among the most popular of these
concomitant conditions are
Restless Legs Syndrome, and Sleep
Apnea.
It is
estimated that 10% of the population
experiences chronic insomnia, with as
many as 50% having significant
episodes of insomnia at some point
in their lives. [1]
Generally, insomnia
manifests in two main forms:
sleep onset insomnia where
patents have difficulty falling
asleep, and sleep maintenance
insomnia where patients can
usually fall asleep but then wake up
in the early morning hours and are
unable to return to sleep. Signs of
depression, anxiety, and drug use
may be present in both forms.
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Insomnia |
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