At its core, insomnia is a condition that disrupts your sleep. Symptoms of insomnia include:²

• Lying awake for a long time before you fall asleep

• Sleeping for only short periods

• Being awake for much of the night

• Feeling as if you haven't slept at all

• Waking up too early

Insomnia is a complex condition that can be caused by a wide variety of health, lifestyle, and mental triggers. Common causes of insomnia include:^3,4,5

• Stress. Anything that is causing stress in your life like work, financial problems or relationships.

• Travel. Travel, especially between time zones, can disrupt your circadian rhythm.

• Work schedule. A shift that is not compatible with your circadian rhythm, like an overnight shift.

• Poor sleep habits. Stimulus that can affect your sleep like using screens, an uncomfortable bed and light in the bedroom.

• Eating too close to bedtime. A meal or snack right before bed can cause stomach discomfort or heartburn that keeps you awake.

• Mental health conditions. Anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions can contribute to insomnia.

• Medications. Certain medications can upset your sleep such as antidepressants and pain relievers.

• Medical conditions. Conditions linked with insomnia include chronic pain, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), overactive thyroid, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.

• Sleep-related conditions. Sleep apnea and other sleep-related conditions can cause insomnia and affect the quality of sleep.

• Caffeine, nicotine or alcohol. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants that can keep you awake. Alcohol inhibits deeper sleep cycles and can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night.

• Pregnancy. During pregnancy, changes in your body may make it more challenging to fall and stay asleep, and you may get lower quality sleep than what you’re used to.

• Perimenopause/Menopause. Perimenopausal and postmenopausal women are up to two times more likely to report sleep issues than nonmenopausal women.

Yes, studies have shown about one-third of insomnia is inherited.⁶

Yes, insomnia has two types: acute (short term) and chronic (ongoing).

Acute insomnia is common and typically lasts for a few days or weeks. Common causes include stress at work, family pressures or a traumatic event.

Chronic or severe insomnia lasts for a month or longer. Most cases of chronic insomnia are secondary, which means they are the symptom or side effect of another issue. Common causes of chronic insomnia include medical conditions, medicines, sleep disorders and use of substances like caffeine, tobacco and alcohol. Occasionally, chronic insomnia is the primary problem without a clear cause.⁷ 

Insomnia is not classified as a mental illness but does have a close relationship to mental health disorders. Insomnia can be both a symptom and a cause of mental illness.⁸

Controlling your insomnia is usually best handled by trying treatment options to find the best combination for you. Treatment options generally fall into three categories:⁹

• Medication

• Therapy to treat underlying anxiety, depression or mental illness

• Lifestyle changes such as more exercise, eating a balanced diet, and reducing tobacco and alcohol use

Yes, RedBox Rx provides convenient online doctor consults on your schedule with low-cost prescription medications shipped to your door. Start a consult today.

Sometimes. Short-term or acute insomnia is often caused by temporary stress or changes in sleep schedule due to travel or other circumstances. Often, once the trigger is removed, short-term insomnia will resolve itself.¹⁰

There is not a universal cure for insomnia but it can be successfully treated in individuals. Often treating the underlying cause will restore healthy sleep with habit changes, addressing medical or mental health conditions, switching medications or reducing stress. There are also treatments that can help resolve insomnia if the cause is unclear or other methods fail, such as: ¹¹

• Cognitive behavioral therapy

• Relaxation techniques

• Prescription medication

• Over-the-counter sleep aids

1. Cleveland Clinic

2. Medline Plus

3. Mayo Clinic

4. Cleveland Clinic

5. Let’s Talk Menopause

6. Harvard Medical School

7. Medline Plus

8. National Library of Medicine

9. Healthline

10. WebMD

11. Mayo Clinic

Commonly prescribed medications for insomnia include:⁷

• Eszopiclone (Lunesta®)

• Ramelteon (Generic Rozerem®)

• Zaleplon (Sonata®)

• Zolpidem (Ambien®, Edluar®, Intermezzo®, Zolpimist®)

• Hydroxyzine (Generic Atarax®)

• Trazodone (Generic Desyrel®)

• Mirtazapine (Generic Remeron®)

• Amitriptyline (Generic Elavil®)

Short-term or acute insomnia is often caused by temporary stress or changes in sleep schedule due to travel or other circumstances. Often, once the trigger is removed, short-term insomnia will resolve itself.¹³ Over-the-counter sleep remedies can help in the short term like antihistamines,¹⁴ melatonin, chamomile and valerian.¹⁵

Treatment for chronic or severe insomnia is usually more complex and takes longer for success. It can take a combination of multiple treatments, including medication, relaxation techniques, lifestyle changes, improvement of sleep habits and therapy. Chronic insomnia is often a symptom of another medical or mental health condition and can be resolved by addressing the primary condition.¹⁶

Yes, there are over-the-counter sleep medications. However, these options may not be as rigorously studied or tested as prescription treatment options. Neither OTC or prescription sleep medications are meant for long-term use.¹⁷ Consult a healthcare provider about the best course of treatment for you.

Prescription sleep medications start at $16.66 per month with RedBox Rx. No insurance required. Both HSA and FSA accepted. Start an online consult to see if prescription sleep medication is right for you.

Sleep medications vary in the time it takes affect. However, for most prescription sleep aids, the recommended time to take is 30 minutes before bedtime.¹⁸ 

If you are treating chronic insomnia with an antidepressant, it can take three to four weeks for sleep to improve.¹⁹

Side effects of prescription sleep medications will vary depending on the drug. Some common side effects include:²⁰ 

• Burning or tingling in the hands, arms, feet or legs

• Changes in appetite

• Constipation

• Diarrhea

• Balance problems

• Dizziness

• Daytime drowsiness

• Dry mouth or throat

• Gas

• Headache

• Heartburn

• Mental slowing or problems with attention or memory

• Stomach pain or tenderness

• Uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body

• Unusual dreams

• Weakness

Primary care physicians and online telehealth providers, including RedBox Rx, can prescribe sleep medication. Start an online consult today.

Yes, you can get prescription medications for insomnia online with telehealth providers like RedBox Rx. Start an online consult to see if prescription sleep medication is right for you.

Yes, treatment through RedBox Rx is HSA and FSA eligible.

12. Mayo Clinic

13. Mayo Clinic

14. Mayo Clinic

15. WebMD

16. Mayo Clinic

17. Mayo Clinic

18. National Library of Medicine

19. National Library of Medicine

20. WebMD