“When you have insomnia, you’re never really asleep, and you’re never really awake. With insomnia, nothing’s real.” Chuck Palahniuk couldn’t have been more right. Amongst all physical and mental disorders, insomnia perhaps is the worst. It keeps you wide awake, when all you want is a good night’s sleep. It doesn’t let you forget things; and at times, it doesn’t let you remember them either. Sounds effed up, right? We all have had our bouts with insomnia, but no one really knows why. The reasons can be countless–from nursing a heartbreak to battling odd work hours.
According to research, there are five types of insomniacs. If you’re someone dealing with a sleep disorder, then read on:
1. Highly distressed
People suffering from type 1 insomnia are extremely volatile. They suffer from a range of mood swings, and often go through the entire spectrum of emotions. They tend to feel tense always, and the lack of sleep turns that into anxiety.
2. Reward-sensitive
These type of insomniacs react to positive emotions. They are usually under a lot of stress, but when brought into a happy environment can fight insomnia effectively.
3. Reward-insensitive
This type of insomnia is difficult to deal with. The ones suffering from this type of sleeplessness may not be highly distressed, but they also hardly react to any positive emotions. They are always in a negative state of mind.
4. Highly reactive, but slightly distressed
Those suffering from this type of insomnia react immediately to constant stress and the pressures of work and life events.
5. Slightly distressed, low reactivity
This, perhaps, is the first stage of insomnia. Those who suffer from this type of insomnia can recover if treated in time. Insomniacs in this category have stressful lives, but can deal with stressful situations effectively.
