Insomnia - Getting The Help You Need

Experiencing an occasional sleepless night every now and again is normal and transient insomnia affects all of us from time to time, especially when we are under personal or professional stress, or our schedule changes significantly as a result of jet lag or shift work. But prolonged insomnia, lasting for perhaps six months or more, is another story.

If you have been unable to sleep every night, or most nights, for an extended period, then you may well suffer from serious insomnia.

If left untreated, such chronic insomnia can lead to a variety of significantly more serious conditions, including headaches, high blood pressure and even an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Whats more, sleep disorders such as this can cause a loss of mental clarity and difficulty in concentrating. Insomnia and related sleep problems have also been linked to depression and other serious psychological and emotional problems.

Fortunately, addressing the problem, and getting the help you need for a better nights sleep, can prove relatively straightforward. Whether you suffer from initial insomnia (trouble falling asleep), middle insomnia (difficulty staying asleep), or late insomnia (waking up too early), a process of simple adjustments to your daily routine, exercise, diet and sleep schedule will gradually result in a new pattern of healthful and fulfilling sleep.

A variety of natural sleep remedies (herbs, vitamins and minerals), when used appropriately, can prove an extremely effective tool in overcoming insomnia and generating a better nights sleep. In fact, a few notable herbs and natural remedies have been medically recognized as the natural equivalent of several well-known artificial sleep aids and sleeping pills, and have been lauded for their effectiveness.

If you still find yourself struggling, even after making basic lifestyle changes and using proven natural remedies for insomnia (not to mention allowing an appropriate amount of time for these changes to take effect), you do need to seek the advice of a doctor. In this case, you could be suffering from more severe insomnia or a related sleep disorder like sleep apnea, narcolepsy or restless legs syndrome, all of which require the guidance of a medical professional.

The following questionnaire will help you determine your level of insomnia:

Simply answer each question "True" or "False"

1. I cannot remember the last time I enjoyed a good nights sleep.

2. I have difficulty falling asleep at least four nights out of every seven.

3. I frequently wake in the night and struggle to get back to sleep.

4. I often wake up at least an hour or more before my alarm clock rings.

5. More often than not, I go to bed and get up at the same time each day.

6. I follow a regular exercise routine.

7. My diet includes a healthy balance of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

8. I watch television or have a computer in my bedroom.

9. My spouse/partner complains about my snoring.

10. I am frequently sleepy during the day and often wake up feeling tired.

11. I often experience a tingling or crawling sensation in my legs and feet.

12. I frequently find myself accidentally falling asleep during the day.

Answering true to any of the first four questions will help confirm the fact that you may be suffering from serious insomnia.

Answering true to questions five through eight, however, suggests that you have already established the lifestyle habits conducive to a good night's sleep. Having difficulty sleeping despite following a healthy exercise, diet and daily routine suggests that you could be suffering from some form of insomnia. You may want to try using natural sleep remedies to manage your condition, and considering seeking the advice of a medical professional if it persists.

Answering true to the last four questions may indicate that you suffer from severe insomnia or a related sleep disorder, and you should seek the advice of a medical professional.

Copyright 2005 Donald Saunders - http://help-me-to-sleep.com

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Donald Saunders is the author of a number of health publications including "How To Get A Good Night's Sleep - Simple Solutions To Help You Rest". To pick up your free copy of this guide visit: http://help-me-to-sleep.com/index1.html

Insomnia and the use of Bright Light Therapy

The use of light as a therapeutic tool has a long history, with reports of sunlight being used to treat depression and lethargy over 2000 years ago in ancient Greece and Rome. The use of light in therapy today however stems largely from research carried out in the 1980s that looked at the cycle of depression, and other problems, associated with changes in the seasons of the year.

Many of the body's functions are regulated by an internal clock which operates on a pattern that repeats roughly every 24 hours and that gives a rhythm to our lives. Indeed, this is often referred to as the body's circadian rhythm, from the Latin 'circa dies' meaning 'about a day'.

Unlike your kitchen clock or wrist watch, however, which are more often than not powered by batteries these days, your body clock is essentially a chemical clock and is powered by a variety of different environmental factors, the most significant of which is the alternating pattern between daylight to darkness.

In simple terms, as your body senses the fall of darkness it sends out signals, shutting down many of your body's functions in preparation for sleep. Similarly, as daylight returns, signals are again sent out for these same functions to start up again.

So just how can we apply this knowledge to the treatment of insomnia?

There are three main types of insomnia initial, or sleep onset, insomnia (difficulty falling asleep), middle insomnia (difficulty remaining asleep through the night) and late, or terminal, insomnia (waking too early in the morning). It is in the first and last of these three that light therapy can be particularly useful.

In the case of initial insomnia your body clock has often shifted so that, instead of sending out the chemical signals to start shutting down at say ten or eleven o'clock in the evening, your body doesnt start sending out the necessary messages until perhaps one or two o'clock in the morning.

