Do you have difficulty achieving restful and peaceful sleep?

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Sometimes, you may be dealing with unknown conflicts that are preventing you from sleeping peacefully.

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Treating insomnia and sleep-related problems generally involves addressing the underlying conditions that cause them, such as stress, depression, organic or medical issues, and relearning healthy sleep habits. Insomnia can also result from a more serious medical problem or lead to increased health issues, necessitating consultation with a sleep specialist.

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But why are sleep quality and sleep disorders so crucial for brain health? While many adults function best with around 8 hours of sleep (which can vary depending on various factors like environment, health, age, etc.), individuals with sleep problems may average only 5.5 hours of sleep due to sleep disorders or inappropriate habits like staying up late, studying, watching television, browsing the internet, and having an overall overload of activities. Stress and anxiety from work and personal life also rob many hours of sleep. In fact, nearly 30% of the population, including children, students, and adults, experiences difficulties with sleep. In other words, if you're having trouble sleeping, you're not alone.

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If you have been experiencing any of the problems listed below for a few weeks, commonly known as insomnia, consider seeking help:

• Difficulty falling asleep

• Frequent awakenings during the night

• Falling asleep at inappropriate times, even after a proper night's sleep

• Excessive sleeping (more than 9 hours)

• Sudden uncontrollable sleep attacks or muscle weakness

• Nightmares or night terrors (waking up terrified without remembering the dream) that disrupt sleep

• Sleepwalking or talking, as well as teeth grinding

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While there are over 80 types of sleep disorders, other related disorders include snoring, sleep-related breathing disorders, sleep apnea and hypopnea, restless legs syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder during sleep, impaired daytime functioning due to impaired sleep, behavioral sleep disorders, nightmares, sleep-wake cycle disorders, and shift work sleep disorder.

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Depression is twice as common in the general population, affecting approximately 20% of young individuals. Lack of sleep is believed to contribute to this high rate. What people often fail to realize is that persistent sleep problems for more than two weeks can be a risk factor for developing depression. Over 80% of people suffering from depression also experience sleep difficulties, and if sleep problems persist even after depression decreases, the risk of relapse increases.