Insomnia menas difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep for the required time needed.

As a common problem, it affects around 1 in every 3 people in the UK, particularly in elderly people.

The common symptoms of it are:

• difficulty to sleep
• lying awake for long periods at night
• waking up several times during the night
• waking up earlier than you should be in the morning
• not feeling refreshed when you get up
• despite being tired, finding it hard to nap during the day
• feeling tired and irritable during the day, affecting your concentration

Insomnia can affect people differently, it may come and go without causing any serious problems, however it can last for months and even years. Continuos insomnia can have a massive impact on the quality of someones life.

Although there is no official guidelines how how much sleep a person needs (because everybody is different), an average amount of sleep for an adult is considered to be between 7 and 9 hours a night.

Some cause of insomnia are:

• anxiety and stress
• a poor sleeping environment (uncomfortable bed, a bedroom that may be too light, noisy, hot or cold)
• lifestyle factors (jet lag, night shift work, drinking alcohol or caffeine before going to sleep)
• mental health conditions (depression or schizophrenia)
• physical health conditions (heart problems, long-term pain)
• certain medicines (some antidepressants, epilepsy medicine, steroid medication)

Possible solutions to help insomnia:

• setting regular sleeping times and patterns
• relaxing before going to bed (meditation, warm baths)
• improving sleeping environment to avoid noise and light
• avoid caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, heavy meals and exercise right before bed
• not watching TV or looking at any devices right before bed
• avoid napping during the day
• try and clear any worries from your mind
• as a last resort, try sleeping tablets