Insomnia

Insomnia can cause problems during the day, such as excessive sleepiness, fatigue, trouble thinking clearly or staying focused, or feeling depressed or irritable. It is not defined by the number of hours you sleep every night. Although the amount of sleep a person needs varies, most people need between 7 and 8 hours of sleep a night.

What is Insomnia?

Insomnia is a condition in which it is difficult to get to sleep, or to remain soundly asleep, resulting in too short and too low-quality sleep which affects normal functioning. It causes fatigue and daytime sleepiness. It may be classified as acute, lasting a few days or weeks, or chronic, when it lasts longer than a month.

Treatment of Middle-of-the-Night Insomnia

Causes of Sleep-Onset Insomnia

Insomnia in Children

Middle of the Night Insomnia and Biphasic Sleeping

Insomnia Causes

Middle of the Night Insomnia

Treatment of Sleep-Onset Insomnia

Promoting Sounder Sleep in Older Adults

Insomnia in Pregnancy

Sleep-Onset Insomnia

Insomnia Treatment

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Screen Time and Insomnia

Insomnia Symptoms

Latest Insomnia News and Research

New mothers more likely to experience severe pain and sleep problems after C-section

New mothers are more likely to experience severe pain that disrupts sleep and activities of daily living, as well as develop sleep disorders, if they give birth by cesarean delivery (C-section), suggests research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2025 annual meeting.

12 Oct 2025

Huawei smartwatch nearly matches gold-standard sleep test

A study reveals the HUAWEI WATCH GT2 smartwatch accurately tracks sleep stages, yet it falls short in diagnosing sleep disorders compared to PSG.

7 Oct 2025

Long commutes and small homes linked to insomnia in Tokyo adults

Researchers examine the relationship between commute time and house area with insomnia and daytime sleepiness.

6 Oct 2025

Poor sleep habits associated with faster aging of the brain

People who sleep poorly are more likely than others to have brains that appear older than they actually are.

30 Sep 2025

Exercise helps improve sleep and mood in smokers over 40

Getting enough weekly exercise may help smokers over 40 reduce depression and sleep issues to levels seen in non-smokers, according to a study from the Texas A&M University School of Public Health.

26 Sep 2025

Older adults can bounce back from health and emotional challenges

A new Canadian study is offering a powerful message to older adults and those who care for them: it's never too late to bounce back.

24 Sep 2025

Study highlights critical mental health risk for eczema patients

A new international study presented today at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress 2025 reveals that adults with atopic eczema (AE) are significantly more likely to experience suicidal thoughts, with researchers uncovering the key factors driving this elevated risk.

17 Sep 2025

Why are more older people dying after falls?

For a while, walking the dog felt hazardous. Earl Vickers was accustomed to taking Molly, his shepherd-boxer-something-else mix, for strolls on the beach or around his neighborhood in Seaside, California. A few years ago, though, he started to experience problems staying upright.

15 Sep 2025

Elinzanetant reduces hot flashes in menopause

The OASIS-3 trial demonstrates elinzanetant's effectiveness in alleviating menopausal symptoms, reducing hot flashes significantly over a year-long study.

11 Sep 2025

Chronic insomnia linked to faster cognitive decline and brain changes

People with chronic insomnia may experience faster declines in memory and thinking skills as they age-along with brain changes that can be seen on imaging scans-than people who do not have chronic insomnia, according to a study published in the September 10, 2025, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

10 Sep 2025

Common diabetes drug metformin cuts long covid risk by 64 percent in UK study

A large UK-based retrospective cohort study found that initiating metformin within 90 days of COVID-19 diagnosis reduced the risk of Long COVID by 64% in overweight and obese adults. The findings suggest metformin may offer a low-cost preventive option pending confirmation from randomized trials.

8 Sep 2025

Many patients undergoing surgery for early-stage cancer continue or start opioid prescriptions

New research indicates that many patients who undergo surgery with the intent to cure early-stage cancer continue or start opioid prescriptions in the year following surgery.

8 Sep 2025

Sleep medications linked to reduced deep sleep and disrupted memory

Long-term benzodiazepine use in older adults disrupts sleep patterns, leading to lighter sleep and potential cognitive decline due to altered brain activity.

8 Sep 2025

Long-term benzodiazepine use linked to poor sleep quality in older adults

Long-term use of benzodiazepine and related drugs has been linked to poorer quality sleep in older adults with insomnia.

3 Sep 2025

Parents of premature babies have poorer sleep quality, study shows

Long sleepless nights and little rest are for many the beginning of parenthood. But how big is the problem really, and how does it affect our health? Gunhild Nordbø Marthinsen has explored this in her doctoral research at the University of Agder.

26 Aug 2025

Gut bacteria and insomnia influence each other in small but significant ways, study shows

Scientists used Mendelian randomisation to explore the two-way relationship between gut microbiota and insomnia, analyzing GWAS data from over 386,000 individuals and two major microbiome cohorts. The study found only limited taxa surviving strict correction, suggesting small but causal links that highlight the gut–brain axis in sleep health.

21 Aug 2025

Mediterranean diet success looks different for women and men, study of 4,000 adults reveals

A Mediterranean lifestyle survey of over 4,000 adults across seven countries found that while men and women scored similarly on overall adherence, they achieved this through different patterns of diet, exercise, and well-being. Tailored strategies may be needed to support gender-specific improvements in health behaviors.

18 Aug 2025

New update to the 2023 AGS Beers Criteria highlights safer pharmacologic options for older adults

The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) has released a landmark update to its list of alternatives to medications listed in the 2023 AGS Beers Criteria - the most widely adopted guidelines to help clinicians identify potentially inappropriate medications for older adults.

18 Aug 2025

Study finds two-way link between gut bacteria and insomnia

There seem to be reciprocal links between certain groups of gut bacteria and the risk of insomnia, suggests a Mendelian randomization study, published in the open access journal General Psychiatry.

12 Aug 2025

Lavender oil could speed recovery after brain surgery

Lavender essential oil aromatherapy improves sleep quality and reduces postoperative delirium in brain surgery patients, offering a natural aid for recovery.

12 Aug 2025