Sleep is very important to our well-being. It is during REM or deep sleep that the body is able to restore organs, bones and tissue, replenish immune cells and circulate a rejuvenating supply of growth hormone. Research also suggests that deep sleep is very important for proper functioning of the nervous system. So if you notice that you have trouble falling asleep, you should consult your doctor immediately.

How much of sleep do we need?

Each individual have different need. Infant requires about 16hours of sleeps a day, teenagers need an average of 9 hours, adult about 5 to10hours and pregnant women in the first 3 months of pregnancy need several more hours of sleep than usual. The best way to tell if you've had enough sleep is to see if you feel energetic the next day. If you do, you've most probably had a good amount of sleep.

Factors that can affect our ability to fall asleep: decrease exposure to natural light, lack of exercise or excessive exercise, inactive lifestyle, obesity, excessive stress, changes in body temperature and changes in diet.

Most Common Sleep Disturbances:

• Insomnia - this is the most common sleep disorder that affect people aged 21 and above. And when they finally get some sleep they have trouble maintaining it, they either have frequent awakenings during the night or wake up so early (like 3am and they can't go back to sleep anymore).

Causes: inactive lifestyle (especially with older people), lack of exercise, excessive stress, shift working, etc.

• Narcolepsy -an excessive sleepiness during the day, it is a chronic neurological disorder caused by the brain's inability to regulate sleep-wake cycles normally. People who have this disorder can practically fall asleep (periods lasting from a few seconds to an hour or longer) as they are engaged in a conversation or worst they may fall asleep when driving or operating hazardous machinery.

Causes: neurological disorder or the lack of sleep the previous night/s.

• Parasomnia - also known as sleep-walking and sleep-talking. It's a mild sleep disorder that is harmless in itself. A person suffering from Patient with Parasomnia should have outgrown it by the age of 18.

Causes: dreamers sometimes act out their dreams and nightmares.

• Restless legs - it's a crawling or burning sensation in the legs that starts as soon as a person lies immobile. It affects mostly sexagenarians (people ages 60 - 70 yo) and about 1% of young women.

Causes: iron deficiency, pregnancy

• Snoring - some snorer's are diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, this is a condition wherein breathing starts and stops (throat muscles relax too much that they close and let no air in) during sleep, thus causing numerous awakening.

Causes: obesity, hypertension, lying supine (lying face upward)

Negative effect of Lack of Sleep:

• Lack of sleep makes a person irritable and unenergetic the next day.
• Lack of sleep can lead to weakening of the immune system, thus leading to some sickness like; diabetes, high cholesterol, heart attack or stroke.
• Lack of sleep can greatly affect our concentration and thinking ability.
• Lack of sleep can make you gain weight. Sleep loss has been shown to affect the secretion of cortisol, a hormone that regulates appetite, as a result inadequate sleep can make you feel hungry despite adequate food intake.
• Lack of sleep is one of the leading causes of premature aging and wrinkles.

Tips on how to get a good night sleep:

1. Only sleep when you are drowsy.
2. Maintain a regular wake-up time, even on days off work and on weekends.
3. Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex.
4. Avoid strenuous exercise 2 to 3 hours before bedtime, because it can elevate body temperature and cause difficulty falling asleep.
5. Avoid caffeine, alcoholic beverages, and the use of nicotine within four or six hours of bedtime.
6. Minimize light, noise and control the temperature of your heater or air-conditioner.
7. Avoid napping during the daytime
8. Expose yourself to sunlight 30 minutes after waking up.
9. Get out of your bed if you're not sleepy. Read a book or watch TV instead.
10. Control your environment. Keep your alarm clocks and cell phones away from the bed.
11. Avoid heavy meal just before bedtime, because it can keep the digestive system active therefore disrupting sleep.
12. Treat medical conditions that is keeping you from getting a good night's sleep

Recommended Dietary Supplement to can help you get a good night sleep:

• Medicinal herb tea - acts on nervous system, stops nervous excitement.
• Royal Jelly - contain B-Complex vitamin that helps to prevent nervousness or stress.
• Gingko biloba - needed for proper composition and function of the body.