What is insomnia?
People who have insomnia fall asleep very hard, or they fail to keep their sleep once they have fallen asleep. Insomnia is a self-contained condition, but sometimes it also appears as a symptom of other physical or mental health problems.
Insomnia can be divided into two categories:
–Primary insomnia occurs when a person has sleeping problems that are nor associated with other conditions. The underlying causes can vary widely, from stress, trauma, or family problems.
–Secondary insomnia occurs when sleeping problems are the result of health problems, drug treatments, or substance use.
Depending on the duration or recurrence of insomnia, this condition is classified into three categories:
1. Transient insomnia occurs suddenly and lasts for several days, up to a week. Those who experience this type of insomnia do not seek treatment, but they may have numerous episodes.
2. Acute insomnia (short-time insomnia) is the inability to sleep well for a month or less, and it has often caused, such as stress or the lifestyle.
3. Chronic insomnia (long-time insomnia) is continuous insomnia, which disappears only in the short term.
What are insomnia’s causes?
Insomnia can be caused by certain lifestyle factors, such as stress, poor sleeping conditions, relationship problems, diet, caffeine excess, and substance abuse. Certain medications may also contribute to the onset of insomnia.
Health problems such as frequent urination, difficulty breathing, infections, endocrine system disorders, and Alzheimer’s disease can cause or aggravate insomnia.
Insomnia is also a symptom of many mental disorders: depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress.
For some people, insomnia is a symptom of a hidden disease, which ultimately causes them to seek the help of a doctor.
The diagnosis of insomnia is made by the psychiatrist or clinical psychologist by clinical evaluation.
What are the symptoms of insomnia?
The main symptom of people who have insomnia is problematic sleep, and they may also experience other symptoms, such as:
- The person falls asleep hard
- The person does not manage to stay asleep
- Abnormal sleep patterns and REM sleep deprivation
- Concentration problems during the day
- Extreme fatigue
If insomnia causes the suffering of the person who cannot sleep, this can create a vicious circle, where the more he/she tries to sleep, the harder he/she will fall asleep.
How is insomnia treated?
There are many therapies for insomnia, and these are determined according to the causes of the disease. Clinicians may recommend patients to have treatment or prescribe antidepressants or anxiolytics for mental illness manifested by insomnia. Insomnia caused by certain diseases is usually treated secondary to the condition.
Doctors may also recommend specific lifestyle changes. When no reason can be found for insomnia, patients received a prescription to help them sleep combined with psychotherapy.
When do we address to the psychiatrist?
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy or Brief Strategic Therapy is an effective alternative to drug treatment for many people with chronic insomnia. Researches proved that a combination of the two methods might be the best treatment for this type of insomnia.
Recommended therapies
Brief Strategic Therapy
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Alternative therapies
Relaxation training
Insomnia can also be treated through guided relaxation training for the mind and body. This method is based on reducing physical tension and inhibiting thought or arousal that can affect normal sleep cycles. In our clinic, we provide complex programs through Virtual Reality Therapy or self-education.
Stimulus control: Whether as part of Cognitive-behavioral therapy or only as a separate technique, controlling the stimulus (lightning, using the bed only for sleep and a regular sleep/wake up the pattern) that contributes to poor sleep is an effective way to treat insomnia.
Therapy by restricting sleep: This type of treatment is more useful for those looking to increase their portion of „good sleep.” This limits the time spent in bed to promote sleep efficiency.
Non-prescription sleeping pills: Many sleeping pills contain antihistamines. These can help you to sleep better or fall asleep more relaxed, but they can also have adverse reactions like the prolonged sleep sensation during the day. Also, doctors do not recommend using non-prescription sleeping pills to treat chronic insomnia. The effectiveness of such drugs diminishes over time, and regular use can lead to serious side effects.
Prescription sleeping pills: A psychiatrist should always prescribe and supervise their use.
ID Therapy Team
We combine different psycho-therapeutic solutions to map the exact source and the way of how each symptom manifests. ID Therapy team innovatively combines the types of therapy, to shorten the path to the solution and to diagnose directly in the context
Nadia Gorduza
Anxiety, Couple therapy, Depression, Fear of flight, Fear of public speaking, Insomnia, Panic attacks, Phobias, Psychological trauma, Stress
Raina Saguna
Addiction-treatment, Alcohol dependence, Anxiety, Bipolar disorder, Depression, Eating Disorders, Insomnia, Panic attacks, Personality disorder treatment, Smoking dependence, Stress
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Address: Naum Ramniceanu Street, no. 23, ap. 1,
Sector 1, Bucharest, Romania