Q What causes insomnia and what patterns does it follow?
A Insomnia appears as difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, or early-morning waking, all involving excess cortisol, an overactivated arousal system, and disrupted circadian rhythm.
Detailed Answer
Insomnia appears in three main patterns: difficulty falling asleep (sleep-onset insomnia), repeatedly waking during the night (sleep-maintenance insomnia), and waking very early in the morning (early-morning waking). All three share common underlying factors — excess secretion of the stress hormone cortisol, overactivation of the brain arousal system, and disruption of the body biological clock (circadian rhythm).
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
At Dongjedang Oriental Medicine Clinic, insomnia is classified into three types. The first is a type in which the gallbladder is weak, causing the person to startle awake at small sounds. The second is a type in which both digestive function and blood are deficient, producing many dreams and easy waking. The third is a type in which kidney yin is insufficient, causing a stifling sensation in the chest and heat in the hands and feet. Among working adults in the Dong-gu and Dongincheon areas of Incheon, the type caused by overwork and stress leading to deficiency of digestive function and blood is most commonly observed.
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