Fighting Insomnia

Sleep is becoming harder to come by these days.

Overloaded schedules and the increasing use of electronic gadgets give us enough reasons to stay awake at night. Financial worries are making our national sleep debt worse.

“Stress over the economy has almost doubled the numbers of patients that are experiencing sleep disorders. We see it all the time,” says Dr. Todd J. Swick, medical director of the Houston Sleep Center.

One-third of Americans are having trouble sleeping because of financial concerns, a National Sleep Foundation poll found.

And an estimated 10 percent of the population has chronic insomnia, says Dr. Lisa Shives, a sleep specialist in Evanston, Ill., and spokeswoman for American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Michael Jackson, who reportedly had trouble sleeping for years, was given an assortment of sedatives and the powerful anesthetic drug propofol the morning he died. His death shows how far some people will go to find the sleep they desperately need — and that quality sleep doesn't come in a bottle.

Before you beg your doctor for a prescription for sleeping pills, try this plan to increase your amount of slumber:

Step 1: Improve your sleep habits

• Eliminate caffeine and nicotine, which are stimulants, within four hours of bedtime, Swick recommends. Also avoid eating a heavy meal close to bedtime, which can cause indigestion and interfere with sleep.

• Avoid alcohol, which prevents you from entering the deeper stages of sleep and can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night.

• Exercise early in the day.Regular exercise can decrease anxiety and improve the quality of your sleep. But some people find strenuous exercise too close to bedtime makes it harder for them to fall asleep.

• Establish a regular sleep schedule, going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day. Maintaining that schedule will strengthen your body's sleep-wake cycle and help you fall asleep more easily at night.

• Find time before bed to decompress from the day, by reading, doing gentle yoga, listening to soothing music or taking a warm bath. Keep the lights low and stay off the computer. “The light from the screen signals to you it's time to get up and feed the chickens,” Shives says.

•Make your sleeping environment comfortable. It should be dark, quiet and not too hot or cold. Many people find cooler temperatures help them sleep better.

• Keep a worry journalif stress is keeping you awake, Shives suggests. Write down what's bothering you and include strategies for handing each item. Try doing this a few hours before sleep, not while in bed.

•Use your bed only for sleep or sex — not working or studying — so you associate your bed with rest and relaxation.

• Get out of bed and do something relaxing if you can't fall asleep after 15-20 minutes. Tossing, watching the clock and worrying that you can't fall asleep will make you feel anxious. “When that 

happens night after night, you are now associating the bed with a torture chamber,” Swick says.

•Examine your medications. Many medications, such as certain blood pressure drugs and some over-the-counter cold remedies, can cause insomnia, and should be taken in the morning instead of evening.

•Try supplements containing melatonin, sometimes called the “sleep hormone.” Seniors can be deficient in the naturally occurring hormone, says Jeannie Davis, a naturopath and herbalist in San Antonio.

Step 2: Seek professional help

•If your sleep doesn't improve after a month or two, it may be time to visit a board-certified sleep specialist.

•Determine if you have a more serious medical problem. Sometimes insomnia is a symptom of a thyroid disorder or depression. Poor or interrupted sleep also can be a result of sleep apnea (waking up repeatedly due to a blocked airway) or restless leg syndrome, leg spasms that can jolt you awake.

• Ask your doctor about cognitive behavioral therapy. It typically includes education about proper sleep habits and relaxation techniques such as biofeedback, guided imagery and progressive muscle relaxation.

•Consider prescription drugs only a temporary solution. They are not an appropriate long-term cure for insomnia, Swick says. “Even the best ones (do) not substitute for natural sleep,” he says. 

Furthermore, sleeping pills can cause side effects such as daytime sleepiness, nausea and dizziness and may interfere with other medications.

To continue reading, click Remedies Available to Fight Insomnia