Insomnia

What is insomnia? Insomnia can described as having difficulty falling or staying asleep. Those who struggle with insomnia often experience a number of the following symptoms: low energy, fatigue, decreased work or school performance, and mood disturbances. Insomnia is also characterized based on its duration. Acute insomnia is considered brief and often occurs due to specific life circumstances. This form of insomnia tends to resolve on its own. If one has difficulty with sleep three nights or more a week, lasting at least three months, this is considered Chronic insomnia.

Causes of insomnia? There are many causes related to insomnia. Insomnia can be linked to one’s environment, lifestyle (ie. shift work or unhealthy sleeping habits), medical conditions (ie. sleep apnea or hyperthyroidism), as well as psychiatric conditions (ie. anxiety and depression).

Treatment for Insomnia?  For more information, please consult with your Family Physician or Allied health professional. The NYFHT social work team offers a Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy For Insomnia (CBT-I) group. If you are interested, please speak with your Family Physician to make a referral.

Learn more about Insomnia at the Canadian Sleep Society (https://css-scs.ca/) or National Sleep Foundation (https://sleepfoundation.org/)