SENIOR JOURNAL.COM - Senior Citizens Information and News

Front Page    Search     Contact Us     Advertise in Senior Journal

E-mail this page to a friend!

Mysteries of Insomnia to be Explored by National Institutes of Health Conference

June 4, 2005 – Insomnia is a mysterious sleep problem that primarily effects senior citizens and late boomers. It has been frequently in the news recently with new treatments and new drugs. Now the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has called a State-of-the-Science Conference on the Manifestations and Management of Chronic Insomnia in Adults to try and unravel some of the mystery. The conference will be June 13-15, 2005, at the Natcher Conference Center, on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland.

Insomnia is the most common sleep complaint reported by women and men across all stages of adulthood and for many, the problem is chronic. While insomnia often exists simultaneously with other medical conditions (co-morbidities), the definitive etiology (cause) of insomnia remains unknown.

Nevertheless, chronic insomnia is associated with a wide range of adverse consequences (morbidities), including depression, alcohol and drug abuse, difficulties with concentration and memory, and various cardiovascular, pulmonary, and gastrointestinal disorders.

In addition to reduced quality of life and increased health care use reported by insomnia sufferers, the large number of people experiencing insomnia ultimately results in significant economic burden to society in lost productivity and health care costs. Although a number of promising behavioral and pharmacological approaches have recently been identified for the management of chronic insomnia symptoms, there has been limited guidance for clinicians in terms of choice of treatment.

During the first day and part of the second day of the conference, experts will present the latest findings in the research of chronic insomnia to an independent panel. The panel will then meet in executive session to weigh the available scientific evidence and prepare its statement assessing the state of the science, to be presented for public comment at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 15.

The panel’s statement will address these five key questions:

1. How is chronic insomnia defined, diagnosed, and classified, and what is known about its etiology?

2. What are the prevalence, natural history, incidence, and risk factors for chronic insomnia?

3. What are the consequences, morbidities, co-morbidities, and public health burden associated with chronic insomnia?

4.  What treatments are used for the management of chronic insomnia and what is the evidence regarding their safety, efficacy and effectiveness?

5.  What are important future directions for insomnia-related research?

The primary sponsors of this conference are the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the Office of Medical Applications of Research (OMAR), both components of the NIH.

Complete conference information, including the agenda, additional background, and logistical information, is available online – Click Here.

What Is Insomnia?

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of National Institutes of Health

Insomnia is the perception or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep because of one or more of the following:

§         difficulty falling asleep

§         waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep

§        waking up too early in the morning

§         unrefreshing sleep

Insomnia is not defined by the number of hours of sleep a person gets or how long it takes to fall asleep. Individuals vary normally in their need for, and their satisfaction with, sleep. Insomnia may cause problems during the day, such as tiredness, a lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, and irritability.

Insomnia can be classified as transient (short term), intermittent (on and off), and chronic (constant). Insomnia lasting from a single night to a few weeks is referred to as transient.

If episodes of transient insomnia occur from time to time, the insomnia is said to be intermittent. Insomnia is considered to be chronic if it occurs on most nights and lasts a month or more.

What Causes It?

Certain conditions seem to make individuals more likely to experience insomnia. Examples of these conditions include:

§         advanced age (insomnia occurs more frequently in those over age 60)

§         female gender

§         a history of depression

If other conditions (such as stress, anxiety, a medical problem, or the use of certain medications) occur along with the above conditions, insomnia is more likely.

There are many causes of insomnia. Transient and intermittent insomnia generally occur in people who are temporarily experiencing one or more of the following:

§         stress

§       environmental noise

§         extreme temperatures

§         change in the surrounding environment

§         sleep/wake schedule problems such as those due to jet lag

§         medication side effects

Chronic insomnia is more complex and often results from a combination of factors, including underlying physical or mental disorders. One of the most common causes of chronic insomnia is depression.

For the four page brochure on insomnia in pdf format – Click Here

Click to More Senior News on the Front Page

Copyright: SeniorJournal.com