Member-only story
Do You Really Have Insomnia?
A much needed fact check
I refuted my family for years when they said I have insomnia. To me, not getting enough sleep has become natural. I can’t remember the last time I woke up feeling refreshed. For a whole year, I operated on two to five hours of sleep per night. And now, I rarely stay asleep for more than two hours at a go.
Still, I don’t call myself an insomniac. It’s just normal to me. But when someone called me an insomniac recently, it got me thinking I should conduct some research. Everyone seems to have trouble sleeping nowadays. Taking sleeping pills has seemingly become the norm. Does that mean we’re all insomniacs?
Now, please note while I’ve had seven years’ worth of first-hand experience with clinical depression, anxiety, and long-term lack of sleep, I’m not a mental health professional. The experiences stated in this article are my personal experiences, and the sleep schedule and practices that work for me might not necessarily work for you. This article is meant to help you get an idea of what insomnia is and when you should consult a doctor about it.
What is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a type of sleep disorder. According to an article by Eric Suni on Sleep Foundation, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s ICSD-3 defines insomnia as:
