Most people only understand that insomnia is a disorder of insomnia. However, this explanation is still not quite right. Insomnia is a sleep disorder that prevents you from getting good quality sleep. Well, it turns out that insomnia also consists of several types. What are the types of insomnia? Check out the following.
The most common types of insomnia
Usually, when you experience insomnia, you find it difficult to fall asleep at night, often wake up in the middle of the night, or don’t get enough sleep. Here are some types of insomnia that you need to know:
1. Acute insomnia
Short-term insomnia or it can also be called acute insomnia is a condition when you have trouble sleeping for a short period of time. This condition usually arises as a result of a stressful situation. For example, the loss of a loved one, the verdict of a serious illness, to changes in relationships or work.
This sleep disturbance usually lasts up to three months. However, acute insomnia can subside more quickly and disappear once you can address the cause of the stress. However, when you can’t overcome the condition, acute insomnia can turn into chronic insomnia, or difficulty sleeping in the long term.
This condition can occur in children and adults. However, this type of insomnia is more common in women than men. When a woman experiences this type of insomnia, it could be because she is pregnant or going through menopause.
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2. Chronic insomnia
If there is acute insomnia, of course there is also chronic insomnia. This type of insomnia usually occurs in the long term. Well, you may experience this type of insomnia when you have trouble getting a good night’s sleep more than three days a week or it lasts more than three months.
If you have chronic insomnia, you may have had trouble sleeping for a long time. This condition certainly interferes with comfort and health. The reason, you become difficult to get enough sleep.
The causes of chronic insomnia can be varied. It could be due to stressful situations, messy sleep patterns, frequent nightmares, mental disorders, and various diseases and health problems related to the brain and nerves. Not only that, the use of drugs and other sleep disorders can also be the cause.
3. Sleep onset insomnia
This type of insomnia is usually characterized by symptoms of difficulty falling asleep, even though you are sleepy and trying to sleep. Usually, people who experience this condition cannot sleep even though they have been in bed for 20-30 minutes. Even if you close your eyes and are ready to sleep, you still find it difficult to fall asleep.
As a result, you continue to lie awake for hours, staring at the dark ceiling of the house. No wonder this condition can cut sleep time and cause you to feel tired and sleepy the next day. Not only that, this condition also triggers you to often wake up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep.
This type of insomnia can occur because of a medical condition or mental health problem that you are experiencing. For example, severe stress, anxiety disorders, to depression.
4. Insomnia in children
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, there are two types of insomnia that often occur in children. The first type is sleep-onset insomnia, which is trouble sleeping because the child is accustomed to sleeping in a cradle, given a pacifier, or in the bed of his parents. This means, without these things, the child will not be able to sleep. According to Howcast how to treat insomnia in children
In addition, when children do not have fixed hours of sleep, the risk of experiencing insomnia also increases. Usually, new children will sleep if their parents or caregivers force them to be more susceptible to this condition. Meanwhile, children who are used to sleeping at certain times rarely experience it.
Therefore, make it a habit for children to have definite hours of sleep. This means that children need to sleep at certain times and wake up at certain times. That way, children can avoid this type of insomnia.
5. Insomnia due to certain drugs or chemicals
This type of insomnia occurs due to the intake of stimulants from the consumption of certain drugs: caffeine, alcohol, and certain foods. For example, spicy foods can make your stomach and body feel hot to the point of having trouble sleeping. One way to stop this type of insomnia is to stop using it.
This means that you need to reduce or completely avoid substances that cause sleeplessness. For example, you may find it difficult to sleep because you are used to drinking alcohol. Well, this might be a good time to stop consuming it.
This also applies to other substances that can cause you to have sleep disorders on this one. Better stop to get a good night’s sleep. Not only that, by stopping the use of these substances, you also maintain a healthy body as a whole.
6. Insomnia due to medical conditions
There is also a type of insomnia that occurs due to a medical condition, such as a mental disorder. Apparently, mental health problems such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, to ADHD can also cause sleep problems.
The severity of this type of insomnia is directly related to how severe the mental health condition or disorder is. However, the treatment of these two interrelated conditions will be separated, especially if your insomnia level is severe.
This means that you may need to take special medication for insomnia while you are on medication for a mental health disorder. Therefore, it is important to tell your doctor about the drugs you are currently taking to avoid drug interactions and other unwanted things.
7. Mixed insomnia ( mixed insomnia )
Although this type of insomnia is not a formal term, this condition describes a mixed type of insomnia that occurs due to a combination of sleep onset disorders, unable to maintain sleep quality, and frequent awakenings in the morning.
Well, the general explanation of insomnia is actually not much different from this type of insomnia. This condition can also occur in people who have other sleep disorders.
Meanwhile, the symptoms of this type of insomnia often change over time. As a result, you may be confused about whether you have this type of insomnia or another.