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22 | Four Seasons Hemet Herald | June 2017 | If you have problems sleeping, you are certainly not alone. As many as one third of American adults report difficulties sleeping with over half of these people describing insomnia as a serious problem. In order to answer your question, it is important to make some distinctions into the types and causes of insomnia. People often ask how much sleep a person needs. The answer changes dramatically throughout life, infants sleep 16 - 20 hours per day and adults typically sleep from six and a half to nine hours per day. The quality of the sleep seems to matter every bit as much as the amount of time slept. There are four distinct stages of sleep in addition to a phase known as "rapid eye movement" or REM sleep. The quality of sleep depends on your brain being able to move through those phases without interruption. Older adults spend more time in phase-I sleep where it is easier to be aroused. This might explain why so many older adults report problems with waking up frequently at night. Insomnia is not a specific disease; but rather a symptom that might be caused by numerous factors. Temporary insomnia which lasts just a few days can often be related to identifiable factors such as changes in time zones, stress in the home or at work, or drinking too much caffeine. Chronic insomnia, which is defined as problems with sleep that persists for greater than a month may be much more difficult to treat. Prescription medications, noise, depression and other medical conditions are some common causes of insomnia. Other frequently overlooked symptoms of sleep disturbance include daytime drowsiness, fatigue, irritability, poor job performance, and a weak immune system. For occasional difficulty sleeping there are several products that might be helpful. As always, consult with your physician or pharmacist before taking any medication. Melatonin, a nutritional supplement has been shown to help alleviate jet lag. Diphenhydramine, the active ingredient in Sominex® and Benadryl®, and Doxylamine, the active ingredient in Unisom®, are also available without a prescription. Before deciding on a treatment for chronic insomnia it is important to first see your doctor to determine what is causing the problem. For any questions or a needs assessment visit please contact Jennifer Trebler at (951) 663-1060. ASK A QUESTION I can't sleep at night. Is there any over the counter medicine I can take that will help?