At some point in time, we all have trouble sleeping at night. There are lots of possible reasons for insomnia to happen. It’s only temporary, sometimes. Thinking about a stressful event, for instance, can sometimes cause it. In fact, it seems like we almost always have sleepless nights right before a big day when we could’ve used the rest most. For some people, though, insomnia is actually a chronic issue.

Trouble falling asleep isn’t the only form of insomnia, though. Trouble staying asleep is also part of the definition of insomnia. So, even if you get to sleep fine, if you wake in the night, you may have a form of insomnia.

Another thing you need to understand about having trouble sleeping is that you can’t go by other people. You have to go with what works for you. You don’t need to get exactly eight hours of sleep each night. You need to figure out how much sleep you need to feel refreshed every day. If you meet that nightly goal, wonderful, but if not then you could have to fix an insomnia issue.

There are several reasons for insomnia that could be affecting you. The first thing to do is identify whether the issue is temporary or constant. Stress is a big cause of temporary insomnia, as is illness. Also, sound and light can play a major role in a temporary sleeping problem.

Then there’s chronic insomnia. It usually has to do with a major mental or physical illness. For instance, depression can be a cause of chronic insomnia. Acid reflux, COPD and sleep apnea can also be major contributors.

Certain groups of people run a higher risk of developing insomnia problems. For instance, women going through menopause often have trouble sleeping. So do older people, since their bodies don’t produce as much melatonin, a hormone that helps people with sleeping. If you’re a student, work night shifts or travel across time zones a lot, you could also have trouble sleeping.

So, it’s a good thing that insomnia can be cured. One way is through taking medications. Your doctor might be able to suggest a good one for you. Just be careful, since some of them can be habit forming or cause harsh side effects.

If that doesn’t sound like a good idea to you then, regardless of your reasons for insomnia, you may be able to find a natural remedy for insomnia that works really well. Melatonin supplements are one of the many natural treatment options. There are plenty of other herbs that can induce sleep, too.