Understanding insomnia in layman terms

Definition of Insomnia

Insomnia is a medical term that generally refers to a symptom of sleeping disorders, in which the patient is having difficultly in maintaining or to sleep.

Definition of insomnia can be simplified into 3 main categories.

Unable to get to sleep. However, if sleep is attained, the patient will be having a deep sleep .

Able to get to sleep easily, but having difficulty in getting a well rest

Wakes up too early in the morning, after which, he is not able to get back to sleep

Information on Insomnia

Commonly, insomnia goes away by itself, usually lasting for a week or two. Should the sleeping disorder problem persist for at least 6 months, this is serious enough to be warranted as a chronic disease.

Having prolong period of unsatisfactory sleep is extremely unhealthy. Your mood, physical and mental health and social relationships will be affected.

In additional to chronic insomnia, usually the suffers will suffering from other diseases such as anxiety, depression or muscle aches.

Insomnia can happened when some events that has a great impact happened. Some instances will be unable to pay your housing loan or the passing of a loved one. Constant thoughts of the events increase brain activities and results in insomnia, which makes it hard for the suffer to sleep.

Or, as per definition of insomnia above, the events can even be replayed as nightmares which results in difficulty in getting a good night.

Interesting History of Insomnia

Insomnia is not a modern disease and the starting date was unknown. Many famous people have insomnia and used it to their advantage and some of them had thought of special methods to cure their sleeping disorder issues.

When Winston Churchill, Charles Dickens and Ben feel alert at night and are unable to sleep, they blame their beds for their lack of sleep.

Winston Churchill changed the bed he was sleeping on and solved his sleepless nights.

While Charles Dickens could only sleep if he was in a certain position. His bed had to face north and he would have to be exactly in the middle of his bed in order to have a blissful slumber.

For Benjamin Franklin, the bed would had to be cold enough for him to sleep. If the bed was too warm, he would get off his bed to allow air to cool it before trying to get into dreamland again.

Napoleon Bonaparte made full use of his inability to sleep to plan his invasions.

Interesting History of Insomnia source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A294031