💊Daily Pill: What Actually is Insomnia?
Causes, Consequences, and Solutions
The Daily Pill is a series of very short daily posts where I share the definition of a medical term I think we should all know. Read it every morning and build up your medical vocabulary.
🧬 Insomnia
Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early and not being able to go back to sleep. For an official diagnosis, the symptoms must occur at least three times per week and persist for at least three months, causing significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
Insomnia can be classified as either primary, where it occurs independently, or secondary, where it is associated with another condition such as depression, anxiety, or chronic pain..
🤔Why you need to know:
Because it can severely impact your health and quality of life. Chronic insomnia can lead to increased risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. Additionally, it can impair cognitive function, reduce productivity, and negatively affect mood.
Management strategies include maintaining good sleep hygiene, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), and in some cases, medication. Addressing lifestyle factors, such as reducing caffeine and alcohol intake and establishing a regular sleep schedule, can also help improve sleep quality.
🧠Trivia:
Some of the world's most famous historical figures, including Leonardo da Vinci and Nikola Tesla, reportedly struggled with insomnia
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