ABC13's 'sleep week' kicks off with insomnia: Recognizing the signs and symptoms

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Millions of Americans are living with a sleep disorder and don't even know it, according to a sleep expert.

All this week, ABC13 is helping you recognize the symptoms and how to treat them so you can get a better night's rest.

On Monday, we're focusing on one of the most commonly recognized: insomnia!

We asked a number of people on the University of Houston campus how many hours of sleep they get a night.

"Generally, I get around six to seven hours of sleep. I would love to get more," Carter Baker said.

Dipali Rinker says over the years, her sleep has definitely improved since it's a priority. "Anywhere between six to eight hours," she said.

That's great since Dr. Candice Alfano, a sleep expert and clinician at UH, says that while some folks can run on six to nine hours of sleep, the average adult needs seven. That can be tough, though, if you experience things like difficulty going to sleep, trouble staying asleep or waking up feeling as if you didn't get enough sleep.

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"What happens in insomnia is that over time, people begin to do the wrong things to compensate for lack of sleep. They drink a lot of coffee in the afternoon; they have a glass of wine before they go to sleep. They take a cat nap in the afternoon, or they sleep in on weekends," Alfano said.

Alfano says sleep is a learned behavior, and like any other daily habit we have, it can be unlearned.

While there are medications for a "short-term" fix, Alfano says the best way to treat insomnia is by teaching the person how to sleep again. It's called "cognitive behavioral intervention," and you can start by limiting the time you spend in bed, awake.

Alfano explained how to begin: "Something you can do at least temporarily more closely is match your bedtime with your sleep onset time. We do that to try and recreate that association between the bed and sleep."

Alfano also stressed the importance of not leaving insomnia untreated since studies show it can create bigger issues and lead to things like depression, anxiety, and other diseases.

She also adds that it's considered "normal" to experience bouts of insomnia if you have had a major life change or experienced a traumatic event.

If it lasts longer than three months though, Alfano says it's time to see a doctor.

SEE ALSO: Some people are inherently night owls, early birds: How your body clock influences sleep