If you're having trouble sleeping, you're not alone.

Nearly 80 percent of Americans claimed they would feel better with an extra hour of sleep during a 2014 Better Sleep Council survey. About half of adults admit that they do not get enough sleep each night, with just 48 percent sleeping seven or more hours on weekdays."Our patients have a lot of trouble sleeping, for all sorts of reasons," said Janine Mack, director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Blue Mountain Health System, Palmerton campus. "Maybe they have bad sleep habits or they work shift work. Maybe they're overweight, which can also affect sleep."Does sleep matter?"Sleep is important for your overall physical and mental health," said Mack. "Patients who get a good night's sleep are happier. How you feel affects your mental health."She noted that sleep can also impact your physical health. Studies have shown that not getting enough quality sleep, especially when caused by sleep apnea (pauses in breathing during sleep), can lead to cardiovascular problems and uncontrolled blood sugar in diabetics."Once they get treatment for this, patients have an easier time treating their other problems," she said.Quantity is important: Aim for a full eight hours of sleep. But quality also matters.If you're tossing and turning for a few hours before falling asleep, or waking up to take the dog out every night, you're missing important portions of the sleep cycle.Building better habitsImproving your bedtime habits can lead to better sleep, said Mack. She called these habits "sleep hygiene," and noted that they're an important first step for anyone struggling to get a good night's rest."Try to stay on a regular schedule," she said. "Find a bedtime that's reasonable, and stick with it."She also encouraged people to avoid exercise or caffeine before bed, and to keep television outside of the bedroom."Your brain needs to know that when it's time to sleep, it's time to sleep. TV stimulates your brain. Even though you're not really awake, it does keep you up."Sleep hygiene is so important that many sleep doctors recommend keeping a bedtime journal, said Mack. This allows them to review your bedtime habits and offer suggestions and improvements.Finding additional helpIf you're concerned about the quality of your sleep, Mack recommends contacting your primary care doctor."We usually have patients come in because their spouse is noticing sleep issues," she said."Most people don't realize that they're sleep apneic, but others do notice it."Often a spouse or partner will complain about loud snoring, or that their partner stops breathing multiple times during the night. These are both symptoms of sleep apnea.She noted that sleep apnea is one of the most common problems treated at the center, but that the center also diagnoses and treats other sleeping problems such as insomnia, irregular sleep/wake patterns, shift work sleeping problems, and restless leg syndrome.If warranted, your doctor can order a sleep study at the Palmerton hospital. This study is called a polysomnogram and measures body functions as you sleep, helping doctors determine what problems may be affecting your slumber."Any doctor can order a sleep study," she said.