Tammy Applegate dreams of sleep - when she dreams, that is. Most nights, pain rousts her four or five times. She turns over, repositions the pillow under one shoulder - the only position that offers some relief - and waits for slumber to overtake her discomfort. "Sometimes it takes me so long to get comfortable that I stay awake anywhere from 30 minutes to a couple of hours," says the Fort Worth, Texas, mother of four, who has mixed connective tissue disease.

   She's got plenty of company. Insomnia - broadly defined as having trouble falling or staying asleep - affects anywhere from 10 to 40 percent of American adults, at least intermittently, according to population studies; it's estimated that some 10 to 15 percent have long-term sleep problems (lasting more than a month).

   If your sleep problems seem intractable, don't lose hope. Let Arthritis Today help you understand the sleep process and how you can improve your chances of getting a good night's rest. Contact for complete article