Insomnia : Who is effected?
Can anyone be effected by insomnia? Well, perhaps not everyone, but it is certainly a common problem by any standard. Studies estimate that between a quarter and one-third of American and European adults experience some insomnia each year, with between 10% and 20% of them suffering severe sleeplessness.
Overall, insomnia is more common in women than men, although men are not immune from insomnia. Sleep efficiency deteriorates equally in men and women as they get older.
One major study suggested that as men go from age 16 to 50, they lose about 80% of their deep sleep. During that period, light sleep increases and REM sleep remains unchanged. (The study did not use women as subjects, and there is some evidence to suggest they are not as affected.) After age 44 REM and total sleep diminish and awakenings increase.
Younger adult women suffer from insomnia because of both cultural and biologic factors. As you may have read elsewhere on this site, a number of hormonal events can disturb sleep, including premenstrual syndrome, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause.
Thankfully, all these conditions are natural, and in most cases the wakefulness associated with them is temporary and can be ameliorated with sleep hygiene and time.
After childbirth, most women develop a high sensitivity to the sounds of their children, which causes them to wake easily. Women who have had children sleep less efficiently than women who have not had children. It is possible that many women never unlearn this sensitivity and continue to wake easily long after the children have grown.
After menopause women are susceptible to the same environmental and biologic causes of insomnia as men are. Older women who are not bothered by sleeplessness tend to have longer and better sleep than non-insomniac men their own age.
Other groups of individuals who are likely to suffer from insomnia include those who travel frequently – especially when crossing time lines, those with post-traumatic stress syndrome, and individuals with brain injuries.
So, insomnia is a widespread experience and one that can effect both men and woman, although susceptibility can vary with environmental and biological factors. Of course, many of the causes of insomnia lie outside these biological or age related factors, and its important to understand what is likely to be causing your insomnia to find a good cure.
Tags: insomnia, Insomnia Help
About Insomnia | Editor | 
Subscribe