Primary insomnia By : Kimberly Salazar psychology Period :6

Primary insomnia Define:  Primary insomnia means that a person is having problems falling asleep, awakens frequently throughout the night, or gets a full night’s sleep but does not feel rested.

Associated Features Difficulty falling asleep Waking up often during the night and having trouble going back to sleep Waking up too early in the morning Feeling tired upon waking

Associated Features: DSM IV a) The predominant complaint is difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or nonrestrictive sleep, from at least 1 month. b) The sleep disturbances (or associated daytime fatigue) causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. c) The sleep disturbance does not occur exclusively during the course of narcolepsy, breathing-related sleep disorder, circadian rhythm sleep disorder, or a parasomnia. d) The disturbances does not occur exclusively during the course of the course of another mental disorder (e.g., Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, a delirium). e) The disturbance is not due to the direct physiology effects of a substances (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition.

Etiology Medical researchers are unsure of the exact cause, but Insomnia is thought to be caused by:  Excessive focus on and heightened anxiety about sleep  Difficulty falling asleep at the desired bedtime or during planned naps, but no difficulty falling asleep during other monotonous activities when not intending to sleep  Ability to sleep better away from home than at home  Mental arousal in bed characterized either by intrusive thoughts or a perceived inability to volitionally cease sleep-preventing mental activity  Heightened somatic tension in bed reflected by a perceived inability to relax the body sufficiently to allow the onset of sleep  The sleep disturbance is not better explained by another sleep disorder, medical or neurologic disorder, medication use, or substance abuse disorder.

Prevalence  1 in 10 adults and 1 in 4 older adults - For example, in this class (of 30), roughly 3 people have problems sleeping.

Treatment  When you take pills or drink alcohol those things doesn’t actually work or help with your problem, they make it worse.  The treatments that could work are: - Exercise regularly, but not in the late evening -Avoid all caffeine after early afternoon -Relax before bedtime -Sleep on a regular schedule -Avoid naps throughout the day -Hide the clock face so you aren't tempted to check - If all else fails, settle for less sleep, either going to bed later or getting up earlier

Prognosis  Individuals with insomnia report an impaired ability to concentrate, poor memory, difficulty coping with minor irritations, and decreased ability to enjoy family and social relationships  Individuals with insomnia are more than twice as likely to have a fatigue-related motor vehicle accident

Prognosis  The mortality rate appears to be higher in patients who sleep fewer than 5 hours each night.  People with Insomnia often develop depression and anxiety  Insomnia can be improved if underlying causes are addressed.

Reference  Halgin, R.P & Whitbourne, S.K. (2005). Abnormal psychology: clinical perspectives on psychological disorders. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill  Myers, D.G. (2011). Myers’ psychology for AP. New York, NY: Worth Publisher.  Medscape. (2012). Insomia. Retrieved from overview#aw2aab6b2b4aa

Discussion Question  How are the treatment methods related to conditioning?