Insomnia is persistent difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or waking too early, paired with daytime effects such as fatigue, irritability and poor concentration. It becomes a disorder when it occurs several nights a week over months.
The most effective long term treatment is cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBTi), which outperforms sleeping tablets in trials and is recommended first line in Australian guidelines. Short term medication has a limited role. A doctor can assess causes, including sleep apnoea, and direct treatment accordingly.