The word insomnia can be traced back to at least the year 1623 according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary and it is derived from the Latin word insomnis, meaning sleepless. According to the National Institute of Health Studies insomnia has affected approximately 70 million people residing in America and it has also been proven to affect more women than men. When the research was calculated the results were that women are two times more likely to experience insomnia and the chance of developing insomnia is greater during menstruation, pregnancy and also at the onset of menopause. In addition insomnia has a tendency to worsen as an insomniac ages.

Insomnia is a person lacking the ability to fall a sleep or to have an adequate nights sleep; this not only means to sleep but a quality and quantity of sleep per night. Insomnia is a well recognized type of sleep disorder experienced by a large number of people. Insomnia can occur due to stress, it can also be due to timing of sleep and sleep patterns as well as an underlying medical condition. Insomnia can be a long term disorder or short in nature depending on the cause of the condition.

Sleeping pills maybe effectual for a short duration of insomnia, however it will not be effective for the patient who suffers the sleep disorder of insomnia for an extended amount of time.

Insomnia happens to most people at one time or another although in most it is of a short duration and for the others it can be categorized as a chronic problem or labeled a disorder. The important thing while suffering from insomnia is to seek out the actual cause for the loss of sleep or insomnia and also to be diagnosed for which of the different types of insomnia the person is experiencing in order to proceed with the proper type of treatment.

The symptoms of insomnia can include:

• Inability to fall asleep even when tired
• Inability to stay asleep
• Waking repeatedly during sleeping hours
• Waking early before the body has had enough hours of sleep
• Feeling of being tired even after having slept for 8 hours
• Lack of energy during waking hours
• Difficulty in thinking clearly
• Inability to remain focused in one particular thing
• Irritability
• Feeling of fatigue or drowsiness during day time hours
• Frequent consumption of sleeping pills or aids in order to fall into a sleep

There are different types of insomnia, there is a sensitive or sporadic insomnia that is of a short duration and will appear and disappear. The other main type of insomnia is referred to as chronic insomnia, this is a long term insomnia and is also one that takes time for the correct treatment to work reliving the patient of the inability to sleep.

Insomnia often occurs on and off in some patients due to their lifestyle, changes in habit, pressure or stress, medications and poor sleep habits. It can also be caused due to depression or a depressive disorder.