Insomnia is a common sleep disorder among all ages, especially among senior citizens. Some of these symptoms may be experienced by the patient only and the physician may suggest more than one check up before suggesting a treatment for insomnia. The patient should remember or write down all the insomnia symptoms he/she experiences and discuss with the physician to help in making a correct diagnosis. Following symptoms represent the condition of insomnia in most cases.

Difficulty In Sleeping

The most typical of all insomnia symptoms is difficulty in sleeping. Usually, the patient first experiences stress that interferes with sleep. With time, he/she finds it hard to sleep at all when bedtime comes.

Anxiety And Depression

Encounters with anxiety and/or depression are two main symptoms associated with insomnia. These are also the cause of insomnia in many cases and their presence makes insomnia worse for the patient.

Poor Concentration And Memory

Insomnia symptoms include failure to focus attention and continued difficulty in remembering things.

Premature Waking

People suffering from insomnia usually awake prematurely during sleep and have trouble with falling asleep again. Also, they may wake up too early in the morning, feeling fatigued.

Irritability

Insomniacs feel irritability without any obvious cause. It is especially experienced during the day.

Mental Sluggishness

People suffering from insomnia frequently experience decreased alertness and mental sluggishness.

Duration Of Insomnia Symptoms

Insomnia symptoms may last a little or longer depending on the type of insomnia. In case of Transient Insomnia, the symptoms last for a few nights. In Short-Term Insomnia, the symptoms stay for two to three weeks. If they last more than three weeks, the patient is suffering from Chronic Insomnia.

Primary And Secondary Insomnia

Health experts also sometimes distinguish between primary and secondary insomnia. Primary insomnia is characterized by symptoms of difficulty in falling asleep, waking several times during sleep, and fatigue. These symptoms linger for at least a month. The physical or mental cause of these symptoms is not clear. In secondary insomnia, there is a known underlying medical condition. Depression is one major cause of secondary insomnia and it leads to the same symptoms as the primary insomnia.

Non-Insomniac Symptoms

To diagnosis the condition of sleeplessness as insomnia, the physician makes sure that the symptoms are not being caused by other sleep disorders, by some other disease, or the side effects of any medication.

Accompanying Symptoms

Along with the symptoms of insomnia, other disorders may be detected in the same patient along with insomnia; these include mania, depression, phobias, or obsessive-compulsive disorder.