Sleep

Do you sleep well?   Approximately 30% of adults complain of problems with sleeping.  The two most common problems, according to the National Sleep Foundation, is waking up unrefreshed and waking up a lot during the night.  The term “insomnia” has been defined as trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. 

Women experience more sleep difficulty than men.  57% of women vs. 51% of men have insomnia issues.  Experts believe that hormonal issues contribute to the higher number for women. 

When a person cannot “turn off” the life stresses, this contributes to insomnia.  How many of us go to bed thinking about our children, or work problems? As you might expect, parents have more insomnia symptoms than non-parents.  Younger people (with many job and life stresses) experience insomnia at higher rates (68% of adults 18 to 29) when compared to 44% of people over the age of 65 (who may be retired and experience less job stresses).  I don't have a solution to life stresses; we all deal with them.  However, the National Sleep Foundation has a comprehensive website at http://sleepfoundation.org  They offer valuable, reputable information we can use in our quest for a good night’s sleep.