Insomnia is defined as the difficulty of falling asleep or the inability to stay asleep. It can be short-term (acute) and usually related to specific circumstances or it can be chronic, occurring 3 nights a week for at least 3 months in a row.
Most of us don’t realize just how important sleep is to practically every aspect of our lives. Just like air, food and water, sleep is essential to the overall mental and physical health of humans. While we can cope without sleep for a period of time when necessary, going without sleep for too long will start to take a toll on one’s physical, mental and emotional health.
While experts continue to debate on the exact role and function of sleep, most can agree that sleep restores both the mind and body. The average adult sleeps about 6-8 hours of sleep. The amount of time an individual needs for a restful, restorative sleep, varies but not far from this average. People who do not suffer from frequent interruptions of sleep regularly enjoy better health, mood, concentration, work performance, relationships and rebound from illness better than those who struggle with insomnia or sleep disturbances.