Primary insomnia is one in which there is no medical, environmental or psychological cause for. It is characterized by the following, it lasts for at least one month, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, sleep disturbance that causes effects that roll over into the next day, disrupting social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. Primary insomnia can then be even further broken down into three categories: Psycho physiological insomnia, Idiopathic insomnia, and Sleep state misperception.

Several tests might be conducted to find out the possible causes of insomnia. Once all medical tests have been conducted to rule out any underlying medical condition then you may be sent to a sleep treatment sleep center where they will likely keep you for an overnight stay to conduct a Polysomnography test. This test can not necessarily tell doctors what is causing the insomnia but it will determine what is not causing it. What is not causing it can sure be irritating when you discover that there is no reason at all for your insomnia, it’s just plain and simple that you can not sleep. When there is no cause there certainly can not be a treatment.

Multiple sleep latency tests are also usually conducted and this gives the doctor even further information to make a solid diagnosis. Once all is ruled out it is likely that if the insomnia continues, the doctor would then prescribe a sleep medication to the patient. Usually though, before the doctor will start writing out prescriptions for medication he will want the patient to keep a sleep log for a few weeks. This usually gives the doctor a pretty good idea of what is going on as he is able to look at times of rest versus time of wakening and the frequency of them.

There are some things that a person can do at home for themselves in the meantime such as eliminate caffeine, alcohol, avoid heavy meals near bedtime, do not perform any physical activity near bedtime, do not nap, and keep the room temperature comfortable and the lighting down. You can also try hypnosis or over the counter or prescription medications. Just remember that regardless of which type of insomnia you have or what the cause you have to find out the cause and deal with it right away because not getting adequate sleep is very bad for your health.

Primary insomnia, which basically means insomnia where there is no reason for it and of course this is very frustrating to say the least because it might seem like nothing can be done. But many times what happens is because the night before when there was an evident lack of sleep, you may start right away in the morning dwelling on the probability of being able to sleep later that night.

This is one of the worst things that can be done because it puts an element in your mind and then being able to sleep naturally becomes rather something that you try your hardest to accomplish.

Caffeine is one of those things that you might ingest even if you make valid attempts not to. It is addictive and it shows up in all types of food and drinks. Caffeine is also found in many prescription medications which many people do not know about. Caffeine as most know it is something that is in cola, coffee, tea, and chocolate. Most people also know that caffeine can cause insomnia which is why many people avoid such drinks as pop and coffee in the evening hours. Yet, millions of Americans begin their day with a fresh hot cup of coffee or tea because they claim it gives them the boost that they need to get going.

Besides being addictive, caffeine stimulates the brain in ways similar to amphetamines and even though it is much milder, it still stimulates the brain similar to that of a drug. Caffeine is linked to many cases of insomnia, as a matter of fact it is the biggest substance linked to insomnia. Another way that caffeine can hinder sleep is because it is a diuretic which stimulates the kidneys causing people to have to urinate more frequently than normal and very often throughout the night.

It is said that only 100-200 milligrams of caffeine can relieve drowsiness. Having said that, consider the following, 1 espresso has 200 mgs of caffeine, 1 cup of coffee has 100mgs of caffeine, a 12 oz can of cola has 45 mgs of caffeine, 1 Midol has 32 mgs and 1 Excedrin has 85 mgs. Now take a look at this, a cup of decaf coffee only has 3 mgs of caffeine and since caffeine has no flavor, color or odor, there sure can not be any reason that you can not enjoy that cup of coffee any time that you want to and still be able to get to sleep at night.

Some people are sensitive to caffeine while others are not but if you find a relationship between a bad night’s sleep and your caffeine intake that does not mean that you can not enjoy a cup of coffee or even a cola, just make sure they are caffeine free. The most common sources of caffeine are coffee, cocoa beans, cola nuts, and tea leaves. The amount of caffeine that is in products depends on the serving size, the product, and how it is prepared. People differ greatly in their sensitivity to caffeine and many develop a tolerance for it.

Many people feel a jittery feeling from caffeine and learn very quickly to avoid caffeine after a certain time if they plan on sleeping. Caffeine increases the secretion of stress hormones such as adrenaline so if a person is already secreting higher stress hormones then caffeine could cause a rapid increase that would definitely trigger a period of insomnia. People usually do not give a lot of thought to their caffeine intake but believe it or not, caffeine used to be used in clinical settings to induce panic attacks in patients. That gives you something to think about!

You wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, all the while you are up your mind is racing, filled with “what if” thinking. Just in the few minutes that it takes for you to walk to the bathroom you may have already had as many as ten different thoughts. As you climb back into bed, the thinking has filled your head so much that you can not fall back to sleep again. As you lay there wondering and worrying about things that are likely not even in your control, you watch the minutes that turn into hours just tick away. If this sounds like you, then you are suffering from insomnia that is likely caused from anxiety.

Research has found a very strong link between insomnia and anxiety as when a person suffers from one it is likely that they will suffer from both. As you are lying in bed, filled with anxiety, the anxiety will actually surmount causing your brain to become even more active, which makes it even more impossible to sleep. This condition would not be defined as something that happens occasionally but rather frequently. Sometimes doing something as simple as turning the TV on in your room with a low volume but so you can still hear it and putting on something that is funny will really help. You will eventually fall asleep and what you are hearing on the TV will divert your anxious thoughts.

Anxiety related insomnia falls under a few different categories such as Transient insomnia which is usually associated with situational stress. In other words, perhaps you have an upcoming job, a presentation, an exam, or a move. Short term insomnia lasts for six months or less that are generally related to a death, an illness, or maybe environmental factors.

Finally, there is chronic insomnia which can be contributed to a variety of factors that may require a medical or psychological evaluation to determine the exact cause. There can be many stages of insomnia which can range from short term to long term insomnia. Insomnia can then increase anxiety which can lead to many other conditions later on. The mere frustration of sleep deprivation alone can manifest into many other serious conditions.

Do you find yourself finding at least one particular event to dwell on and by nighttime that thought or thoughts have completely taken over your train of thought? When this happens it could be that your mind is racing so quickly thinking of what you will do, what you could have done differently, what you could say if given another chance, and so on. These things will prohibit sleep faster than anything will.

Untreated anxiety can easily lead to panic disorder which is why you should be seen by a doctor right away and remember that there are so many new and very friendly medications available today to treat anxiety; you will be so grateful that you went. If you have anxiety related insomnia there is no reason to suffer with it for another day because there is help available.