Information about insomnia and sleep problems

What causes insomnia?

My husband has never been a good sleeper and I occasionally have trouble sleeping. Are there different types of insomnia?

Insomnia is generally referred to as either acute or chronic depending upon how long you have had symptoms.

Acute (Transient)

Difficulty sleeping that lasts less than 4 weeks is referred to as acute or transient insomnia. You may only experience trouble sleeping a few nights a week or have stretches of good sleep alternating with a week or more of poor sleep.

The most common cause of acute insomnia is stress. Other causes include:

jet lag
hormonal fluctuations (PMS, menopausal symptoms, etc)
environmental disturbances (pets, children, snoring partner, new sleep environment, heat, etc)
personal challenges (job change, relationship issues, illness, etc)
any short-term situation that affects your sleep

Acute insomnia can turn into a chronic problem. Poor sleep habits, elevated stress levels, anxiety about not getting enough sleep, behaviors that can impair sleep and expectations about sleep difficulties can set the stage for chronic insomnia.

Chronic (Long-term)

Chronic insomnia lasts beyond a month and sleep is affected multiple nights of the week. In some cases, chronic insomnia may be caused by a medical condition, another sleep disorder or medications.

In many cases, sleep difficulties are not caused by another medical condition. Rather, insomnia is the result of poor sleep habits, stress, changes in your sleep schedule, and lifestyle practices that impair sleep. Commonly, insomnia develops as a result of a short-term situation, such as difficulty sleeping due to pain from an injury (acute insomnia) that persists long after the physical injury has healed (chronic insomnia).

The anxiety, worry and frustration associated with poor sleep can create a vicious cycle of insomnia and worsen symptoms. Without help, it is very difficult to unwind the behaviors, thoughts and stress patterns that are making it difficult to get in synch with your body’s internal clock and allow your body and mind to relax for a good night’s sleep.

The Pillow Talk Program will teach you how to break the cycle of chronic insomnia and prevent episodes of acute insomnia from turning into a chronic problem.

Do you have trouble falling asleep? Staying asleep? Do you feel tired and irritable?

Take our free assessment to get your free personalized report filled with sleep-promoting tips.

“I can’t get over how the relaxation exercises totally relaxed me, and bang, after they were over I was asleep. Thank you!!!” ~Linda