Harvard Medical School

Most people remember a time when going to bed meant an all-night restful sleep, and then awakening refreshed to start a new day. For millions of people, that now seems like just a fond dream, no pun intended. Somewhere along the way, sleep became lighter, sometimes fitful and interrupted by too many awakenings. Worse, some people develop chronic insomnia, an inability to sleep for endless hours through the night. Sleep and sleeping patterns are among the most studied elements of human health. Researchers in this field have learned volumes about what causes sleep problems and good solutions to fix most…