It is high time to differentiate between the myth and reality of insomnia sleep disorder. Firstly, we need to assess what constitutes 'a good night's' or 'eight hour' sleep.  We all have our own individual body clocks and different needs.  Some people need only four hours a day, others cannot function with less than ten.

If you belong to the first group, then you are lucky.  If you need more than double the amount required by your fellow sleepers, you are not so lucky.  Most people need to sleep between six and eight hours a night.  Needs differ due to biological factors and these are probably hereditary, just as is our tendency either to be an early riser or a night owl.  For example, we know that we tend to feel sleepy when our body temperature begins to fall but this occurs at different times according to the individual.  However, individuals will experience this drop in temperature at the same time each evening and we need to respect this rhythm to maintain regular sleeping patterns.

So just what is insomnia?  Insomnia can cause huge problems for those unfortunate enough to suffer from it.  Let's examine exactly what insomnia is.

There are several issues involved but all types of insomnia have one common thing – suffers wake up tired and feeling they have not toally recuperated overnight.  Insomnia selects its victims indiscriminately, from small children yawning on their way to school to grandparents up and about since the crack of dawn via countless adults travelling to work with puffy eyes.  Sleep specialists all agree on one point: it is important to seperate insomia proper from the conditions that triggers.  It is often the feeling of disruption of our sleep patterns that is the cause of the latter.