Insomnia

Having trouble sleeping? Find out more about insomnia

At some point in your life you may have difficulty sleeping - many people do.

Anyone can suffer from insomnia, although sleeping difficulties are commonly caused by stress and worry.

Other common causes include physical illness that causes pain; environmental noise; caffeine, alcohol and medication side effects; depression and shift-work.

Types of Insomnia

There are two broad categories:

• Chronic insomnia - lasting for several weeks, months or even years
• Transient insomnia - lasting for a few nights or weeks only, usually connected to a stressful event such as an exam or a bereavement

Within these categories insomnia usually takes one or more of the following forms:

• Difficulty falling asleep - common among young people
• Sleeping lightly and restlessly, waking often, lying awake in the middle of the night - more common in people over 40. In younger people it may be associated with depression
• Waking early and being unable to get back to sleep - this is more common in older people and anyone worrying about something in particular

Curing the problem

There are a number of things that people affected by insomnia can do to help themselves. These are known as sleep hygiene measures. They include:

• Avoid taking cat-naps during the day
• Reduce your caffeine intake
• Drink alcohol in moderation. It may bring on sleepiness but it can cause early waking
• Stop smoking - night-time breathing problems are more likely in smokers
• Take regular exercise but avoid strenuous activity immediately before going to bed
• Try to get into a daily routine. Go to bed the same time each night and get up the same time each morning
• Avoid heavy or rich meals, especially in the few hours before bedtime
• Work out how many hours sleep you can manage with before daytime sleepiness becomes a problem
• If you can't sleep, get up and read in a dim light until you feel sleepy. Don't watch television or lie in bed thinking about how much sleep you are missing
• Other activities that can create a relaxed mood include taking a warm bath, having a milky drink, or listening to soothing music