Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder where the predominant complaint is difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or nonrestorative sleep, for at least one month. These sleep difficulties cause significant distress or impairment in social, work or other important areas of functioning. These sleep difficulties occur at least three nights per week and occur despite adequate opportunity for sleep. It is important to note that the insomnia is not better explained by and does not occur exclusively during the course of another sleep-wake disorder (such as narcolepsy or breathing-related sleep for example), and does not exclusively occur during the course of another mental illness or physiological effects due to substance use or general medical condition.
Insomnia is a common problem and people rarely think their problem is bad enough to seek professional help. It is more likely to occur in women than men and is more likely to happen when you age. Chronic issues with sleep have significant effects on individuals functioning and can cause great distress. It can put relationships, jobs and quality of life at risk.
There is treatment for insomnia outside of medication, in the form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This is firmly based on research and is the number one treatment for insomnia. This treatment focuses on change through setting up a sleep schedule and changing the way you think about sleep or your worries about sleep. It also focuses on education around sleep and ways to relax before bedtime. This treatment is designed to be anywhere from 4 to 10 sessions in length.