"I can't get no sleep!" That was what you yelled at your supervisor right after he jumped your case about the latest on-the-job screw-up, and right before he stalked away to put a note in your file. "What's wrong with me?" you keep wondering over and over. Tasks that used to be simple seem difficult, and the complicated stuff is just impossible. You're irritable and short-tempered. Decisions are difficult to make and you just try to make it through the day so you can get home to take a nap.

These are the classic symptoms of insomnia. Your inability to sleep well at night is ruining your day. Now, the funny thing is that insomnia itself isn't really a disease--it's a symptom. What's happening is that your nighttime insomnia is showing up as sleep deprivation during the day. And after a stress-filled day that you barely survived, you're even more likely to suffer with insomnia again that night. How can you break out of this vicious cycle?

Your first step will be trying to narrow down the possible causes of your insomnia. Inability to sleep can be a side effect of medication. If you are taking any prescription medications long-term, you might want to talk to your doctor about their possible link with sleep disturbances. However, if you're healthy as a horse and take nothing at all, you can dismiss this possible cause.

Another reason that you may be having trouble with insomnia is daily habits and choices. Do you take in lots of caffeine by drinking coffee, soft drinks or energy drinks? If so, you should try to limit these as much as possible, especially after noon. Alcohol is another possible factor in poor sleep. Although it may seem to make you sleepy, alcohol actually makes it hard for you to reach REM sleep (that's when you dream). If you don't get to REM sleep, then you won't feel as rested during the day. Smoking can affect your sleep quality too. If you absolutely can't quit, then cut back as much as possible.

There's a good chance that changing some of your habits will improve the quality of your sleep. If you're still having trouble, the next step is to consider some natural sleep remedies. These natural alternatives are safe, effective and non-habit-forming. With better lifestyle choices and a little help from nature, you should be able to eliminate "I can't get no sleep" from your vocabulary, and start looking forward to tomorrow once again.