Transient (Short-Term)

Transient insomnia is the inability to sleep well and wake up feeling refreshed that lasts over period of a few days up to 4 weeks and is better known as being the short-term type. In fact, almost everyone has had the experience of transient insomnia in some point of their lives due to either a change in daily routine or a big event.

This type of insomnia is linked to short term stress and inability to calm down before going to bed and is often referred to as adjustment sleep disorder. Other causes of transient insomnia consist of: high levels of mental or physical activity within 3 hours of going to bed, extreme temperatures, and environmental disturbances such as noise.

Air travel through different time zones is one factor that can be linked to this condition. In most cases, one day of adjustment is usually needed for each time zone traveled on long plane trips. One thing you can note is that traveling west to earlier times seems to be less problematic than going east to a later time period. This is because it is easier to lengthen a circadian phase than it is to shorten it.

Treatment is not recommended for dealing with transient insomnia. Sleeping pills may help you to rest, but you should not be dependant on sleeping pills to go to bed at night. The best solution to solve your problem is to identify what's causing your stress and find a way to relax.