The resources below - provided by the National Sleep Foundation - will also help you learn more about sleep.
Think you really know sleep? Use this popular American resource to find out just how much you know.
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Did you know a sleep diary is an effective way to track and monitor your child's sleep habits?
Download the sleep diary (PDF)>>
Have you met the Dozes yet? They're ready to teach your family about sleep.
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Home - Adults & Sleep - Stress and Insomnia
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Stress and Insomnia
Stress is considered by most sleep experts to be the No. 1 cause of short-term sleeping difficulties. Common triggers include:
• School- or job-related pressures
• A family or marriage problem
• A serious illness or death in the family
Usually the sleep problem disappears when the stressful situation passes. However, if short-term sleep problems such as insomnia aren't managed properly from the beginning, they can persist long after the original stress has passed.
Without realizing it, you may be doing things during the day or night that can work against getting a good night's sleep - lifestyle stressors. These include drinking alcohol or beverages containing caffeine in the afternoon or evening, exercising close to bedtime, following an irregular morning and nighttime schedule, and working or doing other mentally intense activities right before or after getting into bed.
Insomnia
According to the National Institutes of Health, about 30-40 percent of
adults say they have some symptoms of insomnia within a given year, and about 10-15
percent of adults say they have chronic insomnia.
The word "insomnia" comes from the Latin in ("no") and somnus ("sleep"), so it literally means "no sleep" or the inability to sleep. Insomnia is an experience of inadequate or poor quality sleep as characterized by one or more of the following sleep complaints:
• Difficulty initiating sleep
• Difficulty maintaining sleep
• Waking too early in the morning
Sleep specialists classify insomnia in two primary categories: acute and chronic. Short-term or acute insomnia, which is often due to a temporary situation such as stress, jet lag, change or loss in a job or relationship, can last up to 1 month and is treatable. It is important to address the underlying cause. Effective and safe prescription medications can help.
Long-term or chronic insomnia, which is experienced for a month or longer, can be secondary to causes such as medical, physical or psychological conditions, another sleep disorder or medications and substances. It is essential to get a medical diagnosis.
Treating insomnia
Fortunately, there are treatment options available for insomnia,
ranging from behavioral therapy to the use of prescription medicines, or a combination
of the two.
Although the specific causes of insomnia differ from one person to the next, there are some general habits you can adopt that may help you sleep better. Not each of these practices may apply to everyone with insomnia, so you may want to focus on one or two that seem particularly relevant to your situation.
Sleep experts recommend the following tips to help you overcome sleep problems:
• Establish a regular bedtime routine and a regular sleep-wake schedule.
• Don't spend too much time in bed.
• Do not eat or drink too much before bedtime.
• Create a sleep-promoting environment that is quiet, dark, cool and comfortable.
• Consume less or no caffeine, particularly late in the day.
• Avoid alcohol and nicotine, especially close to bedtime.
• Exercise, but not within three hours before bedtime.
• Avoid naps, particularly in the late afternoon or evening.
• Keep a "sleep diary" for two weeks to record sleep and health habits;
share this record with your doctor or other healthcare professional.
