Many people reluctantly seek medical advice only after much coaxing from family and friends.

Yet when the problem affects a family member or friend, the same individual may be the very one coaxing them to seek medical advice. That’s human nature it seems!

How can you tell whether you just need to give it a little time to see if it sorts itself out or whether you need to get serious and make a appointment to see a doctor.

The definition of insomnia according to Webster’s dictionary is: “prolonged and usually abnormal inability to obtain adequate sleep.”

The U.S. National Institute Of Health categorizes insomnia this way:

Transient insomnia is just a temporary sleep problem lasting a few days or even a couple of weeks.

Intermittent insomnia is a little different in that, although it is temporary, lasting again just a few days or a couple of weeks, it comes back and re-occurs.

Chronic insomnia refers to the condition where a person cannot sleep the majority of nights and this condition persists for a month or more.

With that criteria you can now evaluate the insomnia symptom that is causing you concern.

If your sleep problem is a category 1 or a category 2, it’s probably not serious.

This temporary bout with insomnia can often be alleviated by over the counter medications or some natural remedies to improve sleep duration.

Natural sleep remedies can include such things as: good bedtime routine, exercise before bed, breathing exercises, warm baths, music, stress relievers, diet, herbs, chamomile, lavender, valerian, vitamins, and chromotherapy.

Exploring any of these options may be enough to combat the minor insomnia symptom that is causing concern.

It is widely known of course that any medication can have side effects so a user does well to check with a doctor first, especially if they are already using other forms of medication.

Chronic Insomnia

Chronic insomnia is another matter altogether. Going without proper sleep for weeks on end can have a huge impact on a person’s quality of life. It can affect social relationships and one’s level of performance in the workplace.

Medical attention is strongly advised for chronic insomnia. A doctor may be able to identify an underlying medical or psychological cause for the insomnia symptom and set out a course of treatment that will deal with it.

You may be prescribed medicine, or the doctor may recommend other therapies such as reconditioning, relaxation, or sleep restriction.

In conclusion, use the 3 category strategy above to decide whether the insomnia symptom you or a loved one is dealing with is merely temporary. If it falls into category 1 or category 2, it can probably be overcome after a short time, either with the help of medication or some natural remedies.

If your insomnia symptom is category 3 however, chronic insomnia, see a professional and deal with it immediately!

For 20 different Natural Sleeping Remedies methods visit the free Natural Sleeping Remedies Guide. Click here: Natural Sleeping Remedies For a list of key vitamins and minerals known to alleviate insomnia click here: Cure For Insomnia