Everyone experiences sleeplessness or insomnia at one point in
their lives. It may be once or twice in an entire lifetime
(transient), a daily occurrence, a serious sleeping disorder
(chronic), or it may be a recurrent problem (intermittent). It
can affect anyone regardless of age, sex, social status and
race.
Insomnia is lack of sleep due to the inability to initiate
and/or failure to maintain sleep and the feeling of being
unrefreshed the following day. Insomnia can be brought about by
different factors. The most common of which are:
=95Emotional factors: Stress, depression and psychological
disorders.
=95Environmental factors: Extremes in temperatures, noise,
noxious smell and unfamiliar places.
=95Medical disorders: Hyperthyroidism, sleep apnea, restless legs
syndrome, arthritis, ADHD, Parkinson’s disease, asthma, kidney
disease, heart problems, etc.
=95Use of caffeine, alcohol, nicotine.
=95Change in sleep/wake cycle: Jet lag, shifting work schedules.
Insomniacs are often irritable and fatigued. They exhibit poor
work performance and excessive drowsiness in the daytime. They
have trouble concentrating, may appear dazed and confused most
of the time, and gets a bit too forgetful.
Just by looking at the effects of sleeplessness, we know this
warrants treatment. The first step would be to have yourself
evaluated and see if there is an underlying disease process
that’s causing your insomnia. In transient insomnia, treatment
may not be necessary because our sleeping patterns have a way
of going back to normal. But if it is becoming chronic and is
affecting your activities of daily living, proper treatment is
certainly called for.
Resorting to sleeping pills to treat sleeping problems is only
beneficial if you are going to use it temporarily. The risk of
developing drug dependence is always there if you try using it
to cure insomnia. Here are some tips that will help you sleep
easier at night:
=95Maintain a clean, comfortable and well ventilated bedroom
conducive for sleeping. Avoid working, eating, or watching
shows on TV inside your bedroom. That way, your mind will
associate bedroom with sleeping.
=95Set a specific bedtime and wake-up time even on weekends to
get your body accustomed to a regular sleep/wake cycle. Turn
off the lights when you sleep and expose yourself to day light
when you wake up, this can help with sleep/wake cycle you are
trying to establish. Avoid daytime naps to make it easier for
you to sleep at night.
=95Stay away from alcohol, nicotine and caffeine. Coffee, cola,
tea and chocolates are caffeine-containing foods.
=95Watch what you eat. Avoid heavy meals, spicy foods and sweets
for dinner. A glass of warm milk without sugar will help.
=95Regular exercise in the daytime will help you sleep soundly at
night. Body massages and a warm bath before bedtime also helps.
If you think you need more than the conventional methods
mentioned above, try these alternative treatments commonly used
to treat insomnia:
=95Hypnosis CDs. These are currently gaining popularity. These
CDs contain soft music and ambient sounds that promote
relaxation.
=95Meditation. Whether though guided imagery or yoga, the intent
is to soothe the mind and body and relieve stress and promote
relaxation.
=95Accupuncture. This is a branch of oriental medicine that tries
to treat insomnia by primarily dealing with the imbalances in
the internal organs that is causing the sleeping problem.
=95Home remedies. Onion is a highly effective treatment for
sleeplessness. Slice it, hold it under your nose, smell it,
then climb to bed. Just try it. Keep a jar of it at the bedside
in case you wake up in the middle of the night. Tart cherry,
another natural cure for insomnia, is also making a name for
itself. It contains the substance, melatonin, which helps
improve quality of sleep. A cup of lavender tea and chamomile
oil for aromatherapy is also relaxing. California poppy,
passionflower and valerian are herbs that can make you sleep as
well. They act on our body like benzodiazepines. But be careful,
they are just as addicting.
The next time you find yourself tossing and turning in bed, try
not to reach for that sedative and save yourself the trouble of
going through withdrawal syndromes. There are other ways of
keeping yourself sharp and radiant the next day. And if the
insomnia continues, see your doctor. A physical or
psychological disorder might be causing it. The best way to
deal with a problem is to understand what is causing it and
start from there.
About The Author: Damien Johnson provides advice for sleep
disorders such as Insomnia, Sleep Apnea, and overall better
sleep habits at http://www.StopSleepDisorders.com.
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