Insomnia Tips Insomnia is a very common complaint among older
adults. The condition affects more than
70 million Americans. Some symptoms
include difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, difficulty with
early morning awakening, or not feeling rested by a “good night’s sleep.” Occasionally, insomnia lasts for a short time
and can be easily managed. Other times
it is a chronic condition, lasting more than six months. This chronic insomnia is more troublesome and
can affect work, social relationships, and health. Many people with
insomnia are also diagnosed with other conditions such as depression, anxiety,
allergies, or pain. Insomnia treatment begins with what is known as “sleep
hygiene.” This includes regular sleep
and wake times. You should avoid eating,
drinking, or exercising before bedtime.
The room should be cool, comfortable, and dark. Philosophy of Sleep Hygiene 1. Keep
a regular sleep schedule 2. Exercise
regularly but avoid exercise before bed 3. Go
to bed when sleepy 4. Do
relaxing and enjoyable activities before bed 5. Keep
the bedroom quiet and comfortable 6. Do
not eat a large evening meal 7. If
you are not sleeping within 20 minutes, get up and return to bed when you are
sleepy 8. If
you must take a nap, limit it to 30 minutes 9. Avoid
alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine 10. Have
your pharmacist check your medications for stimulating drugs If the “sleep hygiene” methods are not working, then it
may be necessary to begin using medication.
If you are still having difficulty getting a good
night’s sleep, you should talk to your pharmacist or doctor. The cause of your insomnia will need to be
determined and you may need medication to help you sleep. Even if medication is used for insomnia,
“sleep hygiene” principles should still be followed and can provide added
benefit. The best medication should act quickly and for a short
period of time. This eliminates the
“hangover effect” some people experience.
There are many other products that might be used for
insomnia. Melatonin has been shown to be
helpful in treating insomnia due to melatonin deficiency in elderly
patients. It may also improve sleep
quality but probably will not increase the length of sleep time. Kava kava and
valerian root are also commonly used for the treatment of insomnia. Kava kava has not
been shown to be effective in the treatment of chronic insomnia. It is also known to be potentially dangerous
to the liver. Valerian root may be
helpful in helping one get to sleep as well as improving the quality of sleep. There are a number of treatment options available for
the treatment and management of insomnia.
It is important to diagnose and attempt to treat the root or underlying
cause first. After that, the practice
known as “sleep hygiene” should be practiced.
If “sleep hygiene” is not effective, then the use of prescription
medication may be warranted. The cheapest treatment is, of course, “sleep
hygiene.” If you try this approach and
are unsuccessful, I would recommend over-the-counter diphenhydramine, while
still practicing “sleep hygiene.” There
are many different types available. The
next step would be to visit your doctor for a prescription. As is my usual recommendation, begin with the
lowest priced medication. For insomnia treatment, I would recommend trazodone first. Trazodone represents approximately 40% of all insomnia
prescriptions. It is very cheap at less
than $10 a month. If that is
ineffective, go with temazepam. It is also very popular and cheap. It is, however, a controlled substance which
means there is a possibility of addiction. More Tips Do you feel tired and un-refreshed on waking in the
morning? Do you stay that way throughout the day? Do you have difficulty concentrating during the day? The World Health Organization says that one-third of
the world's population experience insomnia at some stage in their lives, with
approximately five per cent needing medical treatment! To avoid medical intervention, try these natural
techniques and remedies, and help put your insomnia to rest. Relaxation Relax before going to bed. Do some deep breathing,
listen to soft music. According to Dr. Timothy Sharp from Sydney University,
avoiding caffeine, alcohol and nicotine will also help. Bedtime Routine Develop a bedtime routine so your body knows it's time
to go to sleep. By winding down your physical activities and following a set
routine prior to bed, your body will start to associate some of these actions
with going to sleep. Start with a cup of hot milk. Milk contains a protein
called tryptophan, which helps to promote sleep. This can be substituted with
chamomile tea, which is known to calm the nerves. Follow this with a hot bath
or shower, the heat will help to lower your internal body temperature, again
telling your body to go to sleep. Your bedroom is for sleeping only Make your bedroom your sleep-room. Turn the lights off
as soon as you get into bed. Don't read, eat or watch television in your
bedroom, or do any activity that is not sleep related. Make sure the room is
dark and cozy; include extra pillows on the bed and even some teddy bears. Make
your bedroom into a sleep sanctuary, a room that you will instantly feel secure
and comfortable in, and best of all, a room that you will crave to sleep in. Calm down and clear your mind Clear your mind of the day's activities or things that
are due to be done tomorrow. Write a 'to do' list for the following day.
