Hockenbury Discovering Psychology 5th txtbk

154 CHAPTER 4 Consciousness and Its VariationsInsomnia is the most common sleep complaint among adults. Estimates of theprevalence of insomnia vary widely depending on the criteria used. Using conservativeestimates, about 1 out of 3 people occasionally experience transient insomnialasting from one or two nights to a couple of weeks. About 1 out of 10adults experience chronic insomnia with symptoms at least three nights eachweek that persist for a month or longer (Mahowald & Schenck, 2005; NationalSleep Foundation, 2005).The risk of insomnia is influenced by gender and age. Women are twice as likelyto suffer from insomnia as men. Certain social factors, such as being unemployed ordivorced, are related to poor sleep and increase the risk of insomnia in women.Pregnancy can also disrupt how well a woman sleeps (see Table 4.2). Insomnia alsotends to increase with age. In older women who are approaching menopause, hotflashes and night sweats can often disturb sleep (Edinger & Means, 2005; NationalSleep Foundation, 2006).The sleep-related disruptions of insomnia are often a matter of hyperarousal—the person’s level of arousal interferes with his or her ability to go to sleep or stayasleep. The source of the arousal can be physical, psychological, or behavioral.For example, insomnia can be caused by excitement or anticipation of an event,physical pain or discomfort, psychological distress or depression, or medications,such as anti histamines. Use of common stimulants, such as caffeine or nicotine,or poor sleep habits can also disrupt sleep. Noise, excessive heat or cold, unfamiliarsurroundings, and other environmental factors can also contribute tosleep-related problems.Most commonly, insomnia can be traced to anxiety over stressful life events,such as job or school difficulties, troubled relationships, the illness or death ofa loved one, or financial problems. As the person worries and ruminates overthe matter, anxiety intensifies, disrupting the ability to go to sleep or stayasleep. After a few nights of fragmented sleep, concerns about sleeping getadded to whatever waking anxieties the person may already be experiencing.As the person becomes hypersensitive to their sleeping difficulties, a selfperpetuatingvicious circle can develop—concerns about the inability to sleepmake disrupted sleep even more likely, further intensifying anxiety and worryover personal difficulties, producing more sleep difficulties, and so on (Perlis& others, 2005).Although numerous causes can initially trigger insomnia, psychological andbehavioral factors are almost always involved in perpetuating the problem. Fortunately,there are effective evidence-based psychological and behavioral treatments.In Enhancing Well-Being with Psychology, at the end of the chapter, we'll describeone effective behavioral treatment for insomnia and give you several suggestions toimprove the quality of your sleep.Table 4.2Sleep by the Numbers: America’s Women72% Working mothers who experience symptoms of insomnia a few nights eachweek74% Stay-at-home mothers who experience insomnia symptoms a few nights eachweek84% Pregnant women who report insomnia symptoms a few nights each week54% Single, working women who wake up feeling unrefreshed at least a few dayseach week3.1 Cups or cans of caffeinated beverages consumed daily by single, workingwomen27% Women who have driven while drowsy at least 1 or 2 times in the past monthSource: National Sleep Foundation (2007).