Nick Mutt asked:


Insomnia or sleeplessness is the difficulty experienced in falling asleep. There are several reasons that may cause this condition. Knowing the different type of insomnia will help you to better understand the responsible factors.

Types of Insomnia

1. Sleep Onset Insomnia – It is also called delayed sleep phase syndrome. In this case, the patient feels sleeplessness because he delays the major sleep episode and this delay causes sleeplessness and difficulty in getting up at the desired time.

2. Psycho-Physiological Insomnia – It is caused due to anxiety or psychological problem which creates physical symptoms and prevents sleep.

3. Childhood Insomnia – This type of insomnia is further divided into two types – limit- setting sleep disorder and sleep-onset association disorder.

4. Altitude Insomnia – This type of insomnia is an acute version of insomnia, short-lived but intense, accompanied by symptoms of headache, fatigue, and loss of appetite, all occurring when you move to high altitudes.

5. Stimulant-Dependent Sleep Disorder – This type of insomnia is caused by using drugs that stimulate the nervous system. The person becomes addicted to their use and fails to get sleep when abstinence from the drug is practiced.

6. Food Allergy Insomnia – This type of insomnia results as an allergic response to certain foods.

7. Idiopathic Insomnia – In this type of insomnia the nervous system becomes incapable of controlling the sleeping and waking mechanism of the body. The result is a lifelong failure to get proper sleep. It usually starts in early childhood.

8. Toxin-Induced Sleep Disorder – This type of insomnia is caused by the presence of certain environmental factors in the surrounding e.g. noise, smell, smoke etc.

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

Copyright © Nick Mutt, All Rights Reserved. If you want to use this article on your website or in your ezine, make all the urls (links) active.

Here is an excellent Anti stress herbal supplement that will give you stress free life you were longing for. Also read Home remedies for insomnia at Natural cures website – a health guide to make you and your family fit and healthy.

Cindy Heller asked:


Insomnia or sleeplessness as it is commonly known is a little understood affliction. In fact, you will find that sleep disorder is both a symptom and a malady by itself – and hence, its diagnosis is a bit troublesome. There have been so many myths and fables connecting to insomnia. If you are suffering from this condition, it is really very important to get the right information on insomnia to understand and treat your condition well. If you have been suffering from lack of sleep and do not have any idea what to do about your situation, it would be a good idea to seek information on sleep disorder from reliable sources such medical journals, your doctor or from websites of reputable organizations.

When you consult your doctor about your sleeping problems, you should ask him or her to discuss the different aspects of this disorder. When discussing information on insomnia with your doctor, you should also ask about the different options of treating the disorder. Note that natural treatments are generally preferred over the sleeping drugs available in the market. The natural treatments do not have the unwanted side effects like those of the pharmaceutical drugs. The natural treatment process is cost effective too. Another way of getting reliable information on sleep disorder is to go online and browse through some websites. When you do this, make sure that you only use websites of organizations that are authoritative on the topic.

Insomnia or lack of sleep can be of two types, i.e. (i) transient and (ii) intermittent. The former is when one experiences sleeplessness for a period of maximum 2-3 weeks; while the intermittent insomnia is when this gets repeated every now and then. This will mostly be a projection of an underlying problem, such as anxiety, depression, drug abuse, etc.

Childhood Insomnia

Sleep disorder is something that affects the old and young alike. Studies have shown that childhood insomnia has continuously risen all over the United States in the past few years. Experts attribute the increase in cases of childhood sleep disorder to many factors at home, school and the neighborhood. If you have a child who is struggling with childhood insomnia, you should try to help your child get some sleep. The first thing that you need to do to help your child get some sleep is to find out what is keeping him or her awake at night. If your child could not sleep because of some unfounded fear, you should try to be patient with him.

