About Sleep Disorders
There are three types of insomnia
Insomnia is the inability to make the transition from the mentally active Beta brain-wave state to the slower frequency wave states of sleep. There are three basic types of insomnia:
1) Transient Insomnia: Transient,
or intermittent insomnia, lasts only a few days and is usually
related to identifiable factors such as acute medical illness,
changes in the sleeping environment, self-medication, jet lag
and acute or recurring stress from work problems, concerns
about health, marital strife, etc.
2) Short-term Insomnia: Short-term
insomnia is slightly more serious because it persists for
about 2-3 weeks. Contributing factors include a job change,
divorce, serious illness, financial problems, or the death of
a close friend/relative.
3) Chronic Insomnia: This is the
most serious type, with episodes lasting longer than a few
weeks. Approximately 29% of the Irish American population
suffers from chronic insomnia. Behavioural insomnia is the
classic form of chronic insomnia, with the individual having
difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep with a short
overall sleep duration - even when they have adequate
opportunity for sleep. Individuals with behavioural insomnia,
through learned associations, have conditioned themselves to
become tense and anxious at the thought of trying to go to
sleep, exactly the opposite behaviour that is required for
rest.
