Acute vs chronic insomnia Definition, symptom, and causes
                     Acute vs chronic insomnia Definition, 
symptom, and causes
Most people do not understand the importance of a good night’s sleep. They do not 
know how crucial it is for the well-being of the mind and body. When people 
experience problems while resting, it ruins their nighttime and affects their daytime 
schedule. This is why it is significant to get tested if you haven’t been getting restful 
and uninterrupted sleep for consecutive nights. 
What is insomnia? What are its types?
Insomnia refers to a sleep disorder where people face difficulty falling or staying 
asleep. Those who fail to get good quality rest or are unhappy with their sleep 
schedule or duration may have this condition. People who lie awake at night, wake 
up early, fail to go back to sleep, or cannot nap during the day even when tired may 
have this condition. Primarily, insomnia has two types, acute and chronic insomnia. 
Difference between acute and chronic insomnia 
Acute Insomnia:
Acute insomnia is categorized based on its brevity. The condition is short-term 
and affects your sleep for a brief time, ranging between a few days to several 
weeks. Mainly, it results from life changes or minor stressors that make it 
hard for you to fall or stay asleep until the stressor disappears. A few 
examples of insomnia triggers are:
• Going over stressful/hurtful memories
• A significant event the following day.
• Being anxious about something important, like an upcoming test, medical 
appointment, results, marriage, or illness of a family member.
• Stress from job or relationship.
This type of insomnia usually resolves and gets better on its own once 
circumstances change. As the stressor goes away, things take a turn. However, if 
the condition is bothersome and not sleeping well is starting to affect your 
productivity seriously, you can practice relaxation techniques or distract yourself 
from getting your mind off your worries.
Chronic insomnia:
This type of insomnia stays longer and is more challenging to manage. It may 
happen because of underlying causes like stress, psychological problems, 
environmental contributors, and physiological issues. To be diagnosed with this 
condition, you must have sleep troubles at least three times weekly for at least 
three months.
Unlike acute insomnia, chronic insomnia is hard to understand and treat. As 
mentioned above, it may have varied and underlying causes. Getting to the 
bottom of it may not be easy, and you may have to dwell over it for a long 
time to finally reveal the real reason. Some probable causes of chronic 
insomnia can be:
• Long-term stress because of a high-pressure job.
• Working night or rotational shifts.
• It may occur because of poor sleep habits and hygiene, like ignoring the 
body clock, staying up too late, going to bed too early, or an uncomfortable 
sleep environment.
• Changes in sleep environment like moving to a new apartment and sharing 
the bedroom with a sleep partner.
• Clinical disorders of a psychiatric or medical nature.
• Side-effects of a medicine.
After the cause has been diagnosed, you and your doctor must work together 
to find a solution for the condition. You may try relaxation techniques, 
exercise, light therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, and diet modifications.
So, these are the differences between acute and chronic insomnia Symptoms
.
                                   Thank You