Falling Asleep Too Fast Can Mean You're Sleep Deprived?

June 28, 2012— -- Falling asleep in less than 5 minutes may indicate that a person could be suffering from a sleep disorder, according to the FDA. It is normal to take anywhere between 10 to 20 minutes to fall asleep at night. While we know that most adults need at least eight hours of sleep each night, not everyone is able to get the necessary amount of rest.

While there are many reasons for lacking sleep, it is important to understand the different types of sleep disorders:

Insomnia - While it is common for people to have trouble falling asleep due to many outside factors, insomnia is when it becomes long-term over several nights or weeks.

Lack of energy throughout the day – Tiredness can be considered normal, however when it begins to interfere with your everyday activities that's when you may have a sleep disorder. Signs to watch for are trouble paying attention, heavy eyelids, and slowed thinking.

Snoring – There are many causes to snoring, but such changes as losing weight, changing your typical sleeping position, or cutting back on smoking and/or alcohol, may put an end to your noisy breathing.

Sleep apnea – The common type of sleep apnea is trouble breathing while you're trying to sleep. This type of sleeping can be dangerous and the combination of loud snoring and daytime sleepiness may be a key sign of this sleeping disorder.

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ByAudience/ForWomen/ucm118563.htm