Similarly, at perhaps seven o'clock in the morning, when you should be starting your day, your body clock hasn't yet started to send out its 'wake up' signals and wont be doing so for perhaps another three or four hours.

To solve this problem, and to re-adjust your body clock, bright light therapy can be used in the morning to get you up and going. If bright light therapy is used for perhaps thirty minutes to an hour each morning for several days, your internal body clock will gradually shift to align itself with your normal sleeping routine.

The same treatment can be applied in the case of late insomnia. In this case your body clock is set too early so that it is telling you to go to bed before it is time to do so and similarly to get up too early.

Here, bright light therapy can again be used to re-adjust your body clock, but now needs to be applied in the evening, rather than in the morning.

Although bright light therapy is being used increasingly to treat insomnia it remains very much a secondary form of treatment and has yet to achieve the prominence that it deserves. It is, however, gaining ground in the treatment of insomnia associated with two specific problems, those of jet lag and shift work, and so it is perhaps only a matter of time before it becomes a far more widely used form of treatment for insomnia generally.

Copyright 2005 Donald Saunders - http://help-me-to-sleep.com

Donald Saunders is the author of a number of health-related publications including "How To Get A Good Nights Sleep". Pick up your free copy today and learn the secret to better sleep or visit Help-Me-To-Sleep.com to learn more about insomnia

Self Help for Insomnia

H.Ed (Nursing Studies), Dip.Hyp.,NLP(prac) The benefits of a good nights sleep cannot be underestimated. It is believed that sleep gives our bodies the chance to maintain and repair our bodies and minds. Cell growth and cell repair takes place to combat the affects of stress. Sleep also helps our bodies fight infection. This is because our immune system releases a sleep-inducing chemical while fighting a cold or an infection. Sleep helps the body conserve energy and other resources that the immune system needs to mount an effective attack. While the mental processes that take place in sleep are not well understood, it is probable that sleeping and dreaming allow the mind to re-organise experience in constructive ways. The areas of the brain responsible for dreaming are also those areas associated with inspiration and aspiration.

Sleep deprivation has long been understood to give rise to some very unpleasant consequences. In early stages (which can arise from persistent poor quality sleep), we can see
Tiredness
irritability, edginess
inability to tolerate stress
problems with concentration and memory
behavioural, learning or social problems
frequent infections
blurred vision
vague physical discomfort
alterations in appetite.

Insomnia is a condition that causes distress to many people. Insomnia is probably responsible for more days off work and more mental strain than any other condition in the western world, with the usual response from a frustrated medical profession being the prescription of powerful sedatives that have strong adverse side effects. Nobody knows just how many sleeping tablets are consumed every year, but in the US alone the government permits the manufacturer of pentobarbital (Nembutal) to make over 15 tons yearly!

There are many things we can do to improve the quality of our sleep. What constitutes quality sleep will vary from person to person, but on average, an adult requires 7 or 8 hours sleep a night. During sleep, we cycle through three stages of sleep ranging from light sleep to deep sleep, and finally, to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. A complete sleep cycle takes 90 to 110 minutes on average.

Basic Sleep Hygiene

Basic sleep hygiene rules are really common sense when you think about them. They could include

Become aware of your mind and bodys natural cycle. Some people function better going to bed early and rising early, other people function better when going to bed late and rising late. Listen to your body, and notice at what times of day you function best and are most productive.

Sleep only when you feel sleepy. This reduces the time you are awake in bed.

If you can't fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and do something else until you feel sleepy, but make sure it is not too stimulating. Sit quietly in the dark listen to some nice soothing music.

Try not to take naps. This will ensure you are tired at bedtime. If you just can't make it through the day without a nap, sleep less than one hour, before 3 pm.

Get up and go to bed the same time every day. When your sleep cycle has a regular rhythm, you will feel better.

Dont exercise for at least 4 hours before bedtime. Regular exercise is recommended to help you sleep well, but the timing of the workout is important. Exercising in the morning or early afternoon will not interfere with sleep.

Develop a routine. Listen to relaxing music, read something soothing for 15 minutes, have a cup of warm milk, and do relaxation exercises.

Stay away from caffeine, nicotine and alcohol at least 4-6 hours before bed. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants that interfere with your ability to fall asleep. Alcohol may seem to help you sleep in the beginning as it slows brain activity, but it is a depressant, and will interfere with the quality of your sleep.

Have a light snack before bed. If your stomach is too empty, that can interfere with sleep. However, if you eat a heavy meal before bedtime, that can interfere as well.

Make sure your bed and bedroom are quiet and comfortable.

Good quality sleep is a habit. If you make the changes above, dont expect changes in your sleep pattern to occur overnight, give it time. And be forgiving of yourself. Nothing prevents a good nights sleep more than the increased sense of annoyance at not being able to go to sleep. So quit trying, get up and do something relaxing.

