The inability to either get to sleep or stay asleep, commonly known as insomnia, is second from the top of the list of medical complaints in Australia. Each year up to 40 percent of people in Australia report some trouble sleeping. In fact insomnia has become a more common in modern day society, costing Australia over half a billion dollars every year in medical expenses in addition to the priceless expense of each sufferer’s health. A survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that insomnia is the most common reason for using hypnotics and sedatives. As such medications can be harmful to our health and well being, we need to look at alternative ways of dealing with insomnia. Whilst we still have far to go, the use of herbal and natural preparations is gaining in popularity as the trend towards complementary forms of medicine and health-related treatment continues.

How great do you feel when you are well rested and full of energy? Now how do you feel when you are deprived of your sleep? Proper sleep is a vital source of energy for you, allowing time in which your body and mind can rest completely in order that you are refreshed and rejuvenated, able to live your life as fully and joyously as you can.

What causes insomnia?

There are a number of factors that can contribute to insomnia – stress, physical pain, lack of physical or social activity, medications such as blood pressure tablets or asthma medication, certain foods, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, or a sleeping disorder. Medical conditions such as asthma or respiratory problems may cause insomnia, whilst psychological conditions such as depression or anxiety have been shown to commonly occur with insomnia.

Whatever the cause, most people have had trouble sleeping at some stage in their lives. Often irregular sleeping patterns, that is frequent changes in the times at which you go to sleep and wake up, can affect the quality of ones sleep and cause insomnia. What happens when we experience jetlag, for example? As the natural rhythm of our body’s normal sleeping pattern is disrupted, we become disorientated, anxious and emotionally fragile. It can take up to four days for the body to regain its balance.

Insomnia is not just a repetition of sleepless nights, it has a significant affect on the everyday functioning of a person’s life. Side effects are numerous and can include excessive daytime sleepiness, morning headaches, memory lapses, irritability, general lethargy, disorientation, personality changes, sexual dysfunction and obesity. Whilst almost everyone experiences sleepless nights from time to time, if this goes on for more than a few weeks help should be sought.

We spend nearly a third of our life sleeping; surely this is reason enough to give our sleeping habits some attention. Everyone differs in their need for sleep and in their sleeping habit and these habits change as we age. Infants need around 18 hours of sleep, adolescents need nine hours, adults require seven to eight hours and the elderly need only six hours of sleep. Whatever your pattern may be, you will know that poor sleep will impact on your ability to enjoy life on a daily basis. So what can you do, whether you want to be free from insomnia or whether you just wish to improve the quality of your sleep?