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Most people with insomnia have it on an occasional or intermittent basis. About 9 percent of the general population, however, has chronic, prolonged insomnia. Thus, at any point in time, more than 20 million Americans suffer from severe, debilitating insomnia lasting from several months to many years.
The Kinds of Insomnia
Various scientific groups classify insomnia in different ways. One system divides insomniacs into people who can't fall asleep when they go to bed and people who fall asleep readily but can't stay asleep. A second system is based on how long the insomnia lasts. This system classifies insomnia as transient insomnia if it lasts just one to three nights, short-term insomnia if it lasts from four nights to three weeks, and chronic insomnia if it lasts more than three weeks. Another classification system sorts the causes of insomnia into five main categories:
Insomnia associated with psychological problems
Insomnia associated with medical problems
Insomnia due to lifestyle
Insomnia caused by poor sleep habits
Primary insomnia

 
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