This page is by far incomplete, if you have any information you would like to contribute, please contact sleepdisorders@softhome.net

Insomnia is a condition (rather than disease) used to describe the inability to initiate or to maintain sleep. Insomnia can be the result of biochemical, physiological or behaviour factors or a combination of these thing. Certain other conditoins or diseases can also lead to insomnia. It is possible for insomnia to be either chronic (long lasting) or acute (severe but of short duration).

Insomnia is often the symptom of an underlying problem. If you suffer from unexplained insomnia, you should see a certified sleep specialist and request a sleep study.

If you suffer from insomnia, it is worthwhile keeping a sleep diary to help you determine any factors which may be contributing to the problem, such as caffine intake, diet, activity levels etc. Keep your sleep diary where you will remember to fill it in - it will only take a minute or two to fill in each day. It will be helpful for you to keep a sleep diary for at least 10 days before seeing your sleep specialist.

Practicing good sleep hygene can help significantly in combatting insomnia.

What is Good Sleep Hygiene? (submitted by Tal)

• Go to bed same time each night, get up same time too if possible.
• Don't drink any caffine products in the afternoon or evening.
• Exercise earlier in the day is beneficial, but don't excercise late in the day.
• Use the bed only for sleeping (and sex).
• Try white noise in the room ....something like a fan - this could be set on a timer swich so it's not running all night.
• Make sure your room is cool, we need less heat during the night.
• Try listening to quiet, peacful music.
• Keep the bedroom tidy and make sure that it's dark at night - bright lights outside can make the room too light to induce sleep.
• Before going to bed, take a warm bath (not a shower as showers tend to wake us up)
• If after tying to sleep for a while you are unsucessful, get up and do something ( nothing too stimulating - perhaps watching some tv or reading - not in bed though) and then after half an hour, try going back to bed.
• Keep a notepad or voice recorder by the bed, if you have thoughts running through your head preventing you getting to sleep, write them down, then they're "dealt with" and you no longer need to dwell on them.

• Download a simple Sleep Diary