A recent survey by the Australian Sleep Foundation (AFA) comprising of more than 2,044 Australians, revealed that 59% of the population experience at least one insomnia symptom three or more days a week.  

Insomnia refers to having trouble when trying to sleep and affects how well you sleep and how much you sleep. There are varying degrees of insomnia from acute, when symptoms last less than four weeks to chronic, when symptoms last more than four weeks. Insomnia can also be comorbid with mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Symptoms of insomnia include trouble falling and staying asleep, not being about to go back to sleep, difficulty focusing, aggression problems, memory impairment and irritability.

The report, published by the AFA found that 14.8% of participants surveyed met the criteria for clinical insomnia, experiencing several symptoms of insomnia, however, many participants had not yet been diagnosed.

Australian women expressed feeling particularly worried about not getting enough sleep. The report found that the number of female respondents reporting that they “often or always” worried about getting enough sleep was substantially higher than their male counterparts (31% compared to 21%). Females were also more consumed by thoughts when trying to sleep than male respondents (35% compared to 25%). 

Although the survey was only taken from a small portion of people, high levels of insomnia amongst women and men in Australia have previously been reported in other studies.  

How much sleep do we really need?

While it may vary from person to person, The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults should get seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep a night.

Sleep advisor also put together an in-depth guide on recommended sleep times for all ages.

An adequate amount of sleep can help reduce stress, improve memory and focus, lower your blood pressure and lift your mood.

For some healthy sleep tips click here: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/healthy-sleep-tips

---