OTTUMWA, IOWA -- Everyone from your doctor to your mother tells you to get a good night's sleep. But do you really need eight hours every night?

"That's what they still recommend for people, but you have to individualize that because some people can actually go on seven hours of sleep and I'm reading studies from both sides of the fence, they're saying if you get too much sleep, it can be unhealthy, if you don't get enough sleep, it can be unhealthy, so to find a common, medium ground, they're saying somewhere between seven to eight hours," said Lynelle Diers, Director of Wapello County Public Health.

Much of the time, a lack of sleep is a side effect of medication or a symptom of another medical problem, such as depression, Parkinson's disease or heart issues. If you're constantly tired for prolonged periods of time, it could become a more serious issue - sleep apnea.

"If you're feeling really, really tired each and every day and then there's the consideration, do you snore?" Diers said. "Because if you have a companion or someone that sleeps next to you and they indicate that the snoring is actually waking them up, or if they even hear you not breathing, those would be some considerations that the medical provider may want you to do some testing. But if you are having trouble, you do need to discuss it with your medical provider."

As far as sleep aids go, most of them are helpful, as long as they are used responsibly and are prescribed by a doctor.

"There is some real concerns about that because I've even read studies where they're saying it's even shortening individuals lives if you are taking sleep aids in the evening every single night," Diers said. "Periodically, I think they're fine, but I'm not going to recommend anything, that's a decision for your medical home provider because they know best. If you're taking other medication, you've got to be so careful what you take over the counter and mixing with them and people that are drinking absolutely should not be taking any sleeping aids."

According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep apnea affects 18 million Americans.