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If this disorder is left untreated, it can lead to serious sleep deprivation and other health conditions.

What is insomnia?

A woman sleeping on her front looking towards the camera in bed looking tired from not sleeping

But, what are the main symptoms?

Insomnia makes it hard to fall asleep, stay asleep, or get restful sleep despite having the opportunity.

It can leave you feeling tired, irritable, and unfocused, explains Dr Perry.

A woman lies awake in bed at night with insomnia

Here’s what Dr Perry and Dr Allen suggest.

So, whats the solution?

While Dr Allen adds that, even as the seasons change your bedroom should replicate that its night time.

Woman drinking a cup of tea in bed instead of alcohol and smiling to herself

It can also lead to frequentnighttime awakeningsas the initial sedative effect wears off, worsening insomnia symptoms.

Mindfulness meditation, for example, can calm the mind and reduce the racing thoughts often associated with insomnia.

Specificbreathing exerciseslike the 4-7-8 method and moon breathing can also help.

A woman practising yoga in the evenings for better sleep

So, what do the experts recommend?

What causes insomnia?

But, what conditions cause sleep loss?

A man awake on his phone at night while his partner sleeps

Medical conditions like anxiety, depression or chronic pain can keep the mind or body too active to rest.

Each of these disrupts the natural balance your body needs to transition into sleep, explains Dr Perry.

So, why does this happen?

A woman in white top and pyjama bottoms sitting up in bed with her head in her hands.

A woman with dark brown hair lies on her side staring at the back of a white alarm clock that shows the time as 2.30am

Young woman is wide awake at night and wants to fall back to sleep fast

A woman with long dark hair falls asleep quickly in a comfy bed dressed with soft white linens

A woman with curly black hair stretches and smiles as she wakes up early on a sunny summer�s morning

A woman with dark hair lies in bed yawning because she is so tired and ready to sleep

A woman is sat on the end of her bed with her head in her hands as she can�t sleep because of nighttime anxiety

A woman with hay fever wipes stuffy nose in bed

A man places a sleep apnea CPAP machine mask on his face, a Tom�s Guide Sleep Week 2025 graphic (right)

A woman wearing a pink eye mask tries mouth taping to cure her sleep apnea.

A woman lies in bed with her hands covering her face, looking upset due to sleep deprivation. A Tom�s Guide Sleep Week 2025 graphic, bottom left

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