insomnia

insomnia
—insomnious, adj.
/in som"nee euh/, n.
inability to obtain sufficient sleep, esp. when chronic; difficulty in falling or staying asleep; sleeplessness.
[1685-95; < L, equiv. to insomn(is) sleepless (in- IN-3 + somn(us) sleep + -is adj. suffix) + -ia -IA]

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Inability to sleep adequately.

The causes may include poor sleeping conditions, circulatory or brain disorders, breathing disorders (e.g., sleep apnea), mental distress (e.g., tension or depression), or physical discomfort. Mild insomnia may be treated by improving sleeping conditions or through traditional remedies such as warm baths, milk, or systematic relaxation. Apnea and its associated insomnia may be treated surgically or mechanically with breathing apparatus. Severe or chronic insomnia may necessitate the temporary use of barbiturates or tranquilizers, but such drugs are often addictive and may be decreasingly effective as the body builds up tolerance. Other methods of treatment include psychotherapy and hypnosis.

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▪ sleep disorder
      the inability to sleep adequately. Causes may include poor sleeping conditions, circulatory (cardiovascular disease) or brain disorders, a respiratory disorder known as apnea, stress, or other physical or mental disorders. Insomnia is not harmful if it is only occasional; the body is readily restored by a few hours of extra sleep. If, however, it is regular or frequent, insomnia may have harmful effects on other systems and functions of the body.

      Treatment of mild insomnia may involve simple improvement of sleeping conditions or such traditional remedies as warm baths, warm milk, or relaxation. Chronic insomnia may require the temporary use of sedatives (sedative-hypnotic drug), hypnosis, or psychotherapy; apnea and its associated insomnia may be treated surgically. The prolonged use of sleeping pills as a relief from frequent or recurring insomnia can have harmful effects. The body tends to build up a tolerance to the medication, necessitating a more potent dosage in order to fall asleep; habitual use can lead to addiction.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • insomnia — 1620s, insomnie, from L. insomnia want of sleep, from insomnis sleepless, from in not (see IN (Cf. in ) (1)) + somnus sleep (see SOMNOLENCE (Cf. somnolence)). The modern form is from 1758 …   Etymology dictionary

  • Insomnia —    Film policier de Christopher Nolan, avec Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank, Maura Tierney, Martin Donovan.   Pays: États Unis   Date de sortie: 2001   Technique: couleurs   Durée: 1 h 56    Résumé    Insomnia est le remake (très… …   Dictionnaire mondial des Films

  • Insomnia — In*som ni*a, n. [L., fr. insomnis sleepless; pref. in not + somnus sleep.] Lack of sleep; inability to sleep, especially when chronic; wakefulness; sleeplessness. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • INSOMNIA — pro Deorum nunriis, Gentilibus habira, magna olim in aestimatione fuêre. Hinc scribir Plum???rch. Sullam, cum Commentarios suarum rerum gestarum libros L. Lucullo inscriberet, monnisse amicissimum hominum; observaret praedictiones nocturnas… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • insomnia — [n] inability to sleep soundly indisposition, insomnolence, restlessness, sleeplessness, stress, tension, vigil, vigilance, wakefulness; concept 315 Ant. sleep …   New thesaurus

  • insomnia — ► NOUN ▪ habitual sleeplessness. DERIVATIVES insomniac noun & adjective. ORIGIN Latin, from insomnis sleepless …   English terms dictionary

  • insomnia — [in säm′nē ə] n. [L < insomnis, sleepless < in , IN 2 + somnus, sleep: see SOMNOLENT] abnormally prolonged inability to sleep, esp. when chronic insomniac [in säm′nēak΄] n., adj …   English World dictionary

  • Insomnia — This article is about the sleeping disorder. For other uses, see Insomnia (disambiguation). Insomnia Classification and external resources ICD 10 F51.0, G47.0 …   Wikipedia

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