Sleep Problems
There are an increasing number of people who find that they can’t sleep well. For them, a good night’s sleep appears to be as elusive as a toothed hen. Estimates of the number of people suffering from sleep problems vary:
- It is said that up to 25% of the UK population suffers from disturbed sleep
- Some studies suggest that 40% of people sleep badly
- Other studies indicate that between 23 and 34% suffer from insomnia
Whatever the figure is, it is clear that there are a lot of people around us suffering from sleep problems! So, if you are someone who experiences disturbed sleep, you are in a very big minority.
Types of sleep problems
In general, there are three types of sleep problems:
- Difficulty getting to sleep. This is probably the most common problem. With normal sleep, one should be unconscious well within 30 minutes. However, some people can find that it takes a few hours to fall asleep but once this is achieved, the quality of sleep is good.
- Poor quality sleep. This is when people feel that they sleep lightly, waking up often, but able after a while, to fall asleep again. They seem to stay awake for a long period of time, although in reality, these periods of wakefulness are shorter than they would think.
- Waking up early. This may or may not be a problem. Some people enjoy waking up at 5am to get on with their daily lives, uninterrupted by others and achieving loads at this time of the morning. However, others who wake up early could suffer from low mood or even depression. If you think you suffer from depression, you should speak to your doctor if you have not already done so.
Causes of sleep problems
As you can imagine, the cause of sleep problems are many and complex. However, the main reasons why people may experience sleep problems can be summarized as follows:
- The sleep environment. This is perhaps one of the most important things for you to consider, even if there are other causes to your sleep problem. Your sleep environment may not appear to have changed recently, but other things around you may have. Make sure that your bed and bedroom are comfortable. Is your mattress too hard, or perhaps too soft? Has it been changed recently - maybe it needs to be renewed? Is your bedroom too hot, or too cold? Is it dark enough? Have you recently moved and can’t get used to sleeping in your new bedroom? Do you suffer from noisy neighbors, or a busy street? Maybe it is a noisy (new) partner - don’t forget who you are sleeping with.
- Stress, anxiety and worry. What happens to you during the day can have a big impact on how you sleep at night. Have you been more anxious or under more stress at work – or at home? Are there worries with family or friends? Individually, these may not appear to be much, but as a collection, it could be that your mind is unable to settle down enough to enable you to fall asleep.
- Getting older. Most of us do not want to admit to this, but getting older is a fact of life - one which we cannot avoid. We might ignore it, but the result is... we simply continue to get older. No matter how fit we are, as we age, our sleep pattern changes. We tend to sleep less deeply during the second half of the night and in general, we need less sleep. Having more time on our hands, we fall into the habit of snoozing during the day, which then leads to requiring less sleep during the night. On the whole, this is not a problem – however, it gets to be one if you become worried or anxious about not having a good night’s sleep.
- Minor medical conditions. There are a number of minor medical conditions which can cause you to sleep badly during the night.
- For a woman, night sweats due to the menopause can lead to disturbed sleep.
- For a man of similar age, the problem could be an enlarged prostate leading to frequent night-time trips to the toilet to urinate.
- Others may suffer from restless legs syndrome – with a feeling that you have to move your legs to relieve discomfort.
- Tinnitus, sounds ringing in the ears, is another minor medical condition which can lead to sleep disturbances.
- There are of course, lots of other minor medical conditions such as congested nasal passages due to colds and flu, difficulty in getting comfortable due to a stiff neck or painful joints, etc. etc.
What’s the difference between sleep disturbance and insomnia?
Sleep problems can be divided into two groups.
- Sleep Disturbance. This is more common and is a minor health problem. Most people experiencing sleep problems will be able to relate to the causes listed. Some may feel that there is no obvious one cause, but perhaps a combination of a number of these can explain their sleep problem. These people will experience either difficulty in falling asleep and/or suffer from poor quality sleep. Some drop off to sleep easily, but wake up frequently during the night. Yet others experience both. Although some may describe themselves as suffering from insomnia, sleep disturbance is usually a better description.
- Insomnia. This, on the other hand, is a serious condition usually associated with a medical or psychological condition. For instance, people who are depressed can suffer from insomnia. If you think you are suffering from insomnia or depression, you should seek the advice of your doctor if you have not already done so.
Dormeasan Home
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Where to Buy
Dormeasan herbal sleep remedy can be found in Independent Health Stores and Pharmacies, Holland & Barrett and larger Boots stores.
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