Insomnia
Insomnia involves ongoing difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking earlier than intended despite having a reasonable opportunity to sleep. The daytime effects can include fatigue, irritability, poor concentration, and worry about sleep.
Common signs and experiences
Common patterns include spending a long time awake in bed, repeated nighttime waking, unrefreshing sleep, daytime sleepiness, mistakes, headaches, and increasing anxiety as bedtime approaches. Short-term insomnia often follows stress or schedule change; chronic insomnia can persist after the original trigger has passed.
How evaluation works
Evaluation includes sleep timing, routines, environment, medical and mental health history, medications, caffeine or substance use, and symptoms of other sleep disorders. A sleep diary or formal sleep study may be useful in selected cases.
Treatment and support
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is a well-supported first-line treatment. It may include stimulus control, sleep scheduling, relaxation, and changing unhelpful beliefs about sleep. Medical conditions and medications should be reviewed, and sleep medication is considered case by case.
This page provides general education, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice. A qualified clinician can assess your individual symptoms and needs.
Ready for a thoughtful evaluation?
Gatlin Psychiatric Services can help you make sense of your symptoms and discuss appropriate next steps.
Schedule a consultation