Insomnia, or sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder in which there is an inability to fall asleepor to stay asleep as long as desired. While the term is sometimes used to describe adisorder demonstrated by polysomnographic evidence of disturbed sleep, insomnia is often practically defined as a positive response to either of two questions: "Do you experience difficulty sleeping?" or "Do you have difficulty falling or staying asleep ?
- Insomnia is most often thought of as both a sign and a symptom that can accompany several sleep, medical, and psychiatric disorders characterized by a persistent difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep or sleep of poor quality. Insomnia is typically followed by functional impairment while awake. Insomnia can occur at any age, but it is particularly common in the elderly. Insomnia can be short term (up to three weeks) or long term (above 3–4 weeks), which can lead to memory problems, depression, irritability and an increased risk of heart disease and automobile related accidents.
Those who are having trouble sleeping sometimes turn to sleeping pills, which can help when used occasionally but may lead to dependence or addiction if used regularly for an extended period.
Insomnia can be grouped into primary and secondary, or comorbid, insomnia. Primary insomnia is a sleep disorder not attributable to a medical, psychiatric, or environmental cause. It is described as a complaint of prolonged sleep onset latency, disturbance of sleep maintenance, or the experience of non-refreshing sleep.] A complete diagnosis will differentiate between:
- insomnia as secondary to another condition
- primary insomnia co-morbid with one or more conditions
- free-standing primary insomnia.
Insomnia can be classified as transient, acute, or chronic.
1. Transient insomnia lasts for less than a week. It can be caused by another disorder, by changes in the sleep environment, by the timing of sleep, severe depression, or by stress. Its consequences – sleepiness and impaired psychomotor performance – are similar to those of sleep deprivation.
2. Acute insomnia is the inability to consistently sleep well for a period of less than a month. Insomnia is present when there is difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep or when the sleep that is obtained is non-refreshing or of poor quality. These problems occur despite adequate opportunity and circumstances for sleep and they must result in problems with daytime function.Acute insomnia is also known as short term insomnia or stress related insomnia.
3. Chronic insomnia lasts for longer than a month. It can be caused by another disorder, or it can be a primary disorder. People with high levels of stress hormones or shifts in the levels of cytokines are more likely to have chronic insomnia. Its effects can vary according to its causes. They might include muscular fatigue, hallucinations, and/or mental fatigue. Some people that live with this disorder see things as if they are happening in slow motion, wherein moving objects seem to blend together. Chronic insomnia can cause double vision.
Acupuncture treatment of insomnia to good effect, especially in the afternoon or evening efficacy of acupuncture better. Acupuncture can adjust the heart rate and respiratory rate, is conducive to calm the anxious and irritable mood, but also affect the central nervous system activity, so as to achieve sedative, and enhance the role of the cerebral cortex suppression function.
- Tam Duc Traditional Medical Clinic therapies depending on individual conditions, we properly use acupuncture and herbal medicines to weaken symtoms, stimulate the natural healing ability and maintain vital energy balance of the body.