Many people today are finding it hard to get enough sleep.
There can be many reasons for this but many people suffer from what is called early morning worry.
This commonly happens by people waking up around 3 or 4 am and find it near impossible to get back to sleep.
This makes them anxious and they begin to worry and fret about all the commitments they have to do later in the day.
These worries and anxious thoughts are running through their minds which makes their body become more alert and awake.
Getting enough sleep is very important for the health of our body and mind.
It is recommended that we should get about 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.
However, for most people, and excuse the pun, this is only a dream.
A lack of sleep can be due to many factors that can involve hormonal factors.
This is common in pregnant women or women who are reaching their menopause.
Severe cases can be insomnia were people cannot get to sleep at all.
Insomnia can be linked to conditions such as depression or stress.
Other causes can be prostrate problems, snoring and having nightmares.
If you are experiencing a lack of sleep there are a number of things that you can do to help you sleep better as follows: Ensure that your bedroom is dark enough as this will signal to your brain that it is time for sleep.
Darkness enables the body to release a hormone called melatonin which helps the body to sleep.
If you find that your room is too bright then attach liners to the back of your curtains to block out the rays of the sun.
Make sure that the mattress you are sleeping on adequately supports your back.
An old worn mattress can actually exacerbate back problems and back pain that can disturb your sleep.
If your bed mattress is old then it is time to invest in a new one.
Do not sleep in a room that is too warm.
If it is too warm then turn down the heating or remove a blanket.
Noise outside can also disturb a good night's sleep.
For example if you live close or on a street that has a lot of busy traffic.
You can now buy products that can neutralise the noise such as noise reduction fans.
These can also help with reducing those sudden unexpected noises that can jolt you awake in the middle of the night.