Insomnia is difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep. The main problems resulting from this sleep disorder are daytime sleepiness, poor concentration and inability to feel active during the day.
Insomnia has gone from being considered a symptom of some psychopathologies to being considered a disease in itself. This pathology affects at least 15% of the Spanish population, is the cause of 30% of work absenteeism and is responsible for 10% of traffic, work and domestic accidents.
In recent years, child and adolescent insomnia has acquired greater relevance. Moreover, it is known that behind every child with insomnia there is at least one parent with the same problem.
Treatments
It is very important to take a multidisciplinary approach and see specialists early, instead of covering up the symptoms with drugs, since, in addition to a decrease in the quality of life, insomnia favors the appearance of other disorders, such as anxiety or depression.
A very effective treatment is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and, in some cases, supportive medical treatment. CBT aims to inform, educate and redirect the patient towards favorable habits for good sleep hygiene.
Types
There are different classifications, according to the duration of the disorder, its severity or its form of presentation.
By duration it can be:
1. transient or acute: insomnia lasts less than 4 weeks.
2. Short-term or subacute: sleep problems last between 4 and 3-6 months.
3. Long-term or chronic: the problem extends beyond 3-6 months.
By severity we find:
1. Mild or mild: occurs several nights a week and leads to a slight deterioration in the quality of life.
Moderate: occurs every night of the week and certain signs of deterioration of the quality of life begin to appear, the person is irritable, shows anxiety or fatigue.
3. Severe: the problems occur every night and the symptoms are suffered with more intensity, so the quality of life is greatly affected.
Depending on the form of presentation, insomnia can be:
1. Initial or conciliation: the problem occurs at the time of falling asleep.
2. Medium or sleep maintenance: it occurs when the patient cannot sleep all night in a row and wakes up several times during the night and it is difficult for him/her to fall asleep again.
3. Terminal, end of sleep or early awakening: patients who suffer from it wake up too early and are unable to get back to sleep.
It is of vital importance to ask for help to remedy insomnia, as it is the first step to overcome it. Our mind and body need to recover and take the necessary strength for the day to day.