Insomnia (Symptoms)

People will be unable to carry out their daily responsibilities either because they are too tired or because they have trouble concentrating due to lack of restful sleep.

Insomnia may cause a reduced energy level, irritability, disorientation, dark circles under the eyes, posture changes and fatigue.

Patients with insomnia are evaluated by a medical history and a sleep history. The sleep history may be obtained from a sleep diary filled out by the patient or by an interview with the patient's bed partner concerning the quantity and quality of the patient's sleep. Specialized sleep studies may be recommended, but only if there is suspicion that the patient may have a primary sleep disorder such as sleep apnea or narcolepsy.

Diagnostic criteria of primary insomnia:

• The predominant complaint is difficulty falling or staying sleep, or nonrestorative sleep, for at least one month.
• The sleep disturbance (or associated daytime fatigue) causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning.
• The sleep disturbance does not occur exclusively during the course of narcolepsy, breathing-related sleep disorder, circadian rhythm sleep disorder or a parasomnia.
• The disturbance does not occur exclusively during the course of another mental disorder (such as major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, a delirium).
• The disturbance is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (such as a drug abuse, a medication) or a medical condition.