Insomnia, meaning "no sleep" in Latin, is the lack of sleep in quality or quantity. If insomnia persists, it can interfere with how you feel or function during the day. You are likely to suffer from fatigue and irritability, your work performance can become compromised and you have trouble staying focused. Learn about the different types of insomnia and what you can do to improve your condition.

Types of Insomnia

Transient sleep problems are occasional short-term insomnia which typically lasts from a single night to a few weeks. When insomnia persists for longer than a month, and occurs at least 3 nights per week, it is considered chronic. When insomnia happens on and off from time to time, it is called intermittent.

It is estimated that 10% to 15% of adults have chronic insomnia, with an additional 25% to 35% of the population who experience transient sleep problems.

Though the amount of sleep needed varies from person to person, most people need between 7 and 8 hours of sleep a night. Insomnia can be a result of one of more of the following sleep problems:

• Trouble falling asleep.
• Waking up many times during the night, with trouble returning to sleep.
• Waking up too early in the morning.
• Waking up not feeling refreshed or restored, despite having 7 to 8 hours of sleep at night.