Sleeplessness

Facts About Sleeplessness
Self Care
Call Your Doctor If...

Occasionally, too much coffee, excitement or anxiety may keep you up at night. But if insomnia (sleeplessness) is a frequent problem for you, there are many effective self-care approaches. Self-care means knowing when to call your doctor, too: when insomnia doesn't respond to self-care after a few weeks, your doctor can help.

Facts About Sleeplessness

Sleeplessness takes different forms. It can be when you take an hour or more to fall asleep at night, or when you wake up very early and want to fall asleep again, but can't. You may wake up feeling as if you had not slept well, or you may wake up in the middle of the night. We all need to sleep, but our patterns and needs differ. If you feel rested and are not relying on caffeine or other stimulants, no matter how unusual your sleeping habits are, you probably don't have a serious sleep problem.

Self Care

Look at your personal habits carefully. Changing one or more of them may make the difference. Begin by reducing or eliminating caffeine for a few weeks: it's in soft drinks, coffee, black tea, chocolate, and many medicines. Don't drink any caffeine after 4 p.m. Reduce or stop smoking: nicotine in cigarettes can also be a stimulant. Stress robs many people of sleep. Practice relaxation exercises, meditation, deep breathing, or gentle stretching before bed. Exercise on a regular basis but not immediately before bedtime. Then, turn out the light, light a candle and soak in a warm bath. Drink steamed milk, or herb tea such as chamomile. Don't drink any alcohol after the dinner hour. Make sure your mattress and pillow are comfortable. If they are too soft or hard, you may be restless during the night. Sleeping pills may help you sleep, but can be addictive and have other side effects. Use them with caution, and only when prescribed by your doctor. The amino acid L-tryptophan (found in milk), magnesium and calcium supplements are available at health food stores. Ask a doctor or nutritionist how much to take: they can help you sleep without side effects.

Additional Self-Care Approaches to Sleeplessness

Reduce or eliminate caffeine for a few weeks: it's in soft drinks, coffee, black tea, chocolate, and medicine.
Don't drink any caffeine after 4 p.m.
Don't drink any alcohol after the dinner hour.
Reduce or stop smoking: nicotine can be a stimulant.
Practice relaxation exercises or gentle stretching before bed.
Get regular exercise but not immediately before bedtime.
Soak in a warm bath.

Call Your Doctor If...

* You've tried the above approaches for more than two weeks and you still have problems sleeping.

If you have chronic insomnia, your doctor may want to check for signs of other illness. If you are under stress, a counselor may be able to help. But to relieve most sleeplessness, reduce caffeine, get regular exercise, and learn to relax. You'll feel rested, and able to enjoy yourself again.

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