Insomnia-OVERVIEW

Insomnia is a common sleep problem for adults. The National Institutes of Health estimates that roughly 30 % of the general population complains of sleep disruption, and approximately 10 percent have associated symptoms of daytime functional impairment consistent with the diagnosis of insomnia.

In a 2005 National Sleep Foundation (NSF) Poll, more than half of people reported at least one symptom of insomnia (difficulty falling asleep, waking up a lot during the night, waking up too early and not being able to get back to sleep, or waking up feeling un-refreshed) at least a few nights per week within the past year.
33% said they had at least one of these symptoms every night or almost every night in the past year. The two most common symptoms, experienced at least a few nights a week in the past year, included waking up feeling unrefreshed and waking up a lot during the night. A 2002 NSF Poll found that 63% of women (versus 54 % of men) experienced symptoms of insomnia at least a few nights per week.

Other polls have found interesting trends associated with insomnia. For example, 68 % of adults ages 18 to 29 report experiencing symptoms of insomnia, compared with 59 % of adults ages 30 to 64, and only 44 % of people over the age of 65. Not surprisingly, parents report more insomnia symptoms than adults without children in the household (66 vs. 54 %).