Sleep Myth Monday: What is Insomnia?

This is the latest installment of a regular feature here at SleepBetter.org: Sleep Myth Monday, where we bust sleep myths wide open, or verify that they’re actually not myths at all.

Myth or Truth:  Insomnia is characterized by difficulty falling asleep.

MYTH

Difficulty falling asleep is just one symptom of insomnia. Others include frequent awakenings in the night, waking up too early and not being able to fall back asleep, and waking up unrefreshed. There are many, many causes of insomnia, incidentally, ranging from emotional, psychological and physical issues.According to the National Sleep Foundation’s 2002 “Sleep in America” poll, 58 percent of adults in the US reported at least one symptom of insomnia in the previous year. When the symptoms become frequent, you should see your doctor or a sleep specialist.