Children have very rich imaginations and the things which you think are so unreasonable and unreal, could be very real for them. Never for one moment belittle your child’s fear. One of the best ways to put a child to sleep is to read them some gentle and soothing bedtime stories. The soothing sound of your voice actually helps cure childhood insomnia. The human body responds well to schedules and rhythm. To help your child overcome childhood insomnia, you should set a specific time for your child to go to bed.

Hyper Insomnia

Generally speaking, there are two major types of insomnia, i.e. acute sleep disorder and chronic insomnia or hyper insomnia. You will know that you are suffering from acute insomnia when you cannot sleep because of some apparent reason like noise, bright light, too much of heat or cold, incoming illness, recovering from illness, uncomfortable bed, and so on. The other causes of acute sleep disorder are erratic sleeping schedules, i.e. working on night shifts, working late night, watching TV which interferes with the body’s normal biological clock. Normally, removing the irritants and minor home remedies would be sufficient to cure this type of insomnia.

The hyper insomnia or chronic insomnia is quite difficult to manage or cure. This is usually the result of a serious underlying problem, or a disease by itself triggered by some anxiety or serious health problem (which could be neurological, medical and/or psychiatric). Most of the times, the hyper insomnia would be connected with some psychiatric problem or other and hence would require long and careful tests for proper diagnosis. Reports show that hyper insomnia accounts for more than 45 percent of the cases.

The other major cause for hyper insomnia is drug abuse, not necessarily narcotics. There are many drugs some as innocent as decongestants and antidepressants that can cause long term insomnia. The other culprits could be coffee (and any caffeine consisting drinks), steroids (prescribed by the doctor), beta blockers, and even sleeping pills (withdrawal symptoms when they are discontinued). It is best to take medical advice and treatment for hyper insomnia.

Chronic Insomnia

Chronic sleep disorder is a complicated condition in which the patient has difficulty in sleeping or getting refreshing sleep for more than a month. Depression is a major cause of chronic insomnia. Other causes include diseases like arthritis, heart problems, kidney problems, respiratory diseases, Parkinson’s disease, hyperthyroidism, sleep apnea, and several other conditions. Constant experience of mental stress and excessive use of stimulants like caffeine (coffee, tea etc.) are also responsible for causing chronic insomnia.

Treatment of chronic sleep disorder consists of diagnosing and eliminating the underlying medical/psychological disorders. Stopping or minimizing behaviors that aggravate sleep disorder are also part of the treatment plans. Sleeping pills may be prescribed by the physician for temporary use but they are not allowed for long-term use. Different behavioral techniques are employed to treat chronic insomnia. These include techniques like relaxation therapy, sleep restriction therapy, reconditioning, and using bright light.

Cindy Heller asked:


In broad terms, insomnia refers to difficulty experienced in falling asleep or maintaining restoring/refreshing sleep. It is a topic of great debate whether insomnia is a symptom or disorder. Whether disorder or symptom, different kinds of insomnia have been recognized and are described here.

Kinds of Insomnia

Sleep Onset Insomnia is also called Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome because the patient delays the major sleep episode and this delay causes sleeplessness and difficulty in getting up at the desired time. Psycho-Physiological Insomnia is caused due to anxiety or psychological problem which creates physical symptoms and prevents sleep. In Idiopathic type of insomnia, the nervous system becomes incapable of controlling the sleeping and waking mechanism of the body. The result is a lifelong failure to get proper sleep. It usually starts in early childhood.

Childhood insomnia in children is of two types- Limit- Setting Sleep Disorder and Sleep-Onset Association Disorder. Altitude Insomnia is an acute version of insomnia, short-lived but intense, accompanied by symptoms of headache, fatigue, and loss of appetite, all occurring when you move to high altitudes. Insomnia that results as an allergic response to certain foods is called Food Allergy Insomnia. Toxin-Induced Sleep Disorder is insomnia caused due to poisoning with toxins like heavy metals or certain organic compounds. Environmental Insomnia is sleep difficulty caused by the presence of certain environmental factors in the surrounding e.g. noise, smell, smoke etc. Stimulant-Dependent Sleep Disorder is insomnia resulting from using substances (drugs for example) that stimulate the nervous system. The person becomes addicted to their use and fails to get sleep when abstinence from the drug is practiced.

