What is the magic number – the number of hours of sleep needed to rejuvenate the body and mind at night. Is it eight /seven or ten? The National Center for Health Statistics says that two-thirds of a population over the age of twenty, both men and women reported the need of sleep for 7 –8 hrs. However, eight hours is the standard average normal sleep measured.

Short and Long Sleepers

It is a fact, about one in five healthy, non-insomniac adults sleeps less than six hours a night. They are called short sleepers. About one in ten, sleeps about more than eight hours or so and they are called long sleepers. So, what these numbers say is simply: Sleep needs vary greatly from one person to another. If you cannot sleep a full eight hours every night, that doesn’t mean you have insomnia or are insomniac. Sleep needs vary greatly from person to person.

How to find out if your insomniac? If your periodically and consistently feeling tired and irritated during the day, you can assume your body is not getting enough rest at night. If your tossing and turning is taking up needed sleep time, insomnia may be the answer.

Identify your particular type of Insomnia: There are three types of insomnia

o Sleep onset insomnia is the inability to fall asleep

o Maintenance insomnia is the inability to stay asleep

o Early morning insomnia is early awakenings