Insomnia Symptoms

Insomnia Symptoms

Doctors associate a variety of signs and symptoms with insomnia. Often, the symptoms intertwine with those of other medical or mental conditions.

• People with insomnia may complain of difficulty falling asleep. The problem may begin with stress. Then, as you begin to associate the bed with your inability to sleep, the problem may become chronic.
  
  
• Depression and mental illnesses are often associated with insomnia.
  
  
• Most often daytime symptoms will bring people to seek medical attention. Daytime problems caused by insomnia include the following:
  
  
  • Poor concentration and focus
    
    
  • Difficulty with memory
    
    
  • Impaired motor coordination
    
    
  • Irritability and impaired social interaction
    
    
  • Motor vehicle accidents because of fatigued, sleep-deprived drivers
  
  
• People may worsen these daytime symptoms by their own attempts to treat the symptoms.
  
  
  • In 1995, a Gallup poll said 7.9% of respondents used alcohol to help them sleep. Alcohol and antihistamines may compound the problems with sleep deprivation.
    
    
  • Others have tried nonprescription sleep aids.