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1 | Raising awareness of sleep healthImportant Things to Know AboutInsomnia Around 1 in 3 people have at least mildinsomnia. Many poor sleepers have developed poorsleep habits. For specialist help, cognitive behaviouraltherapy for insomnia is best In the long run, taking sleeping pills isn teffective. There are sleep specialists, clinics and on-line programs that can is insomnia ? insomnia is said to be present when you regularly find ithard to fall asleep or stay asleep. It has several may have trouble getting to sleep initially. Or even ifyou can fall asleep, you might not be able to stay asleepfor as long as you would like. Also you may wake upduring the night and not be able to go back to sleep for along time. Many people have two of the above problems,or even all three.

2 Because of these, you might feel tiredduring the day. What causes insomnia ? insomnia has many causes which can include: Some medicines and drugs, asthma or bloodpressure medication, caffeine, alcohol or smoking Chronic pain and other uncomfortable illnesses Stress at work or in your personal life Depression A friend or loved one passing away Anxietyand worrying, including worrying about notgetting enough sleep Another sleep problem (see Ten Common SleepDisorders)Sometimes there is no clear cause for insomnia , in whichcase it is called primary insomnia . How common is insomnia ?Most people have experience insomnia symptoms atsome time of their lives. At any given time around 10%of people have at least mild is at risk?Older people with poor health have a higher risk.

3 Alsowomen have twice the rates compared to men. This maybe related to higher rates of anxietyand depression,which can be associated with insomnia . Shift workershave a higher risk does it affect people?You might feel that it s harder to focus and rememberthings. But most people think their memory is worse thanit really is. The same goes for concentration. Your risk of atraffic accident or other injury may be higher (see DrowsyDriving). You may be more emotional and a lack of sleepcan cause depressed mood. Some people feel sleepyduring the day, but this can be caused by many things(see Excessive Daytime Sleepiness).How is it treated?This depends on what is causing the insomnia . If poor sleep habits are the cause then these need tobe improved (see Good Sleep Habits).

4 SHF-Insomnia-1111 30/11/11 4:37 PM Page 1 If your sleep habits seem to be okay but you are stillhaving problems then you may need more specialisthelp. Cognitive-behavioural therapy for insomnia hasbeen shown to be more effective in the medium andlong term than sleeping tablets. (See the informationunder the final three subheadings.) Stress, depressionand anxietyare best treated byspecialists, but taking steps to improve your sleep canalso help with these. Sometimes sleep specialistswill suggest a sleep studyto be sure they understand what may be causing thepoor sleep and also check for sleep about sleeping pills?If you only take them occasionally, sleeping pillscan getyou a good night s sleep. However if you take them often,you will get used to them and they will stop working aseffctively.

5 Also they can be habit-forming and it can thenbecome difficult to stop taking and when should you seek help?If you are having ongoing trouble sleeping, persistentproblems with mood, restlessness in bed, severe snoringor wakening unrefreshed, make sure that you go and seeyour doctor. Your GP can refer you to a sleep specialistorpsychologist. insomnia treatment services in Australia are listed here: there on-line help available? Yes, on-line, low cost, sleep improvement programs areavailable, such as: (Note: The Sleep Health Foundation does not endorse anyprogram or product and this link is provided forinformation only.)Where can I find out more? | Raising awareness of sleep healthSleep Health Foundation ABN 91 138 737 854114/30 Campbell Street, Blacktown NSW 2148T: +61 (0) 2 8814 8655 F: +61 (0) 2 9672 3884 Disclaimer - Information provided here is general in nature and should not be seen as a substitute for professional medical concerns about sleep or other medical conditions should be discussed with your local doctor.

6 Sleep Health Foundation, 2011 This information is produced by:Sleep Health FoundationABN 91 138 737 national organisation devoted toeducation, advocacy and supportingresearch into sleep and its disordersSleep Disorders AustraliaABN 98 075 427 voluntary group offering assistanceand support to people and theirfamilies living with sleep disordersAustralasian Sleep AssociationABN 32 172 170 561 peak national association ofclinicians and scientists devoted toinvestigation of sleep and its disordersSHF- insomnia -1111 30/11/11 4:37 PM Page 2