Research Reveals Different Types of Insomnia – Who Knew?

I have had my fair share of sleepless nights. Fortunately, I do not suffer with persistent insomnia. Most nights, I fall asleep quickly and stay asleep for 6-8 hours. So imagine my surprise upon learning that there are different types of insomnia. Who knew? Not me.

I suppose the reality of different types of insomnia shouldn’t be surprising. After all, there is more than one form of arthritis. Heart disease comes in many different flavors, so to speak. And how many types of cancer do we know about? It stands to reason that insomnia isn’t a single, black-and-white condition governed by unchanging parameters.

Brain Scans Prove It

Medical researchers have suspected that insomnia manifests itself in several different subtypes for quite some time. But the latest research proves their suspicions with brain scans. Dutch researchers have discovered surprising structural changes in the brains of insomnia patients, changes that distinguish them according to insomnia subtype.

They enrolled more than 200 subjects along with several dozen people who reported having no trouble sleeping. They also divided the insomnia group into five different subtypes based on their answers to a questionnaire. Then they measured brain activity while the participants slept.

For starters, there were distinguishable differences in brain function between the insomnia group and those who had no trouble sleeping. But researchers also noticed differences between participants in each of the five subtypes.

What It Means in a Practical Sense

Unless you are someone who is into medical research, the practical impacts of this latest sleep study may not mean much to you. But step back and think about it for a minute. In fact, think about treating insomnia compared to how you might treat a bone fracture.

Medical science categorizes bone fractures into different subtypes. For example, a hairline fracture is quite different from a complete break. Different types of fractures are treated in different ways. Therefore, a doctor needs to know what type of fracture he is dealing with before he can help his patient.

Now, let us apply the same principle to insomnia. Understanding the type of insomnia a person is struggling with informs the doctor about the best treatment options. Practically speaking, more knowledge about insomnia subtypes should lead to more targeted treatments for each type.

Causes Play a Role Too

Despite what researchers have learned about insomnia subtypes, we cannot forget that the causes of insomnia play a big role in treatment, too. At KindlyMD clinics in Utah, healthcare providers seek to know what might be causing insomnia before recommending treatment.

KindlyMD might advise a patient whose insomnia is attributed to PTSD to get a Utah Medical Card for access to certain plant-based medicines. Another patient who struggles to sleep due to stress might be advised to give behavioral therapy a try. Therapy could reduce the stress.

I could continue with more examples, but I assume the point is well made. There is no single cause of insomnia applicable to every patient. Therefore, there should be no blanket treatment offered on a one-size-fits-all basis.

We Need to Learn More

This latest research into insomnia subtypes is pretty exciting, especially if you are someone who struggles with sleep. Here is hoping researchers don’t stop there. We need to learn more about what interrupts sleep so that we can do a better job of treating insomnia. We need alternatives to sleeping pills.

If insomnia is a regular visitor in your household, know that there are treatments other than sleeping pills. Talk to your doctor. And if she will not move beyond the prescription pad, perhaps look for a new doctor.

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