Elderly people may not need to, or be able to sleep as much as younger  people. This could be because they lead a relatively inactive lifestyle, or they  may also be getting more sleep during the day.
 
 The term insomnia  refers to an inability to fall asleep or to remain asleep for enough length of  time. This may causes chronic tiredness that badly affects your daily  life.
 It is important to stress that virtually everybody has problems  sleeping at some time or other. Stress, depression and worry are well known  causes of insomnia. Illness is another possible cause, especially if there is  pain or discomfort. 
 
 
  | What precautions should you take when  using sleeping pills? | 
 
  There are many types of sleeping pill available.  However, it is important not to use sleeping pills too often. This is because  your body becomes dependent on the medicine and the serious side effects of  toxic, and eventually you will find it very difficult to stop taking the  tablets,it has a lot of side effects. You may also need to take more and more to  achieve the desired effect, because your body becomes tolerant. They may also  leave you feeling drowsy and lethargic in the morning. Eventually after some  time of using the insomnia- pills the patients will not even sleep after  using the insomnia- pills. 
 
 
  | What precautions should you take when  using sleeping pills? | 
 
 Insomnia- 
 - Exercise often helps you sleep, but avoid  exercising shortly before you go to bed.
   - Write down your worries rather than  think about them while you're trying to sleep.
   - A warm bath before bed can  help.
   - Try not to eat large meals before bedtime.
   - Drinking alcohol may also  disturb your night's sleep, though a small night-cap can help you to fall asleep  in the first place.
   - Cut down on drinks containing caffeine (coffee, tea,  cocoa, and cola), especially late at night.
   - The bedroom itself should be well  ventilated and cool and as dark and quiet as possible.
   - Don't go to bed until  you feel tired.
   - Sex just before bedtime can both promote and impede sleep.  Men may sleep well after sex, whereas women may liven up.
   - Read a book until  you feel dozy. Get up again if you are not able to sleep within half an hour.
 - Sit down, read the paper, listen to some music and go back to bed half an hour  later.
  Get up at the same time every morning. Set the alarm and get out of  bed quickly, even if you have had a late or sleepless night. This way, at the  end of the day you'll probably feel tired and sleepy at just the right time. If  you do this for a sufficient number of days, you will successfully adjust your  inner clock and get tired when you need to.
  You should avoid taking a  sleeping pill if you expect to have problems sleeping. You can take some medicine herbs  instead of sleeping pills. You will need to consult your GP to get a  prescription of sleeping pills. Of course the long term consumption of the pills  with have many side effects.
  Many people find insomnia herbal remedies get them off to  sleep better than other treatments - for example using medicine herbs before sleeping,  can aid relaxation prior to sleep. These are more difficult to prove with  scientific study - but may reward personal experimentation, it does work.