In simple words, Insomnia is inability to get proper sleep or sleeplessness. It is not necessary that having Insomnia means you will not get the sleep at all.

Classification of Insomnia:

Based on the symptoms you can classify the insomnia in following categories

Some people fall asleep very late in the night. Though they go to bed early, they do not sleep fast and have to spend more than half of the night turning and tossing in the bed. Even they may not be able to get asleep again after interruptions.

Others may fall asleep immediately after going to bed but their sleep may be for shorter period. In many of such cases they feel it difficult to fall asleep again after interruption.

Insomnia is nothing but the inability of your brain and mind to acquire relaxation required for falling asleep. Insomnia is not a disease but a symptom of sleep disorders. Insomnia may be caused to other problems apart from basic cause of brain and body relaxation, like excessive intake of toxicants like caffeine, fear, medications, anxiety and stress or mental tension. Excessive physical work or pain may also cause Insomnia or sleep disorders. It is very important to know the exact cause of Insomnia to treat it.

Types of Insomnia:

Based on the duration of symptoms, Insomnia can be classified in three different types. The three main types of insomnia are transient Insomnia, short term insomnia and chronic insomnia.

Transient Insomnia: In this type of insomnia the symptoms remain for single day or few weeks. This is commonly found type of insomnia. Nearly every person suffers from this type of insomnia.

Frequent recurrence of this transient insomnia is called as intermittent type of insomnia.

Acute insomnia: If you have sleep disorders for more that three weeks up-to six months this stage is called as acute insomnia. You face difficulty in falling asleep for longer periods in this type of insomnia.

Chronic Insomnia: It is the most serious type of insomnia. In this type of insomnia you do not get sleeps for months together. The sleeplessness continues for longer periods.

Common causes of Insomnia

You may get insomnia owing to various causes like medication, fear, mental stress, anxiety.

Insomnia is treated according to its symptoms. Sleeping medicines or sedatives are considered to be very useful in treatment of insomnia. As these sleeping aids or sedatives your mind and body you may get required sleep. There are other methods like herbal medicines used to treat insomnia. You may try following traditional methods to treat Insomnia

Drink warm milk before going to bed

Exercise regularly. This will relax your body muscles and may give you relief from sleeplessness.

You can try diet control method having heavy lunch and maintaining three hours gap between dinner and bed time.

Avoid mental stress.

Cultivate habit of getting up early and retiring to bed at decided time.

Apart from these some other alternative therapies like acupuncture may help you get rid of Insomnia.

Every symptom of sleeplessness is not Insomnia. Your doctor will decide the course of medical treatment based on symptoms and other factors. Never use sleeping medicines at your own. Always consult your doctor if you experience symptoms of Insomnia. Your doctor will advise you in better way about further medication.