When one is having problems in falling asleep and/or staying asleep (waking up after a few hours of sleep to a point it affects their daytime performance – short term).
Insomnia can be indicated if an individual reports two or more of the following:
- Taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep
- Difficulty in maintaining sleep — waking up for more than 30 minutes during the night and having a sleep efficiency (ratio of time asleep to time spent in bed) of less than 85 per cent
- Having sleep disturbed more than three nights a week
- Significant impairment of daytime functioning (eg, fatigue, mood disturbances) due to lack of sleep
The duration of insomnia is the most important guide to treatment. Currently, insomnia is classified into three types — transient, short-term and chronic:
- Transient insomnia lasts two or three days and is typically due to extraneous factors (eg, jet lag, shift work, noise) – treatable with OTC medication
- Short-term insomnia lasts up to three weeks and is typically due to emotional trauma or physical illness- treatable with OTC medication
- Chronic insomnia can be defined as insomnia on most nights, for three weeks or more (common causes are psychiatric disorders, or drug or alcohol misuse)
The Pharmaceutical Journal, PJ, February 2005;()::DOI:10.1211/PJ.2021.1.81445
Insomnia itself is not dangerous but if not treated over a period of time, it may impair one’s intellectual performance, manoeuvre control, hormone balance and metabolism which can lead to serious mental problems
The amount of sleep one needs varies with age:
| Age |
Sleep in hours required |
| Young baby |
Up to 18 hours |
| Toddler |
13-15 hours |
| Teenager |
Up to 9 hours |
| Adult |
5-10 hours (average 7-8 hours) |
| Older persons |
Sleep lighter and less hours |
Cause
- Physical (eg, cardiovascular disease, apnoea, asthma, tinnitus, pain, restless legs syndrome, nocturia, perimenopausal hot flushes)
- Physiological (eg, late heavy meals that are high in fat or protein or both, late night exercise, noise, shift work)
- Too hot environment and/or too cold environment
- Psychological (eg, stress, tension, grief, abnormal concern about sleeping)
- Psychiatric (eg, anxiety, depression, mania, dementia)
- Pharmacological (eg, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, medicines)
Lack of sleep can increase the risk of:
- Obesity
- Type 2 diabetes
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Making an existing pain condition worst
- Ulcers in stomach
- Depression
- Low mood
- Relationship problems
- Energy deficiency
- Tiredness
- Reduce lifespan
