Intermittent insomnia

Insomnia that occurs from time to time and each time it lasts anywhere between a single night up to a few weeks. This is in contrast to chronic insomnia when it occurs on most nights and lasts a month or more. Intermittent insomnia may not require treatment since, by definition, the episodes of insomnia only last a few days at a time. For example, if insomnia is due to a temporary change in the sleep/wake schedule, as with jet lag, the person's biological clock will often get back to normal on its own. For some people, however, who experience daytime sleepiness and impaired performance as a result of transient insomnia, the use of short-acting sleeping pills may improve sleep and next-day alertness. As with all drugs, there are potential side effects. The use of over-the-counter sleep medicines is not usually recommended for the treatment of insomnia.