As adults we need at least 8 hours of sleep per night to help us recharge and refresh ourselves.  However, sometimes sleep doesn’t come easy and we find ourselves tossing and turning.  This is usually due to several physical, mental and environmental factors.

We have compiled a list of possible factors that could influence our sleep.

• Stress. Stress is usually considered the leading cause of sleeping problems. Sometimes, a traumatic event in our life like a divorce or death of a family member may cause sleep disturbances for months.
  
  
• Lifestyle stressors. Our lifestyle could be the cause of sleeping problems. Drinking coffee or alcohol just before bedtime, eating too little or too much, or, exercising at nighttime could make it harder to fall asleep.
  
  
• Noise.Attempting to sleep in a noisy room where you can hear people talk or the traffic below will probably keep you awake.
  
  
• Shift work.Due to the natural wake-sleep pattern, most shift workers find it hard to sleep especially when they finish their shift close to dawn.
  
  
• Jet lag. Travelling across several time zones causes confusion in our system resulting in the body's natural biological rhythms to get out of sync.
  
  
• Sleep surface. How comfortable is the bed? Is the mattress and pillow to our liking? Is the space too big or too cramped?
  
  
• Temperature/Climate. Although this depends on the kind of climate the person is accustomed to, generally, temperatures above 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees C) and below 54 degrees F (12 degrees C) will wake up people.
  
  
• Light. Ideally, the bedroom should be darkened, for the body to adjust to its natural 24-hour period of wakefulness and sleepiness that is regulated by an internal body clock.
  
  
• Sleep disorders. Look out for signs and symptoms of insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, etc. Sleeping disorders should be diagnosed and treated immediately. Consult a doctor when a disorder is suspected.
  
  
• Illness. Many people complain of several physical problems affecting their ability to fall or stay asleep. Some of the most common ones include pain, backache, soreness or other discomforts. Women often find it harder to sleep during hormonal fluctuations of Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), pregnancy and menopause.
  
  
• Medicine Certain over the counter medicine can cause side effects that include sleeping problems. Check the information leaflet that comes with your medicine.
  
  Make changes in your lifestyle to create an environment that is inductive to sleep.
  
  Click HERE to read about Natural Herbal Sleeping Remedies