by Lydia Workman

Created on: February 24, 2009   Last Updated: March 19, 2009

Everybody experiences sleep disturbances from time to time. If you experience issues frequently it could lead to disruptions in your day to day life. Lack of sleep can lead to irritability, difficulty staying awake, falling asleep while driving, and looking tired. The main sleep disorders are insomnia, sleep apnea, snoring, restless legs syndrome, and narcolepsy.

Pretty much everyone experiences insomnia at some point in their life. It can be caused by a wide range of issues including stress at work or it could be the symptom of some other underlying mental or emotional health disorder. In order to treat your insomnia one should look at what is the underlying cause. It may be as simple as a dietary change if what you eat or drink is the culprit. Too much caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol are common causes of sleeplessness.

One should also have a look at their sleep environment. Is your room too bright or too noisy for proper sleep? Are you involving yourself with vigorous exercise or too much mental stimulation before bed?

One obvious solution to insomnia is to go to your doctor and ask for a prescription of sleeping pills. Relaxtion techniques might be a better solution if you want to avoid the medical side effects associated with using prescribed drugs. One trick is to tire your mind out with a boring task, such as counting backwards. Other techniques include breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, visual imagery, guided relaxation, meditation, or stress and/or anger management.

Another alternative may be cognitive-behaviour therapy. This involves changing our attitude towards sleep. Essentially one would redirect their thoughts in a positive manner condusive to getting proper rest. For example, one would change the thought 'I won't be able to get to sleep' to 'I will be able to sleep as soon as I feel relaxed enough'.

There are also a wide range of alternative therapies available to us. The use of herbal supplements is one route, though they have not been scientifically proven to work. St John's Wort, chamomile, lavender, and valerian root are just a few herbal supplements used for improved sleep. Bright light therapy, acupuncture, and aromatherapy are other alternative techniques which are used.

Sleep apnea is a more serious disorder which can be life threatening. Their are gaps in breathing for those suffering from sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is typically rooted in some physical cause like excessive weight causing a blockage, nasal congestion, enlarged

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