What you need to know about insomnia.

You may wake up during the night or wake up too early the next morning. Insomnia is a common problem that affects almost everyone at some point.

Without enough sleep, you may feel sleepy during the day. This can make you more likely to have an accident and also makes driving dangerous. You may also feel grumpy from lack of sleep. Some people have trouble remembering things, don't get as much done, and don't enjoy being with family and friends.

Having trouble sleeping from time to time is often linked to short-term stress. It can last for days to weeks. It often gets better in less than a month. activity in and out of cells. Insomnia can also develop into an ongoing sleep problem, especially when you worry about not sleeping well.

This is called chronic insomnia. It is often a symptom of another health problem, such as depression or chronic pain. Chronic insomnia is less common than short-term sleep problems.

The symptoms of insomnia vary. You may have difficulty falling asleep, so you may toss and turn for what seems like a long time. You may wake up and have trouble falling back to sleep, perhaps several times during the night. You may wake up too early and feel unrefreshed in the morning or tired or irritable during the day.

Causes
Stress can be caused by fear about a single event, such as giving a speech. Or you may have ongoing stress, such as worry about work.

Depression, anxiety, and other mental or emotional conditions.

Poor sleep habits, such as watching TV in bed or not having a regular bedtime schedule. If you have trouble sleeping, you may worry about being able to fall asleep. This can make the problem worse.

Changes in your sleep habits or surroundings. This includes changes that happen where you sleep, such as noise, light, or sleeping in a different bed. It also includes changes in your sleep pattern, such as having jet lag or working a late shift.

Pain, breathing problems, restless leg syndrome, and many other health problems.

Using certain things known to cause sleep problems. These include stimulants, such as tobacco and caffeine, as well as certain medicines, alcohol, and drugs.

Lack of regular exercise.

Treatment

Go to bed at the same time each night.
Get up at the same time each day.
Avoid caffeine or alcohol for several hours before bedtime.
Get regular exercise.
Avoid daytime naps.