There are about 60 million Americans that are having trouble sleeping. A large amount of the Americans are over the age of 65. Many people think they just had a ‘bad night’ when they were not able to fall asleep and stay asleep, but it can be the result of something more serious. Many people are not aware of how weakening sleep deprivation can be. So, what is insomnia and how does it affect people who have it?

What is Sleep Insomnia?

Many people can have trouble falling asleep due to many different reasons such as stress, sleep schedule, and more. Insomnia is when a person has persistent difficulty falling, staying asleep, and/or waking up too early. If you are:

• Awake for 30 minutes or more during the night for at least three times a week
• Takes thirty minutes or more to fall asleep

For longer than a month then you have insomnia.  “Nearly 10 percent of the U.S. population experiences chronic insomnia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

Side Effects

Not having regular amounts of sleep everyday can bring dangerous side effects. One of the most common symptoms of sleep insomnia is depression. A person’s mood is almost always affected when they are not getting the right amount of sleep.Loss of sleep can make everyday activities dangerous, like driving or operating machinery.

How to Get A Better Sleep

There are many different things to change that will improve your sleep. Something’s like eating food or caffeine three hours before bedtime will inhibit your body to properly fall asleep.

Studies have shown that obesity can be a result of insomnia. When a person is sleep deprived, they feel hungrier and end up eating more than usual. This causes an unhealthy cycle. Exercising daily can help with sleep insomnia. It will be hard at first without energy, but the more you push yourself, the better night’s rest you will have.

If you take care of your body and mind, you will have a better night’s rest. It starts with each day at a time for progress.