Insomnia patients can suffer from disrupted daily routines and hindered social gatherings due to a lack of sound sleep. When the symptoms become completely unruly and out of order, people can qualify for disability criteria benefits after getting a VA rating for sleep insomnia.
Understanding Insomnia
Specialists have explained the condition of Insomnia as the difficulty maintaining a good sleep at night due to variable reasons. It can be a cyclic series when either you cannot fall and stay asleep or when you do sleep, it is of poor quality, and you keep waking up at intervals. This disturbed sleep means that after the sufferer wakes up, they keep feeling lousy and unenergetic throughout the day. Insomnia can be of different levels, depending on its severity and impact on daily life.
Recommended sleep duration for various age categories
- Newborns (up to 3 months) = 14 to 17 hours
- Infants (4 to 12 months) = 12 to 16 hours
- Preschoolers (up to 5 years) = 10 to 14 hours
- Children in school (6 to 12 years) = 9 to 12 hours
- Adolescents (13 to 18 years) = 8 to 10 hours
- Adults (18 years and older) = 7 to 9 hours
Causes of Insomnia
- Anxiety and depression
- Excessive use of caffeine
- Alcohol consumption
- Uncomfortable sleeping environment
- Drug abuse
- Work shifts
- Mental disorders
- Pain
- Chronic illnesses
- Pregnancy
- Jet lag
- Sleepwalking
- Narcolepsy
- Menopause
- Snoring and breathing problems
- Nightmares
The variety in Insomnia
Insomnia can be categorized into several types:
- Primary Insomnia: This type occurs independently, without being linked to any other medical condition. Nevertheless, it may be exacerbated by factors such as stress or persistent pain.
- Secondary Insomnia: This form arises from an existing physical or mental health issue. When such an issue starts affecting one’s sleep, it results in secondary insomnia.
- Acute Insomnia: A prevalent type of insomnia that typically emerges during periods of heightened stress but resolves quickly, often within a day or up to a week.
- Chronic Insomnia: This represents a long-lasting form of insomnia, generally persisting for approximately three weeks and manifesting at least three nights each week.
- Psychophysiological Insomnia: It is a type of insomnia which results from a fear of not being able to sleep. This fear combines with performance anxiety about the next day and results in insomnia.
- Paradoxical Insomnia: This condition occurs when an individual loses awareness of their actual sleep duration, leading them to believe they have slept for a shorter period than they truly have.
Veterans and Insomnia
Military personnel and veterans are prone to stress and sleep disorders due to their hectic and burdensome routines. Insomnia is the most common complaint amongst militants, resulting from mental burden and PTSD. Some factors that badly influence their sleep routine include tough schedules, training stress, witnessing traumatic events, and foreign deployment.
What are VA ratings for Insomnia?
The department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has defined a criterion to measure and tag a mental condition with different percentages depending upon their complexity. The same parameters are used to give a VA rating to Insomniacs. Here is a brief overview of what each rating window from 0-100% represents:
- 0 percent rating
This is the lowest level of insomnia. Though this rating acknowledges the condition, it is not severe enough to interfere with daily life operations. If a veteran receives a VA rating from 0-10 percent, they can qualify for some health benefits, but they are very limited and do not include tax-free payments.
- 10 percent rating
This rating window means that the Insomnia is slightly more frequent than the initial percentages, but it is still manageable with medication and precautionary measures. Only some selective benefits can be granted to veterans with a 10-30% rating since they are still able to balance their work and social life.
- 30 percent rating
At this rating, insomnia reaches a phase where it begins to disrupt normal life. Within this window, the patients face a lack of focus and problems in productively managing work. Here, they become eligible for tax-free payment modules.
- 50 percent rating
At this stage, the symptoms significantly hinder the veteran's ability to engage in daily activities and maintain employment, and medication alone may prove inadequate for symptom control or management. This means that patients with a 50 percent VA rating for Insomnia can qualify for many health-based compensations.
- 70 percent rating
This level of VA rating means that the Insomnia has reached a crucial level and drastically impacts the patient’s life. This means that they cannot operate productively on their own and need external assistance. It also means that they cannot work significantly well in the workplace and deserve extensive medical advantages.
- 100 percent rating
This level of Insomnia meets the criteria of total disability. A 100 percent rating means that the person is no longer suitable for work management and social interactions. At this stage, the person can qualify for maximum leverage in the veteran sector.
How can you get a VA rating for Insomnia?
- Gather competitive and authentic medical evidence for your condition through sleep studies, test results, and doctor’s statements.
- Maintain a sleep journal highlighting the napping and waking times, interruptions, and physical symptoms.
- Go for a Compensation and Pension exam (C&P) and submit a medical nexus.
- It is essential to prove that your insomnia was either directly caused by your active duty or worsened by your service, indicating that there was an in-service occurrence and a connection between your present condition and your military service.
- Get a telehealth consultation for Insomnia and requesting a medical draft to support your claim.
- File for a secondary health condition if your insomnia results from other factors like chronic depression or pain.
Key takeaways
Insomnia hampers the patient’s nights and throws their days into disarray. Veterans and militants are the favorite targets of insomnia due to their hectic lifestyles. If the symptoms of your insomnia are worsening day after day and interfering with the smooth flow of your life, you can get yourself tested and qualify for a VA rating. VA ratings for the severity of your condition can determine what type of medical facilities and compensations you are eligible for. Before getting rated, you need to ensure that you have proper medical evidence ready at hand.
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