Sleep is a part of our every day life. Most of the time we take it for granted. If we do find that we can't sleep, it can be quite upsetting. At some point in our lives, most of us will find it hard to sleep. It's often just for a short time and may be due to worry or excitement. After a few days things settle down and we find we are able to sleep well again.

If we carry on sleeping badly, we may need some extra help to get our sleep back to normal. Poor sleep or insomnia is a common and distressing symptom. It often leads people to consult their doctor. Usually we sleep badly because of ordinary, every day reasons, but sometimes it can be caused by a more serious problem. As many as one in five people complain of difficulty in falling asleep, waking too often throughout the night, or waking early in the morning. Most people however overestimate their sleep problem.