Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder characterized by difficulties in falling asleep or staying asleep for an entire night. The condition may also cause someone to wake up early and not be able to fall asleep again. It is common for many adults to have short-term acute insomnia for days or weeks.

Insomnia affects approximately 35% of adults; however, in some regions, the rate is higher at 50-60%↗. In the United States, about 9.5%↗
of people experience short-term, also known as transient or acute, insomnia. One out of every five short-term insomnia cases graduates to chronic insomnia. To prevent such outcomes, one can seek professional help. But before we discuss available treatment options, let’s learn more about the symptoms and causes of acute insomnia.

Insomnia disorder types

Types of insomnia are categorized based on duration and include:

• Acute, short-term, episodic, or transitory sleeplessness. The illness might linger anywhere from a few days to a month.
• Chronic insomnia can persist for years and last longer than three months.
• A sleep disturbance known as primary insomnia arises when there is no underlying medical issue.
• Another physical or mental health issue coexists with comorbid insomnia.

Acute Insomnia: What Is It?

Acute insomnia is a transient sleep problem that can be brought on by a stressful event, bad sleeping habits, and other things. Even if the illness is transient, it nevertheless has a detrimental effect on a person’s daily life. Every year, almost 25% of Americans suffer from severe insomnia.

Signs of Acute Insomnia

Acute insomnia symptoms include:

• Having trouble falling asleep
• Not being able to sleep through the night
• Experiencing fatigue and lack of sleep
• excessive sleepiness during the day
• Lethargy and exhaustion
• Depression, agitation, and anxiety
• Poor memory, attention, and concentration
• An rise in mishaps or mistakes
• Concerning yourself with sleep

What Can Lead to Sleeplessness?

Here are a few typical reasons for acute insomnia:

• Mental health conditions.
  • About 40% of insomnia sufferers ↗ also suffer from a mental illness. These often involve anxiety and despair. Because they induce intrusive thoughts and mental hyperarousal, they are likely to interfere with sleep habits.
• Neurological issues.
  • The risk of sleeplessness is increased by any brain issue, including neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. The circadian regularity of sleep-wake cycles is disturbed by Alzheimer’s disease, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Mental perplexity brought on by neurological issues impairs sleep quality.
• Stress.
  • The mind is kept occupied by overanalyzing, worrying, and worrying about many aspects of life. The difficulty in falling asleep is caused by the brain’s failure to shut down. Acute insomnia can be brought on by stressful and traumatic events such as the death of a loved one, losing one’s job, or having marital problems.
• Drugs.
  • Prescription drug adverse effects may manifest as insomnia. Certain blood pressure medications, stimulants, antidepressants, and asthma medications disrupt sleep cycles. Insomnia can occasionally be a sign of drug withdrawal.
• The underlying health issue.
  • Insomnia can be brought on by illnesses including cancer, diabetes, asthma, chronic pain, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Pain exacerbates the issue by making it harder to sleep and raising stress levels. Insomnia can be temporary or persistent and is caused by physical disorders that impact the respiratory and neurological systems.

Comparing Acute and Chronic Sleep Disorders

Let’s go over the distinctions between acute and chronic insomnia below:

Treatment and Management of Acute InsomniaAcute insomnia can be successfully treated and managed since it is a transient sleep disturbance. Among the steps taken to treat the illness are:

• Prescription medications.
  • For therapy, a person suffering from severe insomnia should see a physician. For both acute and chronic insomnia, the doctor may recommend any of the following drugs:
  • Eszopiclone (Lunesta)
  • Temazepam (Restoril)
  • Ramelteon (Rozerem)
  • Zaleplon (Sonata)
  • Zolpidem (Ambien, Edluar, Intermezzo, Zolpimist)
  • Orexin (Belsomra)
• The use of over-the-counter sleep aids.
  • Antihistamines that make you drowsy are examples of over-the-counter sleep aids. Regular usage of the medicine is not advised, though. Among other problems, overuse can result in adverse consequences, including disorientation, excessive daytime drowsiness, and dizziness.
• Intervention in psychotherapy.
  • A person can handle the life pressures that lead to a transient sleep disturbance with the use of behavioral treatment and cognitive-behavioral therapy. To reduce stress and enhance sleep patterns, the patient and therapist learn coping mechanisms,, including meditation and relaxation exercises.

In conclusionEvery year, a large number of individuals worldwide suffer from the common ailment known as acute insomnia. Thankfully, it is a sleep problem that can be managed and treated. To avoid the situation worsening into severe insomnia, it is best to consult a physician who will teach you how to cope with short-term stresses and contributing variables.