Insomnia is quite a common plague in the Western world, and a good proportion of people actually have to deal with one of it at one time or another in their life.
There are different ways people use to deal with this problem.
Some learn to integrate new habits in their life that help them controlling their level of stress.
Such habits include not taking any stimulating substances, eating better, doing more physical exercise, meditating, etc.
Other people prefer to rely on different products to solve their insomnia problem.
They use natural products such as passiflora, valerian, melatonin, or chamomile tea.
There are also individuals who simply rely on sleep medication available in pharmacies or on prescription, as a solution to their problem.
There are certain insomnia risk factors that can trigger such sleeplessness.
It is important to be aware of them, no matter if you suffer of insomnia or not, as a way to prevent it in your entourage.
For example, it has been demonstrated that there is a relationship between childhood sleep patterns and adult insomnia.
Childhood sleep disorders include nightmares, sleep walking, trouble for falling asleep, or restless leg syndrome.
Another risk factor is ADHD in a child that spills over into adulthood.
If your child present any of these conditions, you may want to do anything you can to solve the problem now.
Another significant insomnia risk factor is negative thinking.
People who tend to feel a lot of anger or sadness, for instance, are more at risk than others.
Of course, stress and anxiety are also important insomnia risk factors and there is a strong correlation between them.
This is why insomnia is so present in the Western world, where productivity and competitiveness are prevalent.
All people who suffer from depression also experience insomnia.
Different life experiences such as the death of a parent, a sentimental break-up, being overwork, or an important change, like a new job or a move, can also cause insomnia.
If such problems such as those described here are dealt with, the insomnia may usually subside as well.
Other insomnia risk factors that are more difficult to deal with are aging.
Older people often get to sleep less deeply and for a shorter time, but it is actually a myth that as people get older, they require less sleep.
Different physical conditions can also be the cause of insomnia.
Such problems include arthritis or muscular pain, digestive problems, migraines or hormonal problems, for instance.
Psychological or psychiatric disorders also count as important insomnia risk factors.
In such cases, medication is often necessary to solve the problem and reestablish regular sleep patterns.
No matter what the cause of insomnia is, a lack of proper sleep can have very negative effects.
It may generate anxiety and significantly reduce a person's level of physical and psychological energy.
It also can weaken one's immune system and increase the risk of illness such as colds, viruses and the flu.
Considering such illnesses are becoming more and more threatening in the present world, insomnia is actually a problem to be taken seriously.