Psychology
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Insomnia
Also known as Sleeplessness, Chronic insomnia, Neend na aana
Regular difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or waking too early, leaving you tired during the day. When it lasts three months or more it is called long-term insomnia.
In Psychology
Everyone has a bad night. Insomnia is when poor sleep happens regularly and affects how you feel and function during the day. Short-term insomnia often follows stress, illness, heat or disturbed nights; lasting three months or longer, it is long-term.
Common features
- Lying awake for a long time before falling asleep
- Waking in the night or too early and not getting back to sleep
- Feeling unrefreshed, irritable or unable to concentrate
- Worry about sleep itself, which keeps the problem going
The first-line treatment for long-term insomnia is , alongside good . Sleeping pills are for a few days or weeks at most, because many are habit-forming. The full article is insomnia.
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Insomnia: causes, CBT-I and when sleeping pills help
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Related terms
- CBT for insomniaCBT-I, Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomniaA short, structured therapy that retrains sleep habits and unhelpful thoughts about sleep. It is the recommended first treatment for long-term insomnia, ahead of sleeping pills.
- Sleep hygieneSleep habits, Good sleep habitsEveryday habits and bedroom conditions that support good sleep, such as regular times and less caffeine. Useful for everyone, but on its own it does not cure chronic insomnia.
- Anxiety disorderAnxiety disorders, AnxietyWorry or fear that is stronger than the situation calls for, lasts for weeks or months, and gets in the way of daily life. Anxiety disorders are common and treatable.
- DepressionClinical depression, Major depressive disorderA medical condition in which low mood or loss of interest lasts most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks, and affects sleep, energy and daily life.
- BenzodiazepineBenzos, BenzodiazepinesSedative medicines — such as alprazolam (Xanax), bromazepam (Lexotanil), clonazepam and diazepam — that quickly calm anxiety and aid sleep but are habit-forming. For short-term use only, under a doctor.