Sound sleep is rejuvenating and vital for a healthy lifestyle. Sleeplessness, on the other hand, can drag you down and have a negative impact on your mood, energy, job performance, relationships, and ability to function at a high level.

A lack of sleep can even be dangerous: People who fall asleep while driving because of nighttime insomnia cause more than 100,000 accidents and 1,500 deaths each year. Fortunately, we are learning more about insomnia and how to tackle this national health problem. Thanks to recent advances, sleep specialists are able to help most troubled sleepers. And for those with short-term insomnia, over-the-counter sleep aids such as Sominex can help. A good night's sleep generally means a predictable sleep pattern, or the right combination of alternating rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep. An appropriate mix of REM and non-REM sleep will allow you to wake up feeling refreshed and well rested.

Do you wake up feeling rested?
Different people require different amounts of sleep. The popular myth is that we need less sleep as we grow older. That's wrong. The fact is most of us sleep fewer hours as we age because our bodies become less capable of maintaining a sleep state. We get less of the deeper stages of sleep (non-rapid eye movement or non-REM) and more of the lighter stages (REM sleep). The amount of sleep you need is best judged by how you feel upon awakening and during the day. Although 7.5 to 8 hours is optimal, nearly 50 percent of adults require more sleep. If you feel sluggish during the day, you may need more sleep.

To determine if you need more sleep, use this simple test. Go to bed one hour to 90 minutes earlier for ten days. Keep a diary and note how refreshed you feel throughout the day. Your ability to carry out difficult tasks should improve. If more sleep is not helping you feel more refreshed, you may have a sleep disorder. Talk to your doctor if this is the case.

What's keeping you awake?
There are many sleep stealers. Many sleep experts consider stress to be the primary cause of short-term sleep difficulties. School or job-related pressures, or a serious illness or death in the family, are a few possible triggers of stress and sleeplessness. Fortunately, these types of sleep problems often vanish when the stress subsides. But if these short-term problems aren't managed properly from the start, they can persist. If sleep problems do persist for more than a week or are recurrent, consult a physician.

Other sleep disorders
While many Americans suffer temporary sleep problems, millions more suffer from chronic disorders that may require medical attention.

Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a major cause of sleeplessness and daytime drowsiness. An estimated 10 to 30 percent of adults snore. For most, snoring has no serious consequences. For people with sleep apnea, the consequences are no laughing matter. People with sleep apnea repeatedly stop breathing for short periods during the night and often snore loudly. Typically, they wake themselves with a gasping snore and fall right back to sleep, often without being aware of this recurring cycle. Sleep apnea can develop in people who breathe normally while awake. If left untreated, obstructive sleep apnea can contribute to high blood pressure, heart attacks and stroke. If you suspect you are suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, talk to your doctor as soon as possible.

Restless Legs Syndrome
Men and women are equally affected by restless legs syndrome, a discomfort relieved by moving the legs. Another variation is "nocturnal myoclonus," brief muscle contractions that cause leg jerks lasting a second or two, often for an hour or more several times a night. Like sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movements may cause hundreds of nighttime disturbances that result in restless sleep.

Parasomnias
Parasomnias are sleep disorders that interrupt the sleep process. Sleepwalking, sleep eating, sleep talking, nightmares, and sleep terrors are all examples of parasomnias. Episodes of sleepwalking increase the risk of dangerous falls. Sleepwalking is most common in children and usually disappears during puberty. Researchers have recently described another parasomnia: A sleep-related eating disorder that typically occurs in women in their late 20s. This problem is characterized by eating during sleep disruptions. People with this disorder may gain weight, risk choking while eating, or injure themselves while preparing food. While sleep talking is a relatively harmless parasomnia in which a person talks during sleep and is unaware of what he or she is saying, it can be an irritating and distressing problem, particularly for the bed partner. Nightmares are a more common example of parasomnia. These frightening dreams usually awaken a sleeper from the dreaming stage of sleep and can be frequent in children. In adults, stress and trauma can trigger nightmares. Sleep terrors are characterized by a sudden awakening, accompanied by a loud scream. People with sleep terrors often go back to sleep immediately after the episode and may not remember it the next morning. Sleep terrors are more common in children than adults, and appear to run in families.

Know when to see your doctor
Consider getting medical advice if you've had trouble sleeping several times over the past month. For short-term sleep problems caused by stressful periods, changes in schedules or jet lag, sleep medications can provide relief when used appropriately and according to directions. Over-the-counter sleep aids, such as Sominex, harness the sleep-inducing properties of antihistamines, their primary ingredient, to help you get the rest you need. Sominex has been proven to be safe and effective in treating short-term sleep problems. Prescription medications are available only through physicians. Talk to your doctor about whether a prescription medication would be helpful for you. Ask your doctor how the medication works, and what the benefits and risks are. Make an informed decision and sleep well.

Tips for catching your ZZZs

• Establish regular, healthy sleep patterns
• Treat yourself to relaxing pre-sleep rituals, like taking a soothing warm bath or light reading before bedtime.
• Avoid caffeine six hours before bedtime. Caffeine is a stimulant that can interfere with sleep.
• Avoid alcohol and smoking one to two hours before bedtime.
• Designate another time to worry. If you are a bedtime worrier, set aside another time, maybe 30 minutes after dinner, to writing down problems and possible solutions.
• Go to bed only when you are tired.
• Don't nap in place of bedtime sleep.
• Use your bed for sleep, not as an office or a place to watch television.
• Get up at the same time every day, no matter what time you went to sleep.
• Get active! Regular exercise improves sleep, but don't work out within three hours of bedtime.
• Trust an over-the-counter sleep aid, like Sominex, when short-term insomnia is troubling you.

A New Approach
If your doctor has determined that no physical disorder plays a role in your insomnia, consider sleep restriction. This new anti-insomnia treatment is based on the finding that many insomniacs spend excessive amounts of time in bed, hoping to make up for lost sleep. Go to bed much later than usual and stay in bed only as long as you sleep, even if that's only three or four hours. Then get up at the same time each morning. Once you sleep this way five days in a row, sleeping at least 90 percent of your time in bed, you may go to bed 15 minutes earlier. After a week or two on the curtailed sleep schedule, you should start to sleep better. After a few months, you should be sleeping as long as desired. You may try this on your own or under the supervision of a sleep specialist.

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