Types of Insomnia

The varying types of insomnia are widespread, affecting up to 64 million Americans, who are all experiencing great difficulty falling asleep. Perhaps what is most worrying about chronic sleeplessness is that daily functioning of those who suffer from insomnia becomes impaired. After all, it is most difficult to maintain a strong mental focus and consistently sharp reflexes when working after sleep deprivation. Indeed, the effects of insomnia can be quite damaging to a person's quality of life - hampering education or career paths. The effects of heavy sleep loss can also yield fatal results, as it is particularly dangerous to drive without sufficient rest, for example. It is therefore imperative for those experiencing a serious sleep disorder to seek out their doctor and discuss potential drug prescriptions for treatment.

Types of Insomnia Treatable By Drug Prescriptions:

Organic/Co-Morbid Insomnia

Among the most common types of insomnia, it is believed that 8 out of 10 people who are suffering from the inability to sleep do so as a result of a pre-existing condition. In these situations, it is necessary to seek the proper drug prescriptions to treat the ailment in order to re-obtain a normal rest cycle.

The term co-morbid insomnia was coined fairly recently to describe sleep difficulty spurred by an existing medical psychiatric disorder; however, its usage has since expanded to cover all forms of chronic sleeplessness brought on by medical, psychiatric, or environmental factors, and it is now essentially interchangeable with organic insomnia.

Primary Insomnia

Conversely, there are types of insomnia that are completely isolated - with a person being unable to sleep without suffering from any underlying malady; furthermore, when sleep is attained, it seemingly has no restorative effects. If this situation persists for longer than one month, one should look into obtaining drug prescriptions from their doctor.

Transient Insomnia

One of the lesser types of insomnia, this transient form of sleep disorder will likely last fewer than four weeks. There are a few factors that can contribute to this brief bout of sleeplessness, with jet lag being among the most common. It may also occur due to stress, anger, or sudden changes made to one's sleep schedule.

Short-Term Insomnia

Similar to transient insomnia, this form of sleeplessness is comparatively fleeting, lasting only a few weeks, or even a few months at most. It is also sparked by similar causes - anger, worry, stress, grief; however, one shouldn't take this condition lightly, as it can potentially progress into a more serious, chronic form of insomnia necessitating drug prescriptions for relief.

Chronic Insomnia

Lastly, among the more common types of insomnia, a person suffering from chronic insomnia is plagued by the inability to sleep on a daily basis for months on end. Similar to organic insomnia, it is usually brought on by an underlying condition and can only be treated once proper drug prescriptions are administered.