When my dad was in his seventies he told me that he was having trouble falling asleep.  He also became a light sleeper, any noise would wake him up and then he couldn't fall back to sleep.

Nothing is more frustrating than being completely run down while climbing into bed after a long, hard day and you cannot fall asleep.  You keep tossing and turning, looking at the clock and wonder when it will finally come. 

When will you fall asleep?  

Even worse, because you are awake, you keep thinking about all of the worries and stresses of life that you are trying to get away from.  Many times, these stresses are the reason you cannot get to sleep.  Whatever those reasons are, you have to find a way to get to sleep. 

Losing sleep robs your body of the rest it needs to allow your body to grow and repair muscles.  It also has a huge impact on your brain.  When you do not get enough sleep, every single part of your life is affected.  Not only that, your mood and ability to handle frustration is significantly reduced, your judgment isn't good and you are more likely
to get into a car accident.  Most car accidents happen because of lack of sleep, not alcohol.

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream.. 

All mammals sleep and dream.  It is important to dream also, when researchers have interrupted peoples dreaming, they hallucinate during the day.  Sleep is one of the most important parts of living a happy and healthy life.  Therefore, if you are having issues falling to sleep or sleeping through the entire night, than you must find ways to help you get to sleep and stay asleep. 

Many people are afraid of the addictiveness of sleeping pills.  You want to use something just strong enough to help you sleep, but nothing too strong that would affect dreaming.

Sleeping Pills 

Valium at one time was taken more often than aspirin.  Now it is known to be addictive.

Halcion increased the risk of dementia and also is addictive. 

Some people who have taken Ambien wake up the next day and realize that they have eaten everything in the refrigerator and have no memory of it.

The Body's Sleep Regulator

 Melatonin is produced in the pineal gland to regulate your body’s internal clock.  So it is safe to take some to get to sleep.  Travellers crossing many time zones take melatonin to reset their internal clock.

Do not take melatonin if you are pregnant, breast-feeding and younger than 20 years of age.

Other Natural Sleep Aids 

• Valerian is known to help you fall to sleep faster and help you sleep more soundly.  Valerian should not be taken if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.  You should not drink alcohol and it could have a reaction with other medications.  You should contact your doctor before using this ingredient. The Valerian root should be used with caution as it can cause drowsiness, so you should not drive or operate machinery if you see this ingredient in your supplement.

• L-tryptophan has been around for many years.  It has been used for improving mood and improving your quality of sleep.  Tryptophan is naturally converted into serotonin by the body and naturally enhances sleep.

Your world can be a brighter place if you are able to get the sleep you need.  After a good night's sleep the world looks better and our problems smaller. We are more patient and can solve problems more easily.