Alcohol and Insomnia

Many people believe that alcohol and insomnia are not related since alcohol actually puts a person to sleep when it is consumed in excess. Yes, it is true that initially a person who consumes large amounts of alcoholic drinks would fall asleep or pass out as it is popularly known. However, if such binges are happening often enough, the effect will be drastically reversed and the person is bound to have a very fitful sleep. People who suffer from diseases such as blood pressure, indigestion and gastric or kidney or heart problems, and the like are prone to develop insomnia if alcohol is introduced in the diet on a regular basis. It would be good to stay away from alcoholic beverages at least 3-4 hours before bedtime

Anxiety and Insomnia

Anxiety and insomnia have been found as causally related in people who remain excessively worried about some problem or coming event. While sleeplessness on account of mild anxiety for a couple of nights is normal in many cases, prolonged sleeplessness accompanied by constant worrying is clearly a case related to the causal relation between anxiety and insomnia. Anxiety is not a single disorder but a group of psychological disorders called Anxiety Disorders. These include generalized anxiety, panic and phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Different approaches treat anxiety and related insomnia differently. These include psychological counseling, psychotherapy, prescribed medication, nutritional treatment, herbal formulas, and alternative treatments like acupuncture.

Stress Related Insomnia

There are so many people all over the world who are so stressed out during the day that they find it almost impossible to sleep at night. If you are one of those people who have been losing sleep because of stress, you should try to find some solutions to your stress and insomnia problems. Studies show that stress and insomnia are so closely related that when one is present, the other is more likely to follow. For instance, if you have some emotional problems that have been bugging you for sometime, you will find it difficult to take your mind off of your problem. There are many prescription drugs that can help you with your stress and insomnia problem. There are many natural cures for treating stress related insomnia. Most cases of stress related insomnia can be cured by simply taking a break from your daily routine. Taking a walk in the park and breathing some fresh air can help you relax and calm your nerves.

Depression and Insomnia

Depression and insomnia seem to feed off on one another. A person becomes depressed and cannot stop worrying, living in fear, or having anxiety attacks. This does not end when the day does, and the night only continues the barrage of voices that carry over from the day. Insomnia then sets in, and the physical strain on the body weakens the mind and body further until depression sets in again. Relief comes when one identifies the source of the insomnia, whether it is clinical depression or something altogether different. Counseling may prove to be quite helpful in dealing with cases of depression and anxiety. It is important to know that options are available in the form or medications, herbs and supplements in order to help someone suffering from depression and insomnia.

Depression Anxiety Insomnia

One of the most common causes for sleeping disorders is depression and anxiety. In most cases, depression anxiety and insomnia would go hand in hand that people often find themselves dealing with two types of disorders at the same time. According to experts, depression anxiety and insomnia usually go together because the more stressed out and disturbed the person, the more he or she will find it difficult to sleep at night. There are so many people who experience depression anxiety and insomnia for a long period of time simply because they refuse to admit the real cause of their problems. If you really want to help yourself cope with depression anxiety and insomnia, learn to be honest with yourself.

Cindy Heller asked:

Insomnia or sleeplessness as it is commonly known is a little understood affliction. In fact, you will find that insomnia is both a symptom and a malady by itself – and hence, its diagnosis is a bit troublesome. There have been so many myths and fables connecting to insomnia. If you are suffering from this condition, it is really very important to get the right information on insomnia to understand and treat your condition well. If you have been suffering from lack of sleep and do not have any idea what to do about your situation, it would be a good idea to seek information on insomnia from reliable sources such medical journals, your doctor or from websites of reputable organizations.

