TROUBLE SLEEPING? LEARN THE HIDDEN CAUSES OF INSOMNIA AND HOW TO ENJOY BETTER SLEEP

     Insomnia is the name for a sleep disorder where people can have trouble falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, or often wake up too early and are unable to fall back to sleep. Because good quality sleep is so important to our health, Dr. Taketa-Wong breaks down the most common causes of insomnia and reveals what can be done about treating them.

     At one time or another, half the American population deals with insomnia for a time. And, for some, the condition resolves without doing anything. However, for all the rest, insomnia can make life miserable. In fact, according to the CDC, chronic insomnia that does not go away affects 33% of the adult population.

     Insomnia can be rooted in many different causes, so it’s vitally important to understand what’s going on if one wants to enjoy consistent good quality sleep. Some of the more common reasons include poor sleep environment, such as a room that’s not dark enough or sufficiently cool, uncomfortable bedding, and loud noise, such as neighbors blasting their TV’s or music and those early morning trash trucks.

     Other contributing factors to insomnia include work and/or family stress, frequent long distance travel, a work schedule that disrupts one’s circadian rhythm, conflicts at work, and financial difficulties. Aging causes many changes in the body that can result in disrupted sleep patterns.

     Certain medications can disrupt normal sleep. So can mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. Medical conditions affecting sleep include chronic pain, cancer, diabetes, thyroid or adrenal problems, sleep apnea, and being overweight.

     Food and beverages definitely play an important role when it comes to consistently good quality sleep. Learn which ones are most important to avoid.