You've been lying there in bed for almost an hour. Your mind is busy with thoughts of tomorrow, next week, last week. Elusive sleep is far from your mind.
One A.M.-
Still wide awake. You turn over, sigh. Maybe get up and have a drink of water.
Two A.M.
You're still wide awake. You sit up and pound your pillow. Flop over onto your back. Check the clock again. Sigh. Yawn. Close your eyes, determined to get to sleep. Now!!
Three A.M.
You're more awake now than when you went to bed. This is a classic case of insomnia. A lot of people suffer from insomnia from time to time. Some suffer from it several times a month. For others, it's a constant companion.
There are three distinct types of insomnia. These, however, can be broken down into countless other divisions and categories. However, if you can decide which of the three types your insomnia belongs in, it makes finding help and choosing a treatment much simpler.
- TRANSIENT INSOMNIA
Transient insomnia lasts only a night or two. It's usually caused by some outside influence - sleeping in a strange bed, perhaps in a hotel room, or worry about that big presentation you have to make in the morning. A perfect example is the problem children have getting to sleep on Christmas eve. - SHORT-TERM INSOMNIA
Short-term insomnia can last from a few days to a few weeks. Stress or poor sleep habits can bring this on. So can worry about things like health, business or relationships. Solve the problem, get rid of the stress and your sleep will be back on track. - CHRONIC INSOMNIA
Chronic insomnia can last for years. Sometimes it starts in early childhood. the resultant loss of sleep causes more health problems. This type of insomnia causes excessive daytime sleepiness, poor concentration, memory loss and irritability. Chronic insomnia is a serious problem.
