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 "There's a need to look at sleep on the same level of importance as diet and exercise. All three are equally important for good health."
Carl Hunt, M.D., director of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research
In our hardworking, multi-tasking society, consistently getting a solid night's sleep can be a challenge. Most people will experience short-term insomnia (inability to fall asleep) from time to time. There are a variety of things that can disrupt, disturb or diminish one's sleep and sleep quality, ranging from stress (work, family, relationships) and noise to medication or alcohol use.
Understanding the importance of sleep and the factors that can both hurt and help one's ability to get a good night's sleep are critical. Consistent, quality sleep is vital to overall health and wellness. There is a considerable body of evidence that lack of sleep can affect and contribute to a variety of negative health consequences, from weight gain and heart risk to diabetes and depression.
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Getting a great night's sleep
There are a variety of factors—physical, mental, biological—that can interfere with a good night's sleep. Stimulants like caffeine and nicotine, for example, can stay in one's system for as long as 6 to 8 hours, so that afternoon jolt of coffee may be keeping you up at night. Eating a large meal later in the evening or before bedtime can also interfere with sleep.
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Sleep is a classic mind-body connection: If you don't get enough sleep, both aspects suffer, often dramatically.
Our bodies are regulated in sleep cycles by what is called the circadian rhythm, basically an internal clock that, when functioning normally, lets our body know when it's time to get up and when it's time to go to sleep. When you keep irregular hours, or when you stay out late and then sleep in to catch up, you can interfere with these rhythms and make it more difficult to get quality sleep.
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Insomnia
Feeling tired every once in a while is completely normal. But it can be a problem with greater frequency, especially as insomnia. Insomnia includes having trouble falling asleep, having trouble getting back to sleep, and often waking too early. Insomnia is said to be chronic when it lasts most nights for more than a few weeks.
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