Understanding Insomnia

Insomnia is when you find it difficult to get to sleep, or to stay asleep for long enough to feel refreshed the next morning. It can affect your quality of life if you feel tired and find it hard to concentrate during the day. as you get older, you're more likely to have difficulty sleeping – half of people over 65 have insomnia at some time.

There are two types of insomnia:

• Primary insomnia has no obvious cause.

• Secondary insomnia is caused by another health condition.

Symptoms of insomnia may include:

• difficulty staying asleep

• difficulty getting to sleep

• waking up early in the morning

• feeling tired and irritable

Some home remedies that you may try:

• Take a warm milk & warm bath before heading to bed

• Go to bed at the same time each night

• Avoid working in the bedroom

• No alcohol before bedtime

• Avoid smoking at night

• Limit the use of mobile phone before bedtime