insomnia

noun

in·​som·​nia in-ˈsäm-nē-ə 

: prolonged and usually abnormal inability to get enough sleep especially due to trouble falling asleep or staying asleep

chronic insomnia

Insomnia is a patient-reported problem characterized by difficulty falling asleep or difficulty maintaining sleep; ie, frequent awakenings, difficulty returning to sleep after awakenings, or awakening too early with inability to return to sleep.

—Daniel J. Buysse

Synonyms

• sleeplessness
• wakefulness

Examples of insomnia in a Sentence

has suffered from insomnia virtually his entire life

Recent Examples on the Web

Which means that for 20 years, many of them have been suffering terrible symptoms, including hot flashes, migraines, mood swings, brain fog and insomnia, that could have been greatly lessened by MHT. —Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2024

Symptoms progress and become more severe as time goes on, which includes cerebral disfunction, anxiety, confusion, agitation, delirium, abnormal behavior, hallucinations, hydrophobia and insomnia. —Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 3 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from insomnis sleepless, from in- + somnus sleep — more at somnolent

First Known Use

1739, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

insomnia

noun

in·​som·​nia in-ˈsäm-nē-ə 

: prolonged inability to sleep

Medical Definition

insomnia

noun

in·​som·​nia in-ˈsäm-nē-ə 

: prolonged and usually abnormal inability to obtain adequate sleep especially due to difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep

called also agrypnia