Organize uniforms, lunches, etc ... the night before.
Make arrangements earlier than usual so you don't worry. Give time back to yourself Instead of trying to cram as much as you can into the
day then find you haven't left much time to sleep, try to find short cuts or
solutions to give a little time back to yourself. Make a double casserole and
freeze half for another night. Spot clean the house as you go. Have more
barbecues, using paper plates (less washing-up). Offer to pay the kids, or the
neighbor’s kids, to do some extra chores. A balanced diet helps to make a balanced mind If you're lacking in essential vitamins and minerals
your body cannot operate at its best. Throw out the junk food and fizzy drinks,
and make a new start to good physical and mental health. Add in some regular
exercise and watch your body respond with some improved sleep. Don't lie in bed if you can't sleep If you don't feel sleepy enough to drift off, your mind
will probably anguish over the fact that you can't get to sleep. This will only
make it harder to get to sleep each time you experience this. Get out of bed
and go into a different room. Do something to distract yourself
until you do start to feel sleepy and then try to sleep again later. Medications may interfere with your sleep It has been shown that some of the medications below
may cause sleep problems. Check with your doctor if you are experiencing
insomnia and are also taking any of these medications - amphetamines (diet
pills), antidepressants, beta blockers (heart and blood pressure), cimetidine
(ulcers), clonidine (blood pressure), cortisone, diuretics (fluid), levodopa (parkinsons), methyldopa (blood pressure) and ventolin (asthma). Above all: de-stress Sharp says that stress is the worst cause of insomnia.
Use some of the techniques above and try to remove as much stress out of your
life as possible, and finally put your insomnia to rest. Start To Sleep Well Again For people who are suffering from insomnia, there is
nothing as important as finding a good insomnia treatment. After all, the
persistent inability to sleep, the constant fatigue, and the frustration of
failing to get any rest night after night takes its toll. Fortunately, there
are plenty of options available for people who suffer from insomnia, and an
effective insomnia treatment can be found by those who need one. The first thing to do when looking for an insomnia
treatment is to look at insomnia prevention. Eliminating caffeine in the
evening hours, exercising in the early evening, avoiding television and the
internet near bed time, and getting to bed early are all excellent ways to
prevent insomnia before it starts. And prevention is the best way to start
treatment. Probably the best-known insomnia treatment is the
classic glass of warm milk. For as long as anyone can remember, when somebody
has trouble falling asleep, someone has recommended a nice glass of warm milk.
The reasons for its effectiveness are still not entirely understood, but warm
milk does help people fall asleep. Though it will not necessarily help someone
who is suffering from chronic insomnia, it will help people who just need a
little something that will help them relax enough to get to sleep. When the insomnia is a little more stubborn, stronger
methods may be necessary. There are several herbal insomnia treatments
available and they can be very effective assistants when someone is having
trouble falling asleep. The most common herbal treatments include ingredients
such as lavender, chamomile, or valerian and they can be very effective when
sleep will not come otherwise. Another option for people who need help falling asleep
is melatonin, a naturally-occurring hormone. This hormone is vital in
regulating human sleep cycles and, when taken in pill form, it can help people
get their insomnia under control and fall asleep when they need to fall asleep.
And because it is a naturally occurring hormone in mammals, it is not as
hazardous as some of the stronger insomnia treatments. Unfortunately, some people do not respond to any of
these methods and need a stronger insomnia treatment. This means, of course,
sleeping pills. Admittedly, sleeping pills are very effective. However, they
also carry a risk of dependency and even addiction and should, therefore, be
used sparingly. But, for people who are suffering from extreme, chronic
insomnia, there is sometimes no other choice and sleeping pills are needed to
finally get a good night’s sleep. While it is not a method that should be taken
lightly, serious insomnia sometimes require serious
measures and sleeping pills are an extremely effective insomnia treatment. Insomnia treatment is vital for people who want to
start getting a good night’s sleep again. And there are several treatment
options available for people who are suffering from an inability to sleep,
ranging from simple methods of prevention to the use of sleeping pills. But the
best method is one created by sitting down with a doctor and putting together
an insomnia treatment plan that tailor made for the person who is struggling
with sleep. Copyright ®2005-2009 eNewsletterSolutions.com. All rights reserved
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