by Anthony Stemke

Created on: May 26, 2008   Last Updated: July 12, 2008

Have you ever tossed, turned, burned with heat, frozen to death, felt trapped in the blankets, couldn't stop thinking, felt hunger pains or any other kind of pains when you were supposed to be sleeping? If you experience trouble sleeping more than once a week, you may have "Chronic" insomnia, just like 1 out of 10 people in the U.S. today. If falling asleep and/or staying asleep is a problem, you probably have transient, intermittent, or chronic insomnia.

SYMPTOMS

Fatigue, irritability, anxiety, depression, and difficulty focusing are some common symptoms of insomnia. Insomnia can lead to serious accidents, and general poor health. Lack of sleep can be a contributing factor in heart disease, high blood pressure, weight gain, even tremors and hallucinations.

WHO IS AT RISK?

Everyone has stress, but people who cannot dismiss their stress or depressed individuals are often plaged with sleep disorders. When the biology of older adults shifts and they need less sleep, they are sometimes challenged in this area as well. People who travel long distances with time changes or those who work changing shift jobs often have trouble adjusting to the time and daylight differences.

WHERE TO GO

If you feel that you may have insomnia, visit your local doctor. He will ask you questions about your sleep habits and may even ask you to keep a sleep diary. In a diary you record information about when you go to bed, how long it takes to fall asleep, and how often you wake up during the night. You will record how many hours you slept and how you felt when you woke up. Sometimes doctors ask you to spend a night at a sleep clinic for more detailed information. http://www.sleepcenters.org/ Here are some national organizations that offer great information. http://www.aasmnet.org/

TREATMENTS

Many people rely on drugstore remedies, the most common being those pain relievers with PM sleep aids. These usually contain DIPHENHYDRAMINE, which is an anti-histamine that causes drowsiness. Excessive use can cause constipation, nervousness and paradoxically insomnia itself.

Doctors may prescribe sedative-hypnotics (Ambien or Lunesta) and Benzodiazapines (Dalmane, Diazepam, and Valium). These tranquilizers work in the brains' neurotransmitter system, locking onto cell membranes, triggering the release of sleep chemicals. Benzodiazapines can be addicting.

Non-drug or natural treatments effective against insomnia, are popular for their lack of negative side effects. The most common is L-TRYPTOPHAN. It is found

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