By far the most common sleep complaint is insomnia. About a third of Americans have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, problems that result in listlessness and loss of alertness during the day. Most of the time the distress is temporary, brought on by anxiety about a problem at work or a sudden family crisis. But sometimes sleep difficulties can extend for months and years. Faced with a chronic situation, insomniacs frequently medicate themselves with alcohol or drugs. Doctors warn that in most cases sleeping pills should not be taken for longer than two or three weeks. Such drugs can lose their effectiveness with time, and it takes higher and higher dosages to work. People run the risk of becoming dependent on the pills.
We understand from the passage that insomnia ___.
is a condition about which very little is known
has an adverse effect on one's daytime performance
seems to be a bigger problem in America than elsewhere in the world
is a common cause of alcoholism
is on the increase as people have to face more and more problems
The point is made in the passage that "short-term" sleeplessness ___.
is very often caused by a worrying situation
produces no ill-effects and should be disregarded
should never be treated with drugs
refers to the type of insomnia that lasts no longer than three weeks
responds well to sleeping pills
It is emphasized in the passage that sleeping pills ___.
can intensify certain types of insomnia
are used regularly by almost a third of the American people