both contribute
to or exacerbate mental
health conditions and can be a symptom of
other mental health conditions.
About one-third of adults report insomnia
symptoms and 6-10 percent meet the criteria
for insomnia disorder.1
Importance of Sleep
Sleep is a basic human need and is critical to
both physical and mental health. There are
two types of sleep that generally occur in a
pattern of three-to-five cycles per night:
Rapid eye movement (REM) – when most
dreaming occurs
Non-REM – has three phases,
including the
deepest sleep
When you sleep is also important. Your
body typically works on a 24-hour cycle
(circadian rhythm) that helps you know
when to sleep.
Insomnia Disorder
Insomnia, the most common sleep disorder,
involves problems getting to sleep or staying
asleep. About one-third of adults report
some insomnia symptoms, 10-15
percent
report problems with functioning during the
daytime and 6-10 percent have symptoms
severe enough to meet criteria for insomnia
disorder.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
To be diagnosed with insomnia disorder, the
sleep difficulties must occur at least three
nights a week for at
least three months and
cause significant distress or problems at
work, school or other important areas of a
person’s daily functioning. Not all
individuals with sleep disturbances are
distressed or have problems functioning.
To diagnose insomnia, a physician will rule
out other sleep disorders (see Related
Conditions below),
medication side-effects,
substance misuse, depression and other
physical and mental illnesses. Some
medications and medical conditions can
affect sleep.
Treatment and Self-help
Sleep problems can often be improved with
regular sleep habits. (See Sleep Hygiene
section for tips.) If your sleep problems
persist or if they
interfere with how you feel
or function during the day, you should seek
evaluation and treatment by a physician.
Relaxation techniques, used before bedtime,
can be helpful for insomnia.
Melatonin supplements may be helpful for
people with some types of insomnia. Long-
term safety has not been investigated.
Mind and body approaches, such as
mindfulness,
meditation, yoga, massage
therapy and acupuncture lack evidence to
show their usefulness, but are generally
considered safe.
Herbs and dietary supplements have not
been shown to be effective for insomnia.
There are safety concerns about some,
including L-tryptophan.