I’m sure you’ve already heard some things about it. But I can talk to you about sleep hygiene. As a psychologist and not a medical doctor, it’s not my place to talk in-depth about medications. That’s because most doctors’ go-to for treating insomnia are Ambien (and other prescription sleep medications) and sleep hygiene. In my own clinic, the average patient has had chronic insomnia for 15 years before finding their way to me because they didn’t know there were treatment options other than Ambien and sleep hygiene. But if you ask everyone visiting a primary care doctor, one in three will have it.

About one in ten adults have chronic insomnia by the strictest diagnostic criteria. If you don’t have chronic insomnia yourself, I bet you know someone who does.

It puts a damper over your everyday mood and turns sleep into a chore instead of a relief. Chronic insomnia can really disrupt your life. If you’re having a really hard time falling or staying asleep a few times per week, and this has been going on for a few months, then we’re dealing with a different animal. Common causes of chronic insomnia include: Stress. Treating the underlying cause can resolve the insomnia, but sometimes it can last for years. Chronic insomnia is usually a result of stress, life events or habits that disrupt sleep. All you have to do is ride it out, knowing you'll be back to your normal sleep routine soon.īut for many people, insomnia becomes chronic. Insomnia may be the primary problem, or it may be associated with other conditions. They just mean you're excited about something, or you have had one too many cups of coffee, or some other fluke stars aligned to make you unable to shut down for a night or two. And these occasional sleepless nights are totally fine.

Even though I’m a sleep expert (and I was lucky enough to be born with good sleep genes), I still sometimes toss and turn all night. It can really drive a person crazy!Įveryone has insomnia sometimes. You stare up at the ceiling (or worse, at the red numbers on a clock), mind buzzing with random thoughts, tossing and turning while everyone else snores away blissfully. Insomnia is one of the most frustrating experiences in our modern existence.

Severe insomnia treatment options