insomnia
Americannoun
noun
Usage
What does insomnia mean? Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep for an adequate amount of time.Insomnia is often used casually to refer to occasional sleeplessness or a single instance of it. But in medical terms, insomnia typically refers to a condition involving a chronic inability to fall or stay asleep, meaning the inability is persistent and prolonged—it happens all the time.A person who experiences insomnia can be called an insomniac.Example: My insomnia gets worse when I’m under a lot of stress.
Other Word Forms
- insomnious adjective
Etymology
Origin of insomnia
First recorded in 1685–95; from Latin, equivalent to insomn(is) “sleepless” ( in- in- 3 + somn(us) “sleep” + -is, adjective suffix) + -ia -ia
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They discovered that adults who have both insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea face a significantly higher risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease compared with those who have only one of the conditions.
From Science Daily
I am very lucky in that I’m a very good sleeper and the few times in my life when I do experience insomnia, it’s infuriating to me because I am spoiled, basically.
From Los Angeles Times
She is also calling for more support in the workplace, highlighting how brain fog, anxiety and insomnia are the top three symptoms which affect women at work.
From BBC
Feeling scared and suffering with insomnia, Fearon retired from all sport.
From BBC
Post-menopausal women were more likely to report insomnia, reduced sleep, and ongoing tiredness.
From Science Daily
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
