After a long day of work and activity, we can hardly wait for bedtime. But for some, falling asleep can be elusive and stressful.  At some point in their lives, most people experience difficulty in falling asleep. National Sleep Awareness Week is an opportunity for us to analyze our sleep habits and their influence on our well-being, and look towards improving them. Sometimes consultation with your doctor is necessary.

The National Sleep Foundation just released a set of recommendations for various ages, which were recently published in their journal Sleep Health. “Sleeping too little and too much are both associated with increased risk of mortality and a range of other adverse health issues: cardiovascular disease, possibly cancer and also impaired psychological well-being,” said Lauren Hale, editor of the journal Sleep Health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have found that people who reported sleeping six hours or less per night were significantly more likely to fall asleep while driving than those who reported sleeping seven to nine hours nightly; calling deficient sleep a public health epidemic. The CDC especially cites teens’ insufficient sleep as being a problem. They recommend that adolescents get 9 -10 hours of sleep daily. It’s clear: sufficient sleep is necessary to recharge, be rested and maintain health.