insomnia

noun

in·​som·​nia in-ˈsäm-nē-ə How to pronounce insomnia (audio)
: 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

Examples of insomnia in a Sentence

has suffered from insomnia virtually his entire life
Recent Examples on the Web Your quest to solve a number of health ailments - anxiety, insomnia, nausea and more - may have brought you to look up essential oils. Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2024 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some of the side effects could include irritation to the eyes, skin, and stomach, as well as cough, chest pain or difficulty breathing, insomnia, irritability, indecision, headache, weakness or exhaustion and weight loss. Claudia Levens, Journal Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2024 Burnout can present itself in a series of physical symptoms, including insomnia, nausea, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, recurring headaches, and more. Jia Rizvi, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024 Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is the most effective tool out there for treating insomnia, so people with more severe sleep problems may want to seek that out as well, Paruthi added. Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 26 Mar. 2024 When meeting with your doctor, relay any sleep issues or concerns to them so you can be monitored for sleep apnea or insomnia. Dominique Fluker, Essence, 13 Mar. 2024 Breathing exercises can help fight insomnia or ward off panic attacks. Medea Giordano, WIRED, 11 Mar. 2024 Some cases of insomnia do have specific causes—many of which seem to respond to physical activity. Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 27 Mar. 2024 Participants in nine European countries were surveyed about their frequency, intensity and duration of physical activity as well as their symptoms of insomnia, amount of sleep each night and feelings of sleepiness during the day. Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 26 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'insomnia.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1739, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of insomnia was in 1739

Dictionary Entries Near insomnia

Cite this Entry

“Insomnia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insomnia. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

insomnia

noun
in·​som·​nia in-ˈsäm-nē-ə How to pronounce insomnia (audio)
: prolonged inability to sleep

Medical Definition

insomnia

noun
in·​som·​nia in-ˈsäm-nē-ə How to pronounce insomnia (audio)
: prolonged and usually abnormal inability to obtain adequate sleep especially due to difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep

called also agrypnia

More from Merriam-Webster on insomnia

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