When you consult your doctor about your sleeping problems, you should ask him or her to discuss the different aspects of this disorder. When discussing information on insomnia with your doctor, you should also ask about the different options of treating the disorder. Note that natural treatments are generally preferred over the sleeping drugs available in the market. The natural treatments do not have the unwanted side effects like those of the pharmaceutical drugs. The natural treatment process is cost effective too. Another way of getting reliable information on insomnia is to go online and browse through some websites. When you do this, make sure that you only use websites of organizations that are authoritative on the topic.

Insomnia or lack of sleep can be of two types, i.e. (i) transient and (ii) intermittent. The former is when one experiences sleeplessness for a period of maximum 2-3 weeks; while the intermittent insomnia is when this gets repeated every now and then. This will mostly be a projection of an underlying problem, such as anxiety, depression, drug abuse, etc.

Childhood Insomnia

Insomnia is something that affects the old and young alike. Studies have shown that childhood insomnia has continuously risen all over the United States in the past few years. Experts attribute the increase in cases of childhood insomnia to many factors at home, school and the neighborhood. If you have a child who is struggling with childhood insomnia, you should try to help your child get some sleep. The first thing that you need to do to help your child get some sleep is to find out what is keeping him or her awake at night. If your child could not sleep because of some unfounded fear, you should try to be patient with him.

Children have very rich imaginations and the things which you think are so unreasonable and unreal, could be very real for them. Never for one moment belittle your child’s fear. One of the best ways to put a child to sleep is to read them some gentle and soothing bedtime stories. The soothing sound of your voice actually helps cure childhood insomnia. The human body responds well to schedules and rhythm. To help your child overcome childhood insomnia, you should set a specific time for your child to go to bed.

Hyper Insomnia

Generally speaking, there are two major types of insomnia, i.e. acute insomnia and chronic insomnia or hyper insomnia. You will know that you are suffering from acute insomnia when you cannot sleep because of some apparent reason like noise, bright light, too much of heat or cold, incoming illness, recovering from illness, uncomfortable bed, and so on. The other causes of acute insomnia are erratic sleeping schedules, i.e. working on night shifts, working late night, watching TV which interferes with the body’s normal biological clock. Normally, removing the irritants and minor home remedies would be sufficient to cure this type of insomnia.

The hyper insomnia or chronic insomnia is quite difficult to manage or cure. This is usually the result of a serious underlying problem, or a disease by itself triggered by some anxiety or serious health problem (which could be neurological, medical and/or psychiatric). Most of the times, the hyper insomnia would be connected with some psychiatric problem or other and hence would require long and careful tests for proper diagnosis. Reports show that hyper insomnia accounts for more than 45 percent of the cases.

The other major cause for hyper insomnia is drug abuse, not necessarily narcotics. There are many drugs some as innocent as decongestants and antidepressants that can cause long term insomnia. The other culprits could be coffee (and any caffeine consisting drinks), steroids (prescribed by the doctor), beta blockers, and even sleeping pills (withdrawal symptoms when they are discontinued). It is best to take medical advice and treatment for hyper insomnia.

Chronic Insomnia

Chronic insomnia is a complicated condition in which the patient has difficulty in sleeping or getting refreshing sleep for more than a month. Depression is a major cause of chronic insomnia. Other causes include diseases like arthritis, heart problems, kidney problems, respiratory diseases, Parkinson’s disease, hyperthyroidism, sleep apnea, and several other conditions. Constant experience of mental stress and excessive use of stimulants like caffeine (coffee, tea etc.) are also responsible for causing chronic insomnia.

Treatment of chronic insomnia consists of diagnosing and eliminating the underlying medical/psychological disorders. Stopping or minimizing behaviors that aggravate insomnia are also part of the treatment plans. Sleeping pills may be prescribed by the physician for temporary use but they are not allowed for long-term use. Different behavioral techniques are employed to treat chronic insomnia. These include techniques like relaxation therapy, sleep restriction therapy, reconditioning, and using bright light.