Types of Insomnia
Insomnia is most often classified by duration:
- Transient insomnia - Less than one month
- Short-term insomnia – Between one and six months
- Chronic insomnia – More than six months
However, insomnia can also be classified as:
Primary insomnia – Insomnia that is present with no other co-existing disease. Most of the studies on treating insomnia have been done with people who have primary insomnia.
Co-morbid insomnia – When insomnia exists in conjunction with another medical or psychiatric condition. Co-morbid insomnia does not have to be caused by or change with the co-existing disorder. Most cases of insomnia belong to this category. Sometimes, having insomnia can make the medical or psychiatric condition worse and hinder its treatment. For example, people with depression and insomnia do not respond as well to depression treatment as depressed people without insomnia.
