What causes insomnia?
Insomnia is the body’s way of saying that something isn’t right. Many things can cause insomnia - things like stress, too much caffeine, depression, changes in work shifts, and pain. Many people have insomnia. People who have insomnia may not be able to fall asleep. They may wake up during the night and not be able to fall back asleep, or they may wake up too early in the morning.
How much sleep do I need?
Most adults need about 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. You know you’re getting enough sleep if you don’t feel sleepy during the day. The amount of sleep you need stays about the same throughout adulthood.
How is insomnia treated?
The treatment of insomnia can be simple. Often, once the problem that’s causing the insomnia is taken care of, the insomnia goes away. The key is to find out what’s causing the insomnia so that it can be dealt with directly. Simply making a few changes in their sleep habits helps many people.
What can I do to improve my sleep habits?
- Go to bed and wake up at approximately the same time every day, including weekends, even if you didn’t get enough sleep. This will help you train your body to sleep at night.
- Develop a bedtime routine. Do the same thing every night before going to sleep. For example, take a warm bath and read for 10 minutes every night before going to bed.
- Make sure your bedroom is quiet and dark. If noise is a problem, use a fan to mask the noise or use ear plugs.
- If you’re still awake after trying to fall asleep for 30 minutes, get up and go to another room. Sit quietly for about 20 minutes before going back to bed. Do this as many times as you need until you can fall asleep.
Tips to help you sleep:
- Avoid or limit your use of caffeine (coffee, teas, sodas, chocolate), decongestants, alcohol and tobacco.
- Exercise more often, but don’t exercise within a few hours before going to bed.
- Learn to reduce or manage the stress in your life.
- Try eating a light snack before going to bed, but don’t eat too much right before bedtime.
- Don’t nap during the day if naps seem to make your insomnia worse.