Treating Insomnia

Insomnia influences an individual’s psychological, occupational, and physical health, as well as his or her economic status, and can result in decreased overall functionality and production (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). Nearly 29 % of the population in 2013 were impacted by frequent episodes of insomnia (Karlson, Gallagher, Olson, & Hamilton, 2013) suggesting that many people struggle with insomnia on a daily basis. There is the potential for the condition to develop at any age, including childhood, adolescence, menopause, and later in life (APA, 2013). The risk of developing insomnia; however, increases with age, with 65 % of individuals over 65 years of age reporting difficulty with insomnia. Women are also more likely to have trouble with insomnia reporting rates twice as high as men (Insomnia, 2014). There have also been some cultural patterns identified with insomnia. African American males tend to report lower than average rates of insomnia (12%) compared to African American women (19%), and European American men and women (14%) in the elderly population (Bryson & Edwards, 2013).