No longer a rare occurrence, insomnia affects many people each year. The good news is many of the sufferers are suffering only temporary. Those who occasionally deal with temporary insomnia can almost always link their lack of rest to a specific life event or something stressful occurring in their life.

Those Americans who suffer from continuous insomnia that lasts longer than just a few nights during a stressful event, may ultimately struggle with a lack of sleep for weeks. Sometimes the insomnia is so severe it can last for months or years! Those who suffer with chronic and long lasting insomnia understand the side effects clearly and know what they mean to their life.

Determining what type of insomnia you are suffering from is the first step to dealing with the side effects of the condition. There are generally three different types of insomnia and all sufferers fall into one of the three categories. Some will be able to not fall asleep at all, some will fall asleep but will wake every few hours and other will be able to sleep for three hours but then wake for the rest of the night.

Over the counter medication is often sought after when someone is suffering with insomnia. However, many of the available sleep aids can't address all three of the types of insomnia and only focus on falling asleep. Those who can fall asleep, but not stay asleep, often find these sleep aids only leave them more tired when they do wake in the night.

The most common side effects noted by individuals suffering from insomnia are headaches and the inability to concentrate. In combination with a distinct touchiness that permeates around the insomniac, social interactions and working relationships can be challenged or damaged. Sure, the insomniac doesn't want to allow their sleep problem to interfere. However, when their natural energy resources are depleted it can be difficult to maintain an even temper.

When an insomniac has run out of natural energy reserves, chronic insomnia becomes a dangerous condition. The lack of sleep may cause problems with driving and reacting to traffic situations even as a pedestrian. The sufferer may find that she or he is at a heightened risk of becoming involved in a traffic accident.

Sometimes an insomniac realizes their chronic lack of sleep is adversely affecting driving and also workplace behavior. Due to this realization, insomniacs may try to offset their lack of sleep, capacity to concentrate, and overall bad mood with over the counter stimulants. Terribly, many of these substances are hazardous and can adversely affect the human body.

Insomniacs will sometimes attempt to gain the sleep they lack by self medicating on the backend and thus seek to invite sleep by overindulging in alcohol and some recreational drugs. This is dangerous not only for the insomniac but also for her or his loved ones! Fortunately, there are plenty of treatments available which permit insomniacs to once again find the rest they so desperately need.