Insomnia

Insomnia.



Definition: Insomnia is a symptom, not a stand-alone diagnosis or a disease. By definition, insomnia is "difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or both" and it may be due to inadequate quality or quantity of sleep. Insomnia is not defined by a specific number of hours of sleep that one gets, since individuals vary widely in their sleep needs and practices.



For the past month I can't sleep. This is such a horrible feeling. I feel exhausted all day and night and I can't "fall" asleep or maintain sleep.



My doctor gave me prescribed sleeping pills and a while ago I meant to go back to her office and ask her if she gave me placebos, because they weren't working. When I take them, sometimes they help me fall asleep better, but only for 1 hour or 2 hours. Other times, they doesn't work at all.


Right now I feel very miserable. All I want to do is sleep and I can't.


Sleep is very sacred to me now. That's the one thing I want the most.

"No wonder you have insomnia...., lying there awake all night"

So, right now, since I can't fall asleep anyways, I am researching what monster this is.

Here is what I found:

Insomnia is generally classified based on the duration of the problem. Not everyone agrees on one definition, but generally:

symptoms lasting less than one week are classified as transient insomnia,

symptoms between one to three weeks are classified as short-term insomnia, and

those longer than three weeks are classified as chronic insomnia. (Great, this is where I am!)

Statistics on Insomnia

Insomnia affects all age groups. Among adults, insomnia affects women more often than men. (That's just great!)

Stress most commonly triggers short-term or acute insomnia.

Ok, so I now I am stressed and anxious with my new teaching assignment, but this is too much.

Have you ever experienced insomnia? What did you do to cure it?

Please let me know.

thanks