Insomnia
Insomnia is difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep for long enough to feel refreshed the next morning.
It’s a common problem thought to regularly affect around one in every three people in the UK, and is particularly common in elderly people.
If you have insomnia, you may:
find it difficult to fall asleep
lie awake for long periods at night
wake up several times during the night
wake up early in the morning and not be able to get back to sleep
not feel refreshed when you get up
find it hard to nap during the day, despite feeling tired
feel tired and irritable during the day and have difficulty concentrating
Occasional episodes of insomnia may come and go without causing any serious problems, but for some people it can last for months or even years at a time.
Persistent insomnia can have a significant impact on your quality of life. It can limit what you’re able to do during the day, affect your mood, and lead to relationship problems with friends, family and colleagues.