Further Self Help Strategies

Just as the external environment and our patterns of behaviour influence our ability to fall asleep easily and readily, so too does our internal environment have an effect. We can make every effort to reduce external stimulus, dim the light and listen to soothing music, but if we are making huge, bright pictures in our mind, or chattering away to ourselves in an urgent, intense tone, we are still creating a problem for ourselves. So pay attention to your thoughts as you prepare for sleep. And notice how you think them. What is it about them that make it harder to drop off to sleep?

Are you making images that big, bright, active, crowded? Let them become dimmer, further away, slow down the activity

Are you talking away to yourself? What sort of tone is that internal voice using? Make it slow down, and drop in pitch. Allow your internal thinking to become as soothing and gentle as you have made the external environment. You might find this helpful to do over a few minutes, so the internal dialogue gradually becomes quieter and quieter until you can barely hear it.

Self-Hypnosis

Self-hypnosis is a way of relaxing mind and body to a stage at which the communication between your conscious and unconscious mind becomes free and unimpeded. There are a number of ways in which this can benefit sleep, not least in that the relaxation it brings is beneficial in its own right.

There a number of ways to learn self-hypnosis, but it really is quite simple. When settles in bed, find a way to physically relax your body. Different ways work for different people, so for example, you might like to

1.direct your attention to each part of your body in turn, noticing how tense it feels. Then tense it further, release it and relax. Move on to the next part of the body. Do this from the feet up to the muscles in the head and then back down again, before just lying there and enjoying the sensation of relaxation. Or,

2.visualise a relaxing energy travelling up your body. It may be a golden light, or a warm pink glow. As it travels up your body, notice what the energy feels like as it suffuses and relaxes every muscle. Is it warm, does it gently vibrate? Is there a sound like a gentle hum associated with it? (If you represent it differently, thats OK everyone is unique in this respect). Alternatively,

3.pay attention to your breathing. As you breathe in, notice what happens to the muscles around your body. And as you breathe out, notice how they relax just a little bit further each time you breathe out. As you breathe in, say to yourself (in your mind) in a slow, relaxing voice Breathe, and as you breathe out, say and relax

And having reached that state of relaxation, simply say to yourself, in the same slow, relaxing manner, and knowing you are addressing your unconscious as well as conscious self and tonight, as I sleep more readily and easily each time I do this, I sleep deeper and deeper than ever before, to awake in the morning, refreshed, alert and awake

You can repeat this three times, allowing your internal voice to get quieter and quieter each time you say it.

Sleep deprivation has long been understood to give rise to some very unpleasant consequences. In early stages (which can arise from persistent poor quality sleep), we can see
Tiredness
irritability, edginess
inability to tolerate stress
problems with concentration and memory
behavioural, learning or social problems
frequent infections
blurred vision
vague physical discomfort
alterations in appetite.

Insomnia is a condition that causes distress to many people. Insomnia is probably responsible for more days off work and more mental strain than any other condition in the western world, with the usual response from a frustrated medical profession being the prescription of powerful sedatives that have strong adverse side effects. Nobody knows just how many sleeping tablets are consumed every year, but in the US alone the government permits the manufacturer of pentobarbital (Nembutal) to make over 15 tons yearly!

There are many things we can do to improve the quality of our sleep. What constitutes quality sleep will vary from person to person, but on average, an adult requires 7 or 8 hours sleep a night. During sleep, we cycle through three stages of sleep ranging from light sleep to deep sleep, and finally, to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. A complete sleep cycle takes 90 to 110 minutes on average.

Basic Sleep Hygiene

Basic sleep hygiene rules are really common sense when you think about them. They could include

Become aware of your mind and bodys natural cycle. Some people function better going to bed early and rising early, other people function better when going to bed late and rising late. Listen to your body, and notice at what times of day you function best and are most productive.

Sleep only when you feel sleepy. This reduces the time you are awake in bed.

If you can't fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and do something else until you feel sleepy, but make sure it is not too stimulating. Sit quietly in the dark listen to some nice soothing music.

Try not to take naps. This will ensure you are tired at bedtime. If you just can't make it through the day without a nap, sleep less than one hour, before 3 pm.

Get up and go to bed the same time every day. When your sleep cycle has a regular rhythm, you will feel better.

Dont exercise for at least 4 hours before bedtime. Regular exercise is recommended to help you sleep well, but the timing of the workout is important. Exercising in the morning or early afternoon will not interfere with sleep.

Develop a routine. Listen to relaxing music, read something soothing for 15 minutes, have a cup of warm milk, and do relaxation exercises.

Stay away from caffeine, nicotine and alcohol at least 4-6 hours before bed. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants that interfere with your ability to fall asleep. Alcohol may seem to help you sleep in the beginning as it slows brain activity, but it is a depressant, and will interfere with the quality of your sleep.

Have a light snack before bed. If your stomach is too empty, that can interfere with sleep. However, if you eat a heavy meal before bedtