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Insomnia is defined by difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep or not feeling rested after sleeping for an apparently adequate amount of time. Insomnia can begin at any time but becomes more common as we age.
Most people fall asleep or back to sleep (if awakened at night) within 10 to 15 minutes. If it is consistently taking you 30 minutes or longer to fall asleep or to get back to sleep, you are likely suffering from insomnia.
Listed below are some suggestions for improving sleep. You are strongly advised to follow these instructions carefully until your sleep has returned to an acceptable pattern for at least three weeks. If eliminating one or more of these strategies results in disrupting that pattern, resume those steps for several more weeks, if not indefinitely. |
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Rules:
1. Establish a consistent sleep/wake schedule. That means going to bed and getting up on the same schedule every day -- even weekends.
2. If you are not falling asleep within 15 minutes of going to bed, do not lie in bed awake! Get up and go in another room. Do something quiet and boring, like watching an old movie or reading a book you've already read until you start to feel sleepy. Only then return to bed to fall asleep.
3. Do not read or watch TV in bed. This is a tough one to give up, but it is important that your bed be reserved for two things: sleep is one but neither reading nor TV is the other! For now, your bed is best associated with sleep.
4. Cut out all caffeine! This is another tough one for most insomniacs. Caffeine is a stimulant. Even morning coffee can disrupt a night's sleep for those whose sleep pattern is off.
5. It is more than an old wife's tale that warm milk helps people fall asleep. Warming milk releases an amino acid that does help to make us sleepy. Just be sure not to add alcohol to that milk! Alcohol may make you sleepy, but it disrupts the normal rhythm of brain waves during the night and can result in your feeling even more tired despite sleeping. It can also disrupt the next night's sleep, even if you don't drink alcohol again! If you hate the taste of warm milk, add cinnamon or nutmeg but not chocolate. Chocolate has caffeine in it!
6. Exercise during the day. Research supports the notion that exercise improves sleep as long one does not overexert, which can cause insomnia. Ask your doctor's advice if you are unsure about how much and which types of exercise are safe for you. Do not choose the hour before bedtime to exercise, however, because that much activity will stimulate your system and make it even harder to fall asleep.
7. Use the last hour before bedtime to do sedentary and peaceful activities. For example, take a warm bath, listen to soft music, write letters, get your partner to give you a massage, etc. Try to avoid upsetting conversations or watching the late news. By all means, put your work away! Let your body unwind.
8. Don't go to bed too hungry or too full. It is best to eat your evening meal no closer to bedtime than three hours. Indigestion causes poor sleep as does a rumbling, empty stomach.
9. Use meditation, prayer, positive or peaceful imagery to help you fall asleep. Avoid stimulating fantasies. Save those for during the day. Remember, it is time for your mind and body to rest and rejuvenate.
10. Avoid sleep medications if at all possible. While they are helpful at initiating sleep, they do not correct poor sleep habits. Some are habit forming. If your doctor recommends a sleeping pill, take it only for a short period of time while you are instituting the above strategies. There is no substitute for good sleep habits. Make a commitment to yourself to establish those habits and discontinue sleeping pills as soon as possible.
Sweet Dreams. . . |
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To Contact Us:
Telephone: 970-223-2256
Facsimile: 970-223-2324
300 E. Boardwalk Drive Building 5A Fort Collins, CO 80525
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Instructions for Treating Insomnia |