Primary Insomnia

Edwin AlvaradoPeriod 5

Definition Chronic inability to fall asleep or remain

asleep for an adequate amount of time

Associated Features A person diagnosed with Insomnia is not able to

sleep Effects include:

No sleeping

After gaining a good sleep, a person still feels restless

Won’t be able to go back to sleep if awake

Will constantly be waking up Ex.: waking up every hour

DSM-IV-TR Criteria A. The predominant complaint is

dissatisfaction with sleep quantity or quality made by the patient (or by a caregiver or family in the case of children or elderly).

DSM-IV-TR Criteria Cont. B. Report of one or more of the following symptoms:

-Difficulty initiating sleep; in children this may be manifested as difficulty initiating sleep without caregiver intervention

-Difficulty maintaining sleep characterized by frequent awakenings or problems returning to sleep after awakenings (in children this may be manifested as difficulty returning to sleep without caregiver intervention)

-Early morning awakening with inability to return to sleep

-Non restorative sleep -Prolonged resistance to going to bed and/or bedtime

struggles (children)

DSM-IV-TR Criteria Cont. C. The sleep complaint is accompanied by

significant distress or impairment in daytime functioning as indicated by the report of at least one of the following: -Fatigue or low energy

-Daytime sleepiness

-Cognitive impairments (e.g., attention, concentration, memory)

-Mood disturbance (e.g., irritability, dysphoria)

DSM-IV-TR Cont. -Behavioral problems (e.g., hyperactivity,

impulsivity, aggression)

-Impaired occupational or academic function

-Impaired interpersonal/social function

-Negative impact on caregiver or family functioning (e.g., fatigue, sleepiness

DSM-IV-TR Criteria Cont. D. The sleep difficulty occurs at least

three nights per week.

E. The sleep difficulty is present for at least three months.

F. The sleep difficulty occurs despite adequate age-appropriate circumstances and opportunity for sleep.

Etiology Psychological Problems can cause Insomnia

Stress, depression, anxiety,

Is caused by other Disorders like : Bipolar disorder Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Other causes Medications Sleep disorders

Prevalence Insomnia is found more in women than

in men Insomnia affects 10 to 15% of adults

1 out of 5 children will be diagnosed with Primary Insomnia

Treatment Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Change thoughts and actions that don’t allow sleep Getting rid of worries

Relaxation training Meditation, hypnosis, muscle relaxation

Medicine Prescriptions

Prognosis People diagnosed with Primary Insomnia have

a difficult time gaining some sleep Seek therapy to tackle down the problem in

hopes of getting rid of insomnia

People with Insomnia can get some sleep only if they take medications or receive some sort of aid to sleep

Discussion QuestionCan you consider Insomnia to

be a psychological disorder? If yes, how can Insomnia affect the lives of people? If no,why?

References The Free Dictionary, 2012 , The Free Dictionary.

Retrieved from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Primary+insomnia

Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine,2007, Insomnia: Definition, Prevalence, Etiology and Consequences. Retrieved from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1978319/

MNS Health, 2012, How common is Insomnia. Retrieved from http://health.msn.com/health-topics/how-common-is-insomnia