It's hard to get a good night's sleep in today's overstressed world. The events of the day tend to bleed over into the hours of the night. The residual anxiety that you feel could be what's keeping you awake at night. The encouraging news is that the causes of insomnia are well-known. Even better news is that there are a full range of sleep aids--not just pills--that can be used safely and effectively to eliminate sleep disorders and return you to rested well-being.

Insomnia is not really a disease in itself, but rather is a symptom. It can be classified as chronic, occasional or temporary, depending on how often it occurs and how severe it is. Chronic insomnia, which refers to having difficulty sleeping at least three nights a week for at least a month, is believed to affect about one in every ten people. Those who suffer from chronic insomnia are at greatest risk for sleep deprivation consequences. The causes of chronic insomnia are often the most difficult to identify, simply because there are usually several conditions interacting to produce this condition.

Your insomnia could be caused by something as elementary as taking in too much caffeine before bedtime, or it could be the side effect of a medication or related to an ongoing medical condition. However, most experts agree that by far the most common causes are stress, depression and anxiety.

But not all insomnia causes are psychologically driven. Some times insomnia results from choices we make every day--how much caffeine we consume, how much alcohol we drink and whether or not we smoke. You might be surprised to learn that alcohol is a major factor in insomnia, especially since large quantities of alcohol may cause someone to pass out. In this case, it's the quality of sleep that is affected: alcohol prevents REM sleep, which is necessary for complete restfulness.

Other causes of insomnia can be related to physical causes. Chronic pain can lead to insomnia. Some prescription medications can also be responsible for ruining your sleep. Until you identify the conditions leading to your insomnia, you should begin my limiting your alcohol, caffeine and tobacco intake. Make changes to your sleep environment and bedtime routine. Investigate natural sleep remedies. And above all, if things don't improve shortly, schedule a visit with your doctor.