Insomnia is difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. People with insomnia often complain of inability to pay attention during the day, loss of memory or concentration, irritability and anxiety. They find it hard to function normally at work, at home or even at school.
If you’ve suffered sleepless nights, you may be all too familiar with the symptoms. As many as 25 percent of Americans endure an occasional bad night of sleep, and approximately 10 percent have a chronic problem with insomnia. Each year 70 million Americans spend approximately $150 million on a variety of methods to either help them fall asleep at night or keep them awake during the day.
A concern with many sleep "aides" is that they cannot be taken forever and, once stopped, lead to "rebound" insomnia. Behavioral therapy is sometimes prescribed to help certain insomnia sufferers.