SKIP TO
CONTENT
The lack of sleep is a common occurrence for active duty members of the military. Unfortunately, insomnia is a serious issue that can cause lasting health problems now and in the future. For veterans struggling with sleep disruptions, a VA benefits claim may be appropriate.
If you are considering a claim, or if your application has already been denied, you could benefit from a discussion with Gang & Associates. Our attorneys could handle your appeal and improve your chances of getting the benefits you need.
What Qualifies as Insomnia?
Put simply, insomnia is a condition where you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or you wake up too early. While insomnia might be little more than a nuisance for some people, others face serious, ongoing health consequences. It can put a strain on personal relationships and impact job performance, among other things.
Most people do not deal with long-term sleep disruptions. Typically, the underlying issues—like physical pain or stress—subside to the point where sleep comes easy again. Others may deal with ongoing sleep disruptions. For a person to qualify for insomnia, they must face issues at least three nights per week during a period of three months.
Causes of Insomnia During Deployment
There are any number of factors that could interfere with your ability to sleep while on deployment. Some of these factors can continue long after you return home. For starters, the stress of being in a combat zone can make it difficult to sleep. Intrusive thoughts related to PTSD can also result in sleep disruptions.
For some members of the armed forces, it may be as simple as not having comfortable surroundings. Cramped quarters and limited hours for rest are common. Those injured during their deployment may also struggle to sleep due to the pain.
Causes of Insomnia Following a Deployment
A wide variety of factors can impact a person’s sleep habits after they return from active duty. Understanding these factors could be crucial for anyone pursuing an insomnia VA rating decision.
Alcohol Use
The use and abuse of alcohol are often used by people who struggle with falling asleep. Unfortunately, alcohol hurts the restfulness of sleep at the end of the night. The end result is usually the person under the influence wakes up the following day feeling fatigued instead of restful.
Environmental Changes
For many people, deployment means limiting your sleep in an effort to stay alert and aware for long periods of time. The sense of stress can increase a person’s need to remain awake or listen for sounds of trouble. Returning home can be challenging, as service members must learn new ways to address environmental changes beyond remaining awake due to hypervigilance.
Chronic Pain
Many service members return from deployment with chronic pain. This could result from a traumatic injury, or it could simply be caused by wearing heavy gear for hours on end. Chronic pain is more than just an annoyance. It can make it impossible for a person to get a good night’s sleep. This also has the cumulative effect of limiting the body’s ability to heal itself at night.
If that were not enough, some efforts to mitigate chronic pain can also lead to insomnia. This is because certain medications can make it difficult to sleep at night. This will only make things worse in some cases.
Depression
Returning from deployment can have a significant impact on a person’s relationships with friends and family. There are a number of psychological issues that can occur during a deployment, including PTSD and depression. These feelings can cause a person to isolate themselves. This can result in sleep disruptions as a person attempts to deal with their emotional state following a deployment. In other situations, intrusive thoughts and nightmares brought on by PTSD and stress can lead to the inability to fall asleep.
You Could Qualify for VA Benefits Due to Insomnia
You have the opportunity to pursue VA disability benefits for insomnia. The VA offers these benefits as long as three important criteria are met. The failure to establish even one of these will result in a denied claim.
To qualify, you will first need a current diagnosis of insomnia disorder. If you participated in a sleep study, then this type of record would be relevant to your claim.
Having a diagnosis is only the first step towards benefits. There must also be evidence that is connected to your service in some way. This could be a direct connection, meaning that your insomnia is due to and injury or illness you suffered while on active duty.
It could also represent a secondary condition, meaning it is linked to some other disability caused by an in-service event. For example, your insomnia could be related to the pain caused by a knee injury during a training exercise.
There are also regulations related to your discharge that need to be considered. You must have been discharged in a status other than dishonorable. If your claim is approved, you could be entitled to ongoing financial payments. The team at Gang & Associates could help you obtain your insomnia VA rating.
Talk to Gang & Associates Today About Your Insomnia VA Rating
If you are living with insomnia related to your military service, you could be entitled to VA benefits. These claims can be challenging and frequently result in denials. The good news is that there is a process for appealing these cases.
If your claim was denied, Gang & Associates are here to help you with your insomnia VA rating. We understand what goes into a winning claim, and we have extensive experience handling appeals. Reach out as soon as possible to discuss your options.