ALthough there are many symptoms of insomnia that are obvious, such as difficulty in falling asleep and staying asleep, sometimes the sleep interruptions can go almost unnoticed, or at least are not remembered.

Most often daytime symptoms will bring people to seek medical attention. Typical daytime problems caused by insomnia include the following:

Poor concentration and focus

Difficulty with memory

Impaired motor coordination

Irritability and impaired social interaction

Motor vehicle accidents because of fatigued, sleep-deprived drivers

Long term sleep deprivation can also cause depression and other serious emotional and mental disturbances, and/or mood & behavior changes.  Read more...

Although there are many physical causes that can case insomnia, psychological issues are probably the most common cause of sleep problems for the average person.

The most common psychological problems include anxiety, stress, and depression.

Insomnia may also be an indicator of depression. Many people will have insomnia during the acute phases of a mental illness.

Who Is At Risk For Insomnia?

Insomnia is a common disorder. One in 3 adults occasionally has insomnia. One in 10 adults has chronic insomnia. Insomnia affects women more often than men, and it can occur at any age. However, older adults are more likely to have insomnia than younger people. People especially prone to insomnia include those who are:  Read more...

There are many possible causes of insomnia. Insomnia may result from either psychological or physical causes.

Physiological causes span from circadian rhythm disorders, sleep-wake imbalance, to a variety of medical conditions. Following are the most common medical conditions that trigger insomnia:

Chronic pain syndromes
Congestive heart failure
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer disease (Often insomnia is the deciding factor for nursing home placement.)
Read the rest of this entry  Read more...

Insomnia Treatment: Setting The Stage for A Good Night’s Sleep!

There are a number of simple things that are often very beneficial in overcoming temporary insomnia, once you have determined that there is no underlying medical cause that may require a specific medical treatment:

1) Exercise regularly.
Aerobic exercise and general fitness are important to maintaining good health.
You should exercise in the early part of the day and avoid strenuous activity before bedtime.

2) Avoid large meals and excessive fluids before bedtime.

3) No caffeine products within 3 hours of bedtime (this means no coffee, non-herbal teas, chocolate, or sodas before bedtime!)  Read more...

Have insomnia? Chances are you have probably tried a lot of different things to get a good night’s sleep, but for me personally, I have tried to take the natural route whenever possible rather than going the prescription drug route.

Personal preference, but I have battled insomnia since childhood and I have had more long term success with no side effects with natural insomnia treatments than with the doctor’s prescriptions.

Herbs For Insomnia
Herbal remedies have long been popular and there are several that are commonly used and widely available:  Read more...