Peculiarities of insomnia in men and women at different age periods

Abstract

Insomnia is a public health problem and one of the most common complaints in medical practice. Sleep disturbances may manifest as difficulty falling asleep (sleep-onset insomnia), maintaining sleep continuity (waking in the middle of the night and difficulty going back to sleep) or waking too early in the morning long before the desired time (early morning insomnia). Insomnia can significantly affect daytime functioning, leading to waking up in the morning tired, reduced productivity, a tendency to make mistakes and have accidents, inability to concentrate, frequent daytime sleep and a poor quality of life. The etiology and pathophysiology of insomnia include genetic, environmental, behavioural and physiological factors. Although insomnia can affect any gender and age group, women and the elderly are more vulnerable and are more likely to develop insomnia. A detailed sleep history is key to assessing insomnia. Clinicians must be able to recognise sleep disturbances and rule out other sleep-related disorders. The aim of treating insomnia is to improve sleep and alleviate the distress or dysfunction caused by this disorder. Psychological therapy methods, drug therapy, or combinations of these methods can be used to treat insomnia. Some behavioural interventions are feasible in primary care, but lack of training in these methods limits theiruse. Various natural and over-the-counter drugs, such as melatonin-based drugs, are used as sleeping pills. Melatonin has been evaluated as a sleeping pill in different doses, demonstrating a small but significant effect on sleep latency.