Sometimes, even people with healthy sleep habits have specific sleep problems.
You have probably heard the word "insomnia" before. Insomnia is Latin and means "no sleep". It is the most common sleep complaint in teens and adults.
A person has symptoms of insomnia if they:
- find it difficult to fall asleep
- cannot stay asleep
- wake up too early and cannot get back to sleep
- don’t feel well rested in the morning
- feel that poor sleep is causing problems during the day
Almost everyone experiences insomnia now and then. For example, maybe you’ve had problems falling asleep before an important exam or when you are in the hospital.
Insomnia can sometimes just be a short-term problem that is related to a specific stressful or disruptive event in your life (like being in the hospital). But it can also be a chronic (longer-term) problem that continues over many nights.
What can cause insomnia?
- Insomnia can have a few causes. A person with pain may start experiencing it because their pain makes it hard to get comfortable enough to fall asleep or stay asleep.
- A person may also have insomnia because of poor sleep habits such as spending too much time in bed, napping during the day or not having a regular bedtime and wake time. This can make it harder for them to feel tired enough to fall asleep or sleep through the night.
- A person may also have insomnia because of negative thoughts about sleep, such as, "I will never be able to fall asleep tonight". These thoughts can keep them from being able to settle to sleep easily.
For more information about insomnia and approaches that can help with it, please see the optional Insomnia module. The relaxation methods you learned in the Relaxation module can also be helpful.
