Conditions InDepth: Insomnia

Insomnia is a sleep disorder. It may make it hard to fall asleep, stay asleep, or get restful sleep. It may be:

• Short-term (acute)⏤lasts a few days to a few weeks
• Long-term (chronic)⏤lasts more than 4 weeks

Insomnia may cause problems during the day, such as:

• Tiredness
• Problems focusing
• Irritability

Insomnia is not a disease. It is the symptom of an underlying mental or physical problem. There are many causes of insomnia.

Short-term insomnia is often due to temporary situations. It often happens to people who have:

• A life crisis or stress
• A change in the sleep environment, including:
• Noise
• Light, or
• Temperature
• Sleep/wake schedule problems⏤such as with jet lag or shift work
• Side effects of medicine

Long term insomnia often results from a medical condition. Examples include:

• Mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, or manic disorders
• Chronic pain, such as with arthritis
• Long term conditions such as:
• Kidney disease
• Sickle cell disease
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Asthma
• Other sleep problems such as:
• Sleep apnea
• Narcolepsy
• Nervous conditions, such as:
• Restless legs syndrome
• Parkinson's disease
• Dementia or Alzheimer disease
• Hyperthyroidism
• Pregnancy or Menopause

Long term insomnia may be caused by lifestyle or behaviors. These may include:

• Misuse of nicotine , , alcohol , or other substances
• Disrupted sleep/wake cycles⏤from shift work or other nighttime activity schedules
• Long term stress

For some people, insomnia is aggravated by 2 common responses:

• Worry about sleeping, or
• Excessive napping in the afternoon or evening

Revision Information

• Reviewer: EBSCO Medical Review Board Nicole Meregian, PA
• Update Date: 03/14/2022