Thanks for your comments. I agree to them to a point. However, the mantra that insomnia is only a symptom of something else going on deeper, I think is outdated.

You are not going to go to a narcolepsy, CFS, or even bipolar disorder support site and finding [don't worry] "this is just a symptom".

Sometimes insomnia "is" secondary to other things - depressions, RLS, PTSD, poor sleep hygiene, etc.. But insomnia - more specifically - "Hyper-arousal" can be primary. That is - there is a problem with our fundamental processes that lead to natural sleep.

For instance, per a recent Medscape article: sleep is the coordinated activity of different sets of neurotransmitters that keep us awake (norepinephrine, serotonin, acetylcholine, histamine, orexin/hypocretin) and those that get us to sleep
(adenosine, gaba, galanin, melatonin).

Orexin/hypocretin is missing in people with narcolepsy.
(Very recently, they used to assume narcolepsy was "a symptom" depression.)

Someday I believe that they will better understand what deficiencies in underlying neurotransmitters (and the genes that produce them) or mutations in the various genes and hormones that coordinate their activity that lead to insomnia (hyper arousal).

The good news is, is as the medical community learns that there "can" be fundamental problem with sleep function, they will be more apt to treat it a fundamental disorder that needs relief when it warrants that.

I am not trying to be argumentative - I naturally have a lot of passion about this subject :-)

I agree that insomnia isn't just a symptom. Most of us on this board don't have just an occasional or heck even a weeks worth of bad sleep. In my case I've religiously gone to bed at 12 A.M and gotten up at 8 A.M for about 2 or 3 months now. I think a normal good sleeper would be sleeping better than 20% of the time ( like I've tracked myself) no matter how stressed out or whatever they are. I agree that there must be something psychologically, physiologically, or neurologically different from us insomniacs that cause us our extent of problems.

Hi everyone and OP, I'm new here too. I hope you're all well and wish you all the best. I'd just like to make a few points.

I also agree that insomnia is not always a symptom. I'm almost 48, and I've suffered from severe insomnia my entire adult life. There are times when I go up to 4 days and nights with no sleep at all. For about the past year, I've been consistently getting about 2 to 3 hours a night (when I do sleep). When I get 5 hours I feel fantastic.

I've done CBT, which can be somewhat helpful, but I don't consider it a panacea. Along those lines, the way I deal with the pain is to try not to give insomnia too much importance, but I know that can be difficult. I always tell myself, though, that I will eventually sleep. And I always do (but not nearly as much as I'd like).

I also try to walk for two hours a day. I realize this strategy isn't feasible for everyone, but I would encourage you all to get some type of exercise every day (even if it's just walking around your house or place of employment more). I've noticed that walking sometimes releases endorphins, and, afterward, I'm able to concentrate better, be more positive, and enjoy life more. Always remember that walking is free and easy and doesn't require any great skill, coordination, money, or time.

I'm glad the scientific community is taking insomnia more seriously, as the OP stated. Nothing bothers me more than seeing article after article about how bad lack of sleep is for us. WE GET IT. I want the scientific community and media to stop with the constant fearmongering (and the idiotic way they like to "punish" people who choose work over sleep by telling them all the horrible things they're doing to their minds and bodies, but, in doing so, scare the hell out of US!) and find some real solutions for chronic insomnia. And, by the way, please take everything the researchers and media spew forth with a grain of salt. According to them I should be haggard looking, obese, diabetic, have high blood pressure, have a compromised immune system, and be brain damaged. In reality, I look 15 years younger than I am, I'm not overweight and don't have diabetes, my blood pressure is normal, I hardly ever get sick, and my IQ is the same as it was when I was a child.

In addition, if the constant fearmongering scares you, please remember this: a lot of the scientists are trying to make names for themselves; a lot of researchers have to "publish or perish"; many of the studies are incomplete or not thoroughly understood; and the media outlets will print or air almost anything to get readers/viewers. (I'm not saying everything is false and that they're all nefarious quacks. I'm just reminding you to consider the above points.)

Anyway, I hope what I've said has been somewhat helpful to at least someone. And, again, I wish you all the very best!

Thanks for these comments. I have posted in a few other forums and honestly, this is the first time I have heard from people that really get it. There is a big difference between being a poor sleeper and a true insomniac.

And, as Calllie4 says: "Nothing bothers me more than seeing article after article about how bad lack of sleep is for us. WE GET IT."

L.O.L. Amen to that.

These days my insomnia has been better - albeit still with medicinal help - but light years better from take one day at a time existence I had for so many years. I really think aging has helped. I have done some genetic research and found that I have strong mutations on both enzyme genes that break down adrenaline and (excitatory) estrogen. When I look back on my life this really fits and makes sense. Aging kidneys and menopause - - for me a good thing.

Sleep IS complicated. Thanks again for sharing.

Welcome!