Everybody needs sleep, but not all of us find it very easy to get. While some people seem to be able to nod off any and everywhere, others are afflicted with insomnia, which is the inability to fall asleep despite being tired or exhausted.

So what’s the difference? Why do some find it so easy to sleep while others don’t? It turns out, like so many common problems people face, there is no one answer to this problem. However, there are some common factors which many people will recognize.

First of all, if you find yourself nodding off during the day, this may actually be a problem. Perhaps you aren’t sleeping fully at night (this is a common symptom of undiagnosed sleep apnea). You may have some other form of narcolepsy, which can be dangerous if you find yourself falling asleep behind the wheel. For other people, being tired during the day is simply a sign of being an adult. You work hard, the family is demanding, and you want to nap during the day.

However, if the root of your problem is poor sleep at night, this is a problem you should solve. Sleep is important, and going without it can have all kinds of mental and physical consequences, especially if you are chronically sleep-deprived for long periods of time. For people like this, ashwagandha from the Standard Process brand may offer some natural relief, but let’s take a look at other causes and solutions for sleep deprivation as well.

• You Might Be A Night Owl - Some sleep studies indicate that there are honest-to-goodness sleep styles hardwired into individual physiology. You might be what’s called a “morning lark” - someone who wakes early in the day feeling rested and happy. You might also be a “night owl” - someone with a body that naturally wishes to sleep only late at night, long after the larks are cozily nested away. This can be a challenging conundrum for students, office workers, and other people with lives that require them to be up early every single morning.

• Chemical Sleep Problems. Chemicals like alcohol, drugs, and all kinds of prescription medications can alter sleep, preventing us from getting the Zzzs we need. If you regularly consume drugs legal or illegal (and we’re counting alcohol), seriously consider whether or not it is having a negative impact on your sleep, and whether your chemical of choice is worth this deleterious effect. You may have no alternative, as with a lifesaving drug, or you may want to reduce that amount you drink, if only to get the rest you so badly need.

There are numerous sleep aides that can help, as can vigorous exercise. In most cases, if you’re really and truly tired, your body will sleep. Avoid naps for a day, even if you had terrible sleep the night before, and go to bed early. Wake up with an early alarm, and don’t hit snooze. Rinse and repeat for several days, and you’ll likely have a new natural bedtime. However, if you like going to bed late and you don’t have any reason to wake up early, consider just going with the flow.

If none of these points seem to relate to your specific problem and experience, perhaps it’s time to go to a sleep specialist. Sleep doctors know more about sleep than you do, and they may be able to identify fixable problems that you’d never stumble upon yourself. If that sounds like a lot of work, please no that sleep should be a priority. Sleep does such important work in the body and mind that, even when we feel willing to sacrifice it, we literally can’t do without it.