Having a sleepless night is a study in frustration.
Your mind may be whirling with the things that happened during the day or the things you need to do tomorrow.
You know you need to sleep, but getting your brain to cooperate can be difficult.
You're not alone.
About two thirds of adults in the United States are suffering right along with you.
In fact, forty percent of the women and thirty percent of the women in one survey reported several sleepless nights a week.
That's a lot of sleep deprived people.
There are a number of problems this condition can cause.
Obviously it will mean you are tired, and you will have problems concentrating.
Sleep deprived drivers are more likely to get into accidents than their fellow drivers who got a full night's rest.
While that is bad enough, studies are indicating that insomnia can cause obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other disorders.
A study done in Japan showed that women who regularly get less than seven hours per night are much more likely to develop breast cancer.
These are some pretty nasty problems.
If you suspect insomnia, it is a good idea to have a sleep study done.
This can help pinpoint the reason for the problem, making treatment a lot easier.
There are also many things you can do at home in order to improve your chances of a good night's rest.
When interviewing clients on this topic, the first question I ask is how much caffeine the client consumes.
Coffee, some teas and caffeinated soda pop can steal your ability to sleep.
If you must consume them, limit the amounts and stop by two p.
m.
or earlier so that your body can come down from the caffeine high.
There are other ways caffeine can be consumed.
Weight loss products and energy drinks/bars are often chock full of it.
Read the label before using them, and follow the same rules as above for caffeinated beverages.
Eating too close to bedtime can be another problem.
Your nightly milk and cookies aren't that big of a deal, but a heavy meal right before bed is another story altogether.
Sleep slows digestion greatly, so you're asking your body to put a hold in this natural process, and it might not be able to do so.
While getting plenty of exercise is important for getting your nightly quota of zees, doing so late in the afternoon/evening could do the exact opposite.
It's best not to exercise within four hours of the time you expect to turn in.
One of the reasons those working night shifts have problems with adequate rest is light.
You may have a similar problem.
Digital alarm clocks, the lights on the DVD player and other sources of light can keep you awake or make it harder for you to fall into a deep sleep.
Killing the lights could be a simple way of solving the problem.
Do you like to watch television in bed? How about reading? This can cause your subconscious mind to have difficulties associating your room with sleep.
It's a good idea to concentrate on your room being used for one thing...
sleep.
If you are still having problems, there are remedies for it.
After you have a diagnosis, it will be easier to choose which to use.
Valerian is the "go to" herb for insomnia.
It takes ten days to two weeks before you notice a change in your habits, but it can be useful for mild insomnia.
It smells horrible, but it is not considered addicting.
When speaking to your doctor, be sure to mention any medications or medical conditions you have.
If you already use supplements, tell your doctor about those as well.
Some herbal remedies have side effects and herb/drug interactions, and this information could prevent you from suffering from them.