Sleep is a normal physiological process, and about 1/3 of a person’s life is spent in sleep. The time of sleep varies at different ages. Newborns sleep an average of 16 hours a day, and infants sleep for a progressively shorter period of time, sleeping about 9 to 12 hours by the age of 2. Sleep time for adults varies from person to person, usually ranging from 6 to 9 hours, and for older people it is often as little as 6 hours. Sleep is closely related to human health. Sleep allows the human brain and body to get sufficient rest. Many people think that the longer you sleep, the better. Generally speaking, a healthy adult should get about 7-8 hours of sleep a day. And there are individual differences between people, and the amount of sleep needed varies from person to person. Even if the sleep time is short at night, but when you wake up the next day, you are full of energy and do not feel sleepy, it means you have slept well. However, if you still feel tired after a long sleep, it means that the quality of sleep is poor. Insomnia is a state of dissatisfaction with the quality of sleep, including difficulty falling asleep, poor sleep, easy waking, dreaminess, early waking, difficulty falling back asleep after waking, discomfort after waking, fatigue, or daytime sleepiness. The effects of chronic insomnia on a person are many. First of all, it can affect one’s physical health. Lack of sleep can cause anxiety and lower immunity, which can lead to various diseases, such as neurasthenia, colds, gastrointestinal diseases, obesity, anxiety, depression, lack of concentration, memory problems, and even heart disease, diabetes and stroke. For teenagers, lack of sleep also affects their growth and development. When people are asleep, the brain secretes a substance called growth hormone, which promotes the development of bones, muscles and organs, while in the non-sleep state, the secretion of growth hormone is reduced. Therefore, to develop well and grow taller, adolescents must get enough sleep. For female friends who love beauty, good sleep is indispensable. Lack of sleep will cause blood stagnation under the skin, circulation is blocked, the skin does not get enough nutrients and metabolism is blocked and aging, so the skin color appears dull and pale lack of luster. Especially dark circles under the eyes, and easy to have wrinkles. In addition to affecting physical health, insomnia also affects work and life. As the brain does not get enough rest, the mind feels drowsy, concentration is poor, and thinking ability is reduced. This can have an impact on work and daily life. According to the World Health Organization survey, about 29% of the world’s people have various sleep problems, and the prevalence of sleep disorders in China is as high as 42.7%. Good sleep has become a “luxury” of modern urban life. In 2003, the statistics of the China Sleep Research Association showed that the proportion of various sleep problems in China has been as high as 38.2%, and in 2006, a survey of six cities across the country showed that the sleep problems of urban people have reached 60% in the past year, so it is called “quietly expanding epidemic”. So what are the causes of insomnia? Common conditions such as transient overexcitation, mental stress, separation, physical discomfort, as well as changes in the sleep environment, jet lag across time zones, etc. can cause transient or short-term insomnia. Some substances with excitatory properties, such as tea, coffee, alcohol, certain drugs such as thyroxine, cocaine, corticosteroids, and anticonvulsant paralytic drugs can cause insomnia. Some people are overly concerned about their sleep, worrying that insomnia will affect their health and work, and as a result, the more they want to sleep as soon as possible, the more excited they are, and the more worried and anxious they are, the harder it is to fall asleep. This type of insomnia accounts for about 30% of all insomnia. Many psychiatric disorders such as neurosis, mania, depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, etc. can cause severe insomnia. The first step in treating insomnia is to learn as much as possible about the cause of the disease in order to treat the cause. The first step is to develop good sleep habits. The best time for humans to sleep should be from 10 pm to 6 am, slightly earlier for the elderly from 9 pm to 5 am, and for children from 8 pm to 6 am. Go to bed at regular intervals and get up at regular intervals, even if you don’t sleep well at night, in order to establish a good sleep rhythm. Do not go to bed when there is no sleepiness, and try to avoid lying in bed for a long time when it is difficult to fall asleep after waking up in the morning or after night sleep. Do not drink excitatory drinks such as tea, coffee, drinks containing caffeine and alcohol at night, and do not smoke. Do not do strenuous exercise before going to bed, do not watch stimulating videos such as intense sports games, horror movies, etc. Don’t go to bed when you are too full or too hungry. Don’t do things in bed that are not related to sleep, such as reading, watching TV, using the computer, or eating. Don’t lie in bed thinking about problems. Some foods are helpful for sleep and can be eaten more often for general insomnia patients. Such as oats, sweet corn, tomatoes, bananas, etc., these foods are rich in a substance called pinealin, which is often referred to as “brain platinum”, can promote sleep. Milk also contains hypnotic substances, such as tryptophan and peptides, so drinking a glass of milk before bedtime can help you sleep. Finally, medication. The principle of medication is that it must be individualized, using different drugs for different symptoms, and strict dosage and duration of medication to avoid drug resistance and dependence.