Of all the various sleeping disorder symptoms, insomnia is the most common.
For most people this is a passing problem, usually connected with a particular stressful life event, such as the death of a loved one, or relationship problems.
However, for some people this becomes a chronic, seemingly never ending problem which can seriously affect quality of life.
Not surprisingly this can lead to extreme tiredness and irritability during the day, not to mention poor performance and work.
In addition, relationships can be affected.
There are dangers as well, with the risk of falling asleep when driving, or when operating machinery.
For sufferers it can be immensely frustrating lying awake for what feels like hours at a time willing yourself to get to sleep, but it just refuses to happen.
Perhaps this is a pattern you recognise? If so, then you are making the first mistake connected to insomnia and sleep disorder symptoms.
The very fact that you are focusing so much on not being able to sleep will impede your ability to sleep.
You need to be able to start the night with believing that you are going to go to sleep, and then be able to relax yourself gradually into sleep.
There are a number of ways of achieving this relaxed state and what works tends to vary from one person to another.
For many people, simply reading a book before settling down to sleep will help.
You should choose your book carefully however; nothing too exciting (so avoid thrillers) and limit yourself to one chapter (or two chapters if they are very short).
Another technique to try is by simply replacing the stressful thoughts that you have begun to associate with trying to get to sleep with something more relaxing.
This can be through visualizing a relaxing scene or perhaps by recounting in your mind to a fictional person a journey that you have been on (of course avoid journeys that you associate with stress).
Finally, make sure that you turn your alarm clock where you are not easily able to see it.
There is nothing worse to bring about those thoughts of stress which exacerbate your sleeping disorder symptoms than to spend your night looking at how late it is and worrying about how little sleep you are getting.