28 Jun What Insomnia Feels Like

60 MILLION Americans have a sleep disorder, insomnia being one of them. You might think insomnia just involves not being able to sleep, bringing up mental images of someone with bloodshot eyes staring at the ceiling of their bedroom, unable to drift off. This is only partially true. Insomnia includes:

Trouble Sleeping
The most obvious symptoms of insomnia are:

• Trouble sleeping
• Difficulty falling asleep
• Frequent waking in the middle of the night
• Waking up earlier than needed
• Feeling unrested after a night’s sleep

Feeling Irritable, Impatient, Fatigued, Lethargic, Sluggish
Sleep is an essential part of our well being. It is important to obtain REM sleep (deep sleep) in order to replenish energy to be able to go about our activities the next day. However, people with insomnia do not obtain enough REM sleep, making them feel tired and irritable the next day.

Lack of Fun and Interest in People, Hobbies and Activities
This can be from insomnia or other disorder like depression. Many of the symptoms of depression and insomnia overlap, so it can be difficult to determine if depression also may be present and contributing to problems with poor sleep.

Poor Concentration
Being exhausted affects cognition. If you are tired, it may be harder to get work done and be able to concentrate on many things, like reading the words in this sentence. Some people confuse this with ADHD, but a clinical evaluation can help determine the correct cause.

Insomnia is different for everyone. If you are not sleeping the way you want to be sleeping or think you may have insomnia, call the Institute for Advanced Medical Research at 770-817-9200. Your symptoms do not have to become your normal. Insomnia can be treated.