by Rukmini Tilara

Created on: May 27, 2008   Last Updated: May 28, 2008

Do you feel tired,irritable and anxious? Or experience memory lapse and difficulty concentrating? You may be suffering from insomnia and a trip to your health care provider may be needed for a regular and restful sleep cycle.

Wikipedia defines insomnia as "a sleeping disorder characterized by persistent difficulty falling or staying asleep despite the opportunity." Three classifications of insomnia are

Transient or short term, recurring over a few nights
Intermittent or on-off
Chronic or persistent over more than three nights a week for months
1. Primary unrelated to any other health problems
2. Secondary caused by a medical condition

Although 50 % people complain of varying degrees of sleep deprivation during their lifetime, not many seek medical intervention, being unaware of the medical and lifestyle options available to them. It is however, quite easy to detect insomnia by identifying certain symptoms. All we need to do, is to ask a few simple questions
Is my sleep of poor quality?
Do I struggle to fall and then remain asleep?
Do I regularly sleep less than 5 hours at night, and wake up early?
Do I feel fatigued even after sleeping?

If your answer is yes', it means that your sleep is non-restorative'. It is essential to first identify the underlying cause of insomnia since it is a symptom of a medical condition, rather than a stand-alone diagnosis. Insomnia has either psychological or physical causes. Anxiety, stress and depression are the most common psychological factors. Among physiological causes, circadian rhythm disorders, sleep-wake imbalance and a variety of medical conditions like chronic pain syndromes, cardio-pulmonary disorders, breathing problems and degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's have been identified. Certain medications for high blood pressure and some over the counter cold and asthma preparations have also been associated with insomnia, as have excessive consumption of alcohol, antihistamines and stimulants like nicotine and caffeine.

Insomnia that lasts for over 4 consecutive weeks or interferes with the ability to function normally requires a visit to the doctor. Questions regarding mental and medical history are relevant. Snoring and weight gain are indicative of possible obstructive sleep apnea. A polysomnogram, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Actigraphs and a sleep diary may be used.

In the treatment of insomnia it is important to balance sedative-hypnotic medication with minor changes in lifestyle and behavior. While the former would

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