Insomnia Facts

Everyone has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at times. Women are twice as likely as men to have trouble sleeping. Approximately half of all seniors over sixty experience insomnia.

There is a significant relationship between sleep and health.

Many adults can handle one or two sleep-deprived nights without lasting ill effects.

After that, the symptoms become obvious to more than just ourselves. It begins to affect relationships, job performance, mood, physical health and even our safety.

If lack of sleep persists, the long-term cost to our health and well-being can be high.

Types of Insomnia

Transient insomnia lasts less than a week. You may experience trouble sleeping if you have jet lag, a change in your sleeping environment or are experiencing a temporary stressful situation.

Acute insomnia lasts less than a month while chronic insomnia lasts a month or more.

Other patterns or types of insomnia are dependent on when you have trouble sleeping.

You may have trouble falling asleep. This is common if you have "stress insomnia" or anxious thoughts.

Middle of the night insomnia is often associated with pain or illness that interferes with you staying asleep or falling back asleep if you wake up.

Then there are some people that just wake up too early in the morning and can't go back to sleep.

Reasons for Insomnia

Study the insomnia facts below to gain insights into why you're having trouble sleeping. Many of the causes are easy to eliminate just by making a few adjustments to your diet or environment. Others may require a visit to your health provider.

There are many reasons for insomnia. These include:

• using caffeine, alcohol or cigarettes, especially in the evening
• eating a spicy or heavy meal before bed
• noise while trying to go to sleep or stay asleep
• too much TV watching or computer time
• exercising before bedtime
• allergies, illness and/or pain
• some medications and supplements
• you feel too hot, too cold, or are uncomfortable
• hormones
• medical problems such as hyperthyroidism, neurological problems, mental disorders
• sleep problems such as sleep apnea, nightmares, sleepwalking
• jet lag or shift work
• experiencing mental or physical stress or anxiety, especially within several hours of bedtime

If you are suffering from "stress insomnia", be sure to check out the tips above and the Natural Remedies for Insomnia.

Go from Insomnia Facts to the Holistic Living Guide

Return from Insomnia Facts to the Home Page