What is insomnia and why is it happening to me?

Sleeping problems affect 30% of adults at one time or another.1  It can be brought on by worry, discomfort, illness, certain medications and medical conditions, an unsettled baby, sleeping in a new place, jet lag or disturbances due to noise (such as a snoring partner!).

There are measures you can take to help you get a better night's sleep, but first you need to work out why your sleep is not as good as you’d like it to be.

Some people find that although they may have slept all night, they just don’t feel refreshed when they wake up — if this sounds like you, it can be a sign that something’s not right with the quality of your sleep.

So what is insomnia exactly? Insomnia is Latin for ‘no sleep’. It’s defined as an inability to fall asleep or stay asleep. Many people with insomnia also complain of not feeling refreshed when they wake up.