Definition
The condition of being unable to sleep, or having great difficulty falling or staying asleep, even when you want to.
Etymology
From Latin 'insomnia' meaning 'sleeplessness', from 'in-' (not) + 'somnus' (sleep). It entered English medical vocabulary in the 17th century.
Kelly Says
Insomnia isn’t just ‘not tired’; it’s often your brain stuck in overdrive when your body wants to power down. The paradox is brutal: the more you try to force sleep, the more alert your brain becomes.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
እንቁላል እንደ ምን
ɛŋkʷʊlɛ ɛndɛ mɪn
CACatalà
insomni
inˈsomni
DADansk
søvnbesvær
ˈsœvnˌbɛsˈvæːr
DEDeutsch
Schlafstörung
ʃlafˈʃtœʁʊŋ
ELΕλληνικά
αϋπνία
aˈipnia
ESEspañol
insomnio
inˈsomnjo
FAفارسی
بیخوابی
biːˈxɒːvɑːbi
FISuomi
unettomuus
uˈnetːomːuus
FRFrançais
insomnie
ɛ̃smoiːn
HEעברית
insomnian
inˈsomniːan
HIहिन्दी
नींद की बीमारी
nind ki bīmārī
HUMagyar
alvási zavar
ˈalváːsi zɑːvɑr
IDBahasa Indonesia
insomnia
inˈsomniə
IGIG
n'eche n'eche
nɛˈtʃɛ nɛˈtʃɛ
ITItaliano
insonnia
inˈsoniːa
KMKM
ប្រព័ន្ធ ស្លាប់
prɔːpʰɔːn ˈslɑːp
MRMR
निरंतर जाग
nirantaar jāg
MSBahasa Melayu
kekurangan tidur
keˈkurɑŋɡan ˈtɪdʊr
MYမြန်မာ
အကြိမ်အတိုင်း
a kyi-m a ta-ing
NLNederlands
slaapstoornis
slɑːpˌstoːrˈnɪs
NONorsk
søvnproblemer
ˈsœvnˌprɑːblɛmər
PLPolski
bezsenność
bɛˈsɛnːɔst͡ɕ
PTPortuguês
insónia
inˈsoːniɐ
RORomână
insomnie
inˈsomniːe
RUРусский
бессонница
bɛssɔnˈnitsa
SVSvenska
sömnsvårigheter
ˈsœːmnsˈvɑːrɪˌgɛtɛr
SWKiswahili
ugonjwa wa usingizi
uˈɡɔnʒwɑ wa ʊˈsɪŋɪzɪ
TAதமிழ்
நீண்ட இரவு
nēṇṭa iravu
TLTL
pagkabalisa
paɡkaˈbalisa
TRTürkçe
uykusuzluk
uˈjkuːsuzluːk
UKУкраїнська
безсоння
bɛzˈsɔnːja
URاردو
نیند کی کمی
nind ki kami
VITiếng Việt
mất ngủ
mất ˈnɡu
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Insomnia has been reported and diagnosed differently across genders, with women’s sleep problems sometimes dismissed as anxiety or stress tied to caregiving roles rather than treated as medical issues. Research on insomnia has also historically underrepresented women’s specific experiences.
Inclusive Usage
When discussing insomnia, avoid trivializing it as mere worry, especially for women balancing multiple roles. Use language that recognizes it as a legitimate health concern for all genders.
Inclusive Alternatives
["chronic difficulty sleeping","sleep disorder"]
Empowerment Note
Acknowledge women researchers and clinicians who have advanced understanding of sleep disorders, and the impact of unpaid care work on sleep health.