insomnia

noun

in·​som·​nia in-ˈsäm-nē-ə 

: prolonged and usually abnormal inability to get enough sleep especially due to trouble falling asleep or staying asleep

chronic insomnia

Insomnia is a patient-reported problem characterized by difficulty falling asleep or difficulty maintaining sleep; ie, frequent awakenings, difficulty returning to sleep after awakenings, or awakening too early with inability to return to sleep.

—Daniel J. Buysse

Synonyms

• sleeplessness
• wakefulness

Examples of insomnia in a Sentence

has suffered from insomnia virtually his entire life

Recent Examples on the Web

According to experts, magnesium is primarily used for people with diagnosed deficiencies but there is limited evidence that magnesium is effective for those with insomnia symptoms. —Sophie Okolo, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025

The researchers found that an hour of phone use in bed increases risk of insomnia by 59% and shaves 24 minutes off your night's sleep. —New Atlas, 31 Mar. 2025

The results showed that a one-hour increase in screen time in bed was linked to a 59 percent greater risk of insomnia and 24 fewer minutes of total sleep on average. —Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 31 Mar. 2025

Conditions like anxiety, chronic pain, and insomnia are just some of the issues people turn to cannabis for. —Matt Rozo, The Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from insomnis sleepless, from in- + somnus sleep — more at somnolent

First Known Use

1739, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

insomnia

noun

in·​som·​nia in-ˈsäm-nē-ə 

: prolonged inability to sleep

Medical Definition

insomnia

noun

in·​som·​nia in-ˈsäm-nē-ə 

: prolonged and usually abnormal inability to obtain adequate sleep especially due to difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep

called also agrypnia