When you are unable to sleep at night, your days can be a struggle. You may notice difficulty concentrating, grogginess, and feeling more depressed overall. Insomnia is one of many sleep disorders that affects one in three people at least once in their life. However, while some blame insomnia for their sleep deprivation, it is possible you have simply developed poor sleep patterns. Glacier Headache & Sleep Medicine, located in Kalispell, MT, is a clinic that diagnoses and treats sleep disorders like insomnia.

Before self-diagnosing, the experts suggest understanding the differences between insomnia and poor sleep patterns to help resolve the issue:

• Causes of Both: Both insomnia and poor sleep habits result in the same thing, the inability to sleep or stay asleep at night. While the two terms are often used interchangeably, the root causes of each are vastly different. Insomnia is caused by an external source, often something that is out of your control. This could be significant life stress, medication, depression, or pain. Poor sleep habits are developed more from factors that are under your direct control, such as sleeping throughout the day.

• Hours of Sleep: Insomnia sufferers have trouble sleeping at any time of day. Napping is difficult even after only receiving a few restless hours of sleep the night before. If you have insomnia, you rarely get more than a few hours each day. If you simply have poor sleep habits, you may get a few hours of sleep throughout the day, followed by a few at night.

• Treatment Options: Insomniacs may require sleeping pills to help them sleep through the night. Long-term treatments include resolving the underlying issue of your insomnia, be it stress, fear, or pain. Those with bad sleep habits may also require short-term sleeping pills to help regulate their schedule. Once you can get six to eight hours of sleep at night, you will be less likely to nap during the day, which is a primary cause of the issue.

Both insomnia and poor sleep patterns can be a disruptive force in your life. Visit a specialist, such as Glacier Headache & Sleep Medicine, in Kalispell, MT. Their physicians have experience treating sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy, and even pediatric sleep disorders. For more information, visit their website or call (406) 752-1729 today.