psych-notes.yml

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Title: Insomnia

What is the disorder?:
  - Too little or poor quality sleep caused by:
    - Significant life stress
    - Illness
    - Emotional or physical discomfort
    - Environmental factors like: light, noise, extreme temperature
    - Some medications
    - Interferences in normal sleep: jet lag, switching from day to night shift
  - Chronic insomnia is caused by: 
    - Depression or anxiety
    - Chronic stress
    - Pain or discomfort at night

What are the symptoms?:
  - Difficulty falling asleep
  - Awakening during the night
  - Awakening too early
  - Not feeling well rested after a night of sleep
  - Daytime fatigue or sleepiness
  - Irritability, depression, or anxiety
  - Difficulty paying attention or focusing on tasks
  - Increased errors or accidents
  - Tension headaches
  - Gastrointestinal symptoms
  - Ongoing worries about sleep
  
How common?:
  - Women are twice as likely to have it when compared to men
    - Certain social factors, such as being unemployed or divorced, may contribute to poor sleep
    - The time leading up to menopause (perimenopausal) causes trouble falling asleep; hot flashes and night sweats can disturb sleep as well
  - Insomnia increases with age
  - Affects millions of people in the United States

How serious?:
  - Fragmented sleep causes health problems
  - Can result in lower performance at your job or work
  - Slowed reaction time while driving
  - You can become overweight or obese
  - Poor immune system function
  - Increased risk and severity of long-term diseases, such as high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes
  
Sources:
  - http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/Insomnia.cfm
  - http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/insomnia
  - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/insomnia/DS00187/DSECTION=complications
  - http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-10/24/content_6203913.htm
  - http://www.sleep-deprivation.com/articles/types-of-sleep-disorder/lack-of-sleep/insomnia.php