Insomnia is a common concern for many people in America and worldwide. It causes insufficient or inadequate sleep that can directly affect your waking life by leaving you feeling tired and drained throughout the day, without the energy you need to function.

A number of different causes can lead to insomnia, including the medicines you take and the conditions you take them for. Lifestyle choices also play a major role in the development and persistence of insomnia.

Treatment options for insomnia are strongly linked to prevention. You don't get back the sleep you've lost; rather, you make sure you get proper sleep in the future. There are numerous tips to keep in mind on a day-to-day basis when dealing with insomnia:

1. Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
Many foods and drinks, including coffee, soft drinks, chocolate and tea, contain caffeine. Caffeine can also be found in energy drinks, pills and gums. Foods and drinks that contain caffeine should be avoided during late afternoon or evening hours. The energy that caffeine provides can keep you awake, or, if you do get to sleep, make that sleep restless and short.

Alcohol is another problem before bedtime. Although alcohol does speed the onset of sleep, it increases waking during the latter half of the night. Furthermore, sleep induced by alcohol is more likely to be light and not restful, and you'll wake up without the energy you should have gained while sleeping.

2. Avoid eating or drinking too close to bedtime.
Foods and beverages are a source of energy. Consuming these energy sources at a time when you should be winding down for the night can interrupt your sleep. Avoiding foods that may cause heartburn, such as tomato products and spicy foods, also helps to prevent insomnia. This is because lying down shortly after eating makes heartburn much worse and makes falling asleep more difficult. Even when you do get to sleep, the heartburn can wake you up or otherwise disrupt your sleep.