The 11 Types of Insomnia

Sleep problems have hidden causes such as health or psychological disorders. Here is a classification of the types of insomnia according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine:

General insomnia is defined as the accumulation of sleep disorders, in which a person has trouble falling asleep, falling asleep, or waking up too early. These dysfunctions can be framed in a poor state of sleep quality.

Regulated insomnia

This dysfunction, also called acute insomnia or short-term insomnia, disrupts sleep and is usually due to stress. Sleep problems stop when the source of stress has disappeared or when a person has adapted to stress. Stress does not always come from a negative experience. It can be the result of a happy, exciting event.

Behavioral insomnia in childhood

It occurs when children do not go to bed unless a parent or supervisor forces them to do so. If children are accustomed to going to bed at a certain time, then they will tend to fall asleep at a normal bedtime.

Idiopathic insomnia

It is a type of insomnia that can affect a person's entire life, starting in childhood and continuing into adulthood.

It has no specific causes, but it is not caused by:

• Other sleep problems
• Medical problems
• Psychiatric disorders
• Stressful events
• Use of medication

Other behavioral conditions

It can be caused by a general imbalance of the body, such as an overactive waking system and/or a subactive reactive sleep system.

Insomnia due to medications or other substances

The products that generate this type of insomnia are:

• Medication
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• A certain dish

Usually, sleep is interrupted by the use of one of the above products. This sleep problem can also occur when a person gives up using a certain substance.

Insomnia due to medical problems

Insomnia is caused as a side effect of other health problems. Symptoms may include one or more of the following:

• Difficulty falling asleep
• Frequent awakenings during the night
• Inability to fall back asleep
• Poor sleep quality

This insomnia is a dysfunction when it causes discomfort or suffering or when it requires a separate treatment.

Insomnia due to mental problems

In this case, insomnia is a symptom of a mental disorder. The evolution and severity of insomnia are directly related to the degree of mental disorder, but insomnia is treated separately.

Inorganic, nonspecific insomnia

A type of insomnia that does not originate from the use of substances or physical causes. This means that it is caused more by mental health disorders, psychological factors, or sleep disruptive behaviors.

This name can be used as a starting point, until the completion of tests or analyzes. At the same time, this name is used when a person suffering from insomnia does not meet any criteria for another type of insomnia.

Organic insomnia, nonspecific

Insomnia is caused by a medical problem, a certain physical condition, or exposure to a substance. However, the specific causes are unclear. New tests are needed to find the exact cause. This name can be used temporarily until other tests and evaluations are completed.

Paradoxical insomnia

It consists in declaring severe insomnia. It happens without any objective proof of a sleep disorder. The diurnal effects can vary in severity, but they are less serious than the way they are described.

People with this dysfunction say that they have slept very little or not at all, one or more nights. Dominant is an overestimation of sleep time or an underestimation of total sleep time.

Psychosocial insomnia

This insomnia is associated with an excessive fear focused on the inability to fall asleep. This type of insomnia can occur suddenly as a result of an event or can develop slowly over the years.

People who suffer from this dysfunction are too afraid of insomnia and the fact that they will be tired the next day. As a result, they become tense and anxious when bedtime approaches. the more they become tense, which leads them to a vicious circle of lack of sleep.