It is a disorder associated with the sleep cycle and creates difficulty in falling and staying asleep.

Many factors may be associated with long-term insomnia such as stress, irregular sleeping patterns, conditions like anxiety, eating excess food in the evening, certain medicines like anti-depressants and anti-hypertensives and changes in work or travel schedule.

Individuals with insomnia may exhibit several symptoms during the early stages like difficulty falling and staying asleep at night, feeling tired even after sufficient sleep in the previous night, irritation, anxiety and depression, waking up too early, disrupted sleep due to waking up in between at night, poor concentration and difficulty memorising and drowsiness during the day.

Researchers report a link between clinical depression and insomnia. It is noted that individuals with depression generally find difficulty in sleeping and suffer from insomnia.

Several methods can be useful in treating insomnia and getting regular sleep back. Medicines prescribed by the doctor and non-prescription sleeping aids are helpful in treating insomnia. Light therapy, stimulus control therapy and relaxation techniques are some of the effective cognitive-behavioural techniques effective in treating insomnia.