We all have occasional bouts of mild insomnia. It may be due to an excessively stimulating day, a particularly disturbing event, or perhaps an especially difficult assignment due the next day. Usually these periods are brief and we are able to resume our normal sleep pattern. There are times, though, when stress may be prolonged for several weeks altering our sleep pattern so that getting a good night's rest is quite hard. We may toss and turn, ruminate over too many things, or wake up frequently during the night.