What is Your Definition of Insomnia?

There are many definitions of insomnia; some people say they are suffering from insomnia if they have trouble falling asleep for a night or two, while some people’s definition of insomnia is waking up too early. There are four basic types of insomnia, and each type is someone’s definition of insomnia.

Difficulty Falling Asleep

Difficulty falling asleep is one definition of insomnia. Some people fall asleep quickly, and some take more time. However, know that it is not how long it takes you to fall asleep that is truly important; but rather it is how much trouble you have doing so.

If you usually fall asleep within minutes, and one night in particular for instance you find yourself ruminating about something a half hour after going to bed, then you may be experiencing insomnia. Someone else might normally take a half hour or more to fall asleep, so that would not be insomnia to him or her.

Waking up Frequently

Another definition of insomnia is in regards to the matter of waking up frequently and then having trouble getting back to sleep. Frequently is the key word to this definition. You might wake up at midnight, and it seems to take forever to get back to sleep, but you do, only to wake up at 2:00 am, and 3:30, and so on. (Parents of infants are especially susceptible to this definition of insomnia.)

Waking up too Early

For some, waking up too early is the definition of insomnia; these are the people who tend to only wake up once, and not frequently. However once they are awake, they usually are unable to go back to sleep. It is sort of like the “on” switch has been thrown in their brains, and their brains are done sleeping. Even if those brains refuse to work well the next day.

Having a Restless Sleep

Some people fall asleep just fine and sleep through the night until the alarm wakes them up, and still feel like they haven’t slept. For them, the definition of insomnia might be the having of a restless sleep. Various medications, health conditions, stress, depression and other conditions can interfere with the type of sleep we get. When we don’t get enough deep sleep, we don’t rest well, and the hours of sleep don’t rejuvenate us.

Whatever definition of insomnia fits you, it is truly important to take care of yourself and find ways to get enough restful sleep. Healthy lifestyle habits, like a nourishing diet and regular exercise, contribute to good sleep. For those occasional sleepless nights, home remedies like warm milk may help.

If insomnia is a chronic or serious problem, and it is interfering with your life, you might want to see a doctor to rule out any health problems that could be causing your insomnia. There are also natural remedies and prescription medications that can help you get enough refreshing sleep.

Remember that no matter what your definition of insomnia is, there are ways to help you get a good night sleep.