Insomnia is a very common complaint in developed societies. As people work harder and stay connected 24X7 it becomes more difficult to turn off all the noise and get some sleep. Almost ten percent of adults suffer from insomnia on a chronic basis and it is responsible for billions in lost productivity, as well as serious and even fatal accidents.
TreatmentOnce diagnosed, insomnia is a very treatable condition. When
insomnia is caused by other problems like stress or pain, treatment of these
causes will help. However, if the insomnia is the primary problem, then
standard treatments include sleep hygiene education, cognitive behavioral
therapy (CBT), phototherapy, chronotherapy and/or medication.
Learn more about insomnia treatment 
There are a number of medications available for
treating primary insomnia. These range from prescription medications like
Ambien to over the counter sleeping aids like Tylenol PM. There are also
medications that can address underlying causes of insomnia, like
benzodiazepines for treating anxiety. In most cases though, it is preferable to
treat insomnia through good sleep hygiene when possible
Learn more about medications for insomnia
Track your insomnia symptoms to identify patterns and help with your treatment plan. Our progress tracker can be printed or even shared with your healthcare professional electronically.
Progress tracking for insomnia
News & ResearchSeveral easy to follow tips from the “guru” Dr. Weil about how to get to sleep and stay asleep. Focus on environmental factors that we can all easily control and follow. It includes his tips on good sleep hygiene as well as some herbal remedies.
You need deep sleep, referred to as Slow Wave Sleep where no dreaming takes place, to feel rested and refreshed in the morning ( not to be confused with the dreaming state of sleep referred to as REM sleep ). Lack of deep sleep will create a number of side effects from fatigue to high blood pressure.
New devices that can help monitor activity, sleep, diet; could make us more productive.
DiagnosisInsomnia can be either secondary, a symptom of another disorder such as depression, or be a primary condition. As a primary condition, it is often classified based on how long it lasts, acute or chronic insomnia. A common form of short-term insomnia is jet lag, which occurs after travelling across time zones.
Typical symptoms of insomnia are:
Insomnia can also result in:
Doctor Discussion GuideTalking to your doctor or mental health professional about insomnia can be difficult. Knowing what questions to ask can help. Our Doctor Discussion Guide includes a list of questions you may want to ask. You can even add questions of your own and then print out the list.
Doctor Discussion Guide
