A study looked at how people with and without insomnia saw their stressors. Both groups had the same number of minor stressors, but people with insomnia rated the impact of the stressors much higher than those who slept well. People with insomnia also felt their lives were more stressful overall. This suggests that thinking about stress and learning to manage it is an important part of treatment for insomnia.

Sometimes, short-term ways to cope with stress aren't good long-term solutions. Some unhealthy ways of dealing with stress may include:

• drinking, smoking, or taking pills to relax
• eating too much or not enough
• withdrawing from people and activities
• taking your frustration out on others