Dealing with Insomnia Sleep insomnia is an actual health condition whereby a person has trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep, a condition that affects eight out of every ten people.  The result is poor quality sleep, which causes a feeling of ongoing fatigue, irritation, frustration, and depression, as well as an increased risk of health problems.  The body requires sleep and without it, disaster could strike.  As you will discover, there are many different types of insomnia, the most common known as secondary insomnia.  Some of the triggers for this type of insomnia include: • Pain • Depression and/or Anxiety • Illness such as those affecting the lungs or heart • Alcohol and caffeine • Medication • Other types of sleep disorders • Poor sleep environment • Lack of or change in sleep routine In addition to not sleeping at night, insomnia also causes a person to feel overwhelmingly tired during the day, suffering from tremendous fatigue.  When this condition is chronic, depression and irritability are common complaints.  People dealing with insomnia also find they struggle with concentration, making work and school difficult.  With this condition, the symptoms can be minor, or quite severe. If you find that you go more than three nights without sleep or wake during the night three nights in a row, you should talk to your doctor to determine if insomnia is the problem.  With an examination and patient history, the doctor would be able to make a determination and then provide a recommended course of action. Okay, so what causes insomnia?  A number of factors come into play, often the manifestation of depression, anxiety, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s, and various forms of neurological disorders.  However, some of the other causes include: • Any type of illness causing problems with breathing to include sleep apnea • Illness or disease associated with chronic pain such as headaches, arthritis, Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, etc. • Stroke • Gastrointestinal problems • Hyperthyroid The above-mentioned are some of the causes for secondary insomnia, along with stimulants such as caffeine, smoking, alcohol, some asthma medications, and beta blockers. Another type of insomnia is known as primary insomnia, which is diagnosed when a person struggles with sleeping for one month.  With this, no other medical or emotional condition is responsible.  Several things cause primary insomnia, hectic work schedules, stresses from school, excessive travel, emotional upset, or intense depression.  In some cases, when these symptoms are brought under control, the insomnia will also cease but again, you need to avoid daytime naps, get on a regular sleep schedule, and take good care of your body overall to keep the problem from returning.