What is insomnia?
Insomnia is defined as having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, waking up many times at night or earlier than planned. Insomnia is a common problem that can be brief or long-lasting.
Brief, occasional Insomnia can be a normal and understandable response to situations, e.g., can’t sleep after hearing some exciting news, can’t sleep because an important job interview/work meeting is coming up.
However, if the insomnia is becoming persistent (e.g., >3 months) and seems to be taking on a life of its own, then we need to do something about it. In this case, it results in poor-quality sleep and a lack of feeling refreshed in the morning, which affects productivity and may increase distress.
Insomnia can lead to:
- Feelings of exhaustion
- Low motivation
- Difficulty concentrating
- Poor judgment
- Poor problem-solving ability
- Irritability
- Moodiness