Jennifer Aniston shares insomnia struggles—'The more I worry about it, the harder it is to fall asleep'

Jennifer Aniston has candidly opened up about her battles with insomnia, and the impact it has on her physical and mental health.

The Friends actress revealed that she has been experiencing disrupted sleep for a large period of her life, including struggling with sleepwalking and sleep anxiety. She revealed this has been going on for nearly two decades, with the stress of the situation proving so much that she often does not get any sleep at all.

She said, "I think it started somewhere in my 30s or even earlier, but you just don't start to notice the effects of a lack of sleep when we're younger because we're so invincible. It began as something that I would just accept and then all of a sudden you realize the effects of your lack of sleep and how it affects your day and your work and your mind function and your physique."

"And the more I worry about it, the harder it is to fall asleep," she added.

The star went on to share, in a very relatable confession, that she put sleep secondary to her career for years.

"It used to be the last thing on the list, but you can't really abide by the three pillars of health— which are diet, exercise and sleep—if you can't really exercise and you can't really eat right if you haven't slept well because your body clock is so completely thrown off."

Jennifer shared that having a routine has helped—and good sleep hygiene is one of the most important pillars in a good night’s sleep.

Most women will relate to Jennifer’s struggles. The problem has even been called "the next feminist issue" by author and businesswoman Arianna Huffington.

"Women are more likely than men to experience insomnia and potential underlying conditions, such as depression linked to variations in reproductive hormones," explains Rosie Osmun, a certified sleep coach at Eachnight.

It’s understood that, as an average, adult women will need between six to nine hours of sleep per night.

Jennifer is now seeking help from a doctor, something she "absolutely recommends people do," and she has opened up about her issues as she joins a new awareness campaign, Seize the Night and Day, where people dealing with sleep issues can find their own doctors.