Health Encyclopedia

Home | List of Topics | General Medical Information | General Adult Health

Insomnia concerns

Alternative Names

Sleep issues; Difficulty falling asleep

Information

Insomnia is difficulty falling or staying asleep. In many cases, it can be relieved with a few simple behavioral changes or medication. Talk with your health care provider if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Difficulty falling asleep
• Wake up several times throughout the night
• Wake up early in the morning
• Significant trouble getting out of bed in the morning
• Excessive sleepiness during the day
• History of falling asleep during the day at inappropriate times
• Pain, frequent urination, or unusual sensations that keep you awake
• Nightmares or disturbing thoughts that keep you awake

Here are some simple tips to get a better night's sleep:

1. If possible, go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
2. Avoid performing activities such as eating and working in your bed.
3. Avoid strenuous activity two hours prior to going to bed.
4. Avoid caffeinated beverages in the evening. Some people may have the same reaction from drinking very sweet beverages or alcohol.
5. Avoid eating heavy meals at least two hours prior to going to sleep.

Do something relaxing just before bedtime (reading or television) so that you don't dwell on worrisome issues. If you can't fall asleep within 30 minutes, get up and move to another room and engage in a quiet activity until you feel sleepy.

One method of preventing worries from keeping you awake is to keep a journal before going to bed. List all issues that worry you. By this method you transfer your worries from your thoughts to paper, leaving your mind quieter and more ready to fall asleep. See sleep disorders.

Caffeinated beverages consumed anytime after 3 p.m. can affect some people's ability to fall asleep. In addition, drinking alcoholic beverages before bedtime can hurt the quality of your sleep.

HOW MUCH SLEEP IS ENOUGH?

While 7-8 hours a night is recommended for most people, children and teenagers need more. Older people tend to do fine with less. The quality of sleep is as important as how much sleep you get.

See also:

• Sleep disorders
• Sleep disorders in the elderly

Review Date:12/22/2006
Reviewed By:Paul Ballas, D.O., Department of Psychiatry, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) and this website do not claim the information on, or referred to by, this site is error free. This site may include links to websites of other government agencies or private groups. Our Agency and this website do not control such sites and are not responsible for their content. Reference to or links to any other group, product, service, or information does not mean our Agency or this website approves of that group, product, service, or information.

Additionally, while health information provided through this website may be a valuable resource for the public, it is not designed to offer medical advice. Talk with your doctor about medical care questions you may have.