What is Insomnia?

        If you have spent many nights like most Americans surfing the TV channels or counting sheep to try to fall asleep or have woken up several times during the night and try to fall back asleep you know what insomnia feels like.  Studies show that more than half of the American population suffers from insomnia at some point in there life and about 70% of Americans have Chronic Insomnia.  The recommended amount of sleep is definitely different for each individual- some are able to feel rested with 8 hours while others can feel restored with 5 hours of sleep.  Insomnia is when an individual has trouble falling asleep or into a deep sleep or wakes up often throughout the night and has trouble falling back asleep.  As a result, tiredness, fatigue, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and a higher vulnerability to stress can occur during the day.  In most cases the individual will not feel restored or rejuvenated after sleeping.  The amount of sleep most people are recommended to have is between 7 and 8 hours per night.

Who is affected by Insomnia?

  All age groups and genders are susceptible to insomnia, and other sleep disorders, although it is more common in older adults.  Insomnia in children is not as common and is usually due to going to bed late or poor sleeping habits

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What are the causes of Insomnia?

  There are many different causes of insomnia. Some physiologic insomnia causes include jet lag, stress, hormones, and lack of exercise. Pathophysiologic causes range from medical and psychiatric disorders to pain, side effects of a drug, and other deficiency factors.

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 Are there different types of Insomnia? How do you know if your Insomnia Problem is serious?

 • Insomnia can be short term (Transient)- which lasts anywhere from a single night to a few weeks. About 25% of the Population complain of this type of insomnia

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What is Chronic Insomnia and what to do if you have Chronic Insomnia?

Chronic insomnia is continual insomnia that lasts at least 3 nights a week for at least a month. This can be an indicator of a medical problem and a patient should seek the advice of a medical professional

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Is there an Insomnia cure?

The treatment or cures for insomnia will depend largely upon the type of insomnia you are diagnosed with. It can vary from simply changing your nightly routine or environment in your room, getting good exercise daily, not drinking caffeine after 4:00 pm, to needing a type of insomnia medication

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Are there any known herbal remedies or natural remedies for Insomnia?

There are some known herbal remedies out there that have proven to be effective. Lavender oil- this has been shown to relieve nerve tension a few drops in a bedtime bath or a massage or scented candle can help. Lavender oil should not be ingested.

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Is sleeplessness during pregnancy common?

Sleeplessness in early pregnancy is quite common in fact, the first trimester is known for the first onset of heartburn, frequent bathroom trips, and tender breasts. There is hope for the restless when it comes to these things though

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