Sleepless nights, difficulty sleeping, and frequent interrupted sleep are all signs of insomnia.
It’s reported that one in every two adults will suffer from insomnia, at one point or another, in his or her lifetime.
Before seeking treatment find the cause
An occasional sleepless night is normal. However, if the problem is chronic and prevents you from enjoying your everyday activities, it becomes disorder, which left untreated will only continue to interfere with your daily life.
Repeated interruptions, anxiety, stress, pain and substances like nicotine, alcohol and caffeine can wreak havoc on your on your sleep.
Take stock and evaluate the situation: Have you recently experienced a change in your personal life? A change in work or family routines? Stress? Food? Have you started taking a new medication?
Check with your partner. Do you snore a lot at night? It may be a sign you suffer from sleep apnea.
Sleep Hygiene
• Keep a journal (take notes) for at least a week. Write down what you ate, when you exercised; your stress levels throughout the day; and detail how you slept (e.g., two hours to get to sleep, woke up 3 times, 4 hours of deep sleep).
• Increase your odds of getting a good night’s sleep by eating a lighter dinner and choose a smaller snack before bedtime. Small adjustments you can make - exercising more, watching less television at night and taking an hour at the end of the day just to relax - can have a positive influence on sleep patterns.
• Reduce your coffee consumption during the afternoon and avoid alcohol and cigarettes in the evening.
• Soak your feet in warm water for 20 minutes just before bed. This is an effective method of self-soothing.
When good habits are not enough
If your sleeplessness is prolonged, causing you to feel irritable and disoriented, making it difficult to get through the day, you need to seek help.
• Try herbal teas known to cause drowsiness. Several herbs have sedative properties, including valerian; passionflower; chamomile; overlain and poppy.
• Opt for natural products, but check with your pharmacist first. Melatonin supplements are a popular remedy used to induce sleep and regulate the body’s biological clock.
• Consult a pharmacist to find out about over-the-counter sedatives. A word of caution: sedative drugs can become addictive, and you may feel groggy or have trouble waking up in the morning.
• If all else fails, consult your doctor. It may be that your anxiety and stress levels are linked to depression. If necessary, medication integrated with psychotherapy (including stress tolerance skills), is very effective in managing persistent insomnia. Don’t forget to show the physician the “sleep journal” you’ve been keeping, this will aid in the diagnosis and facilitate a course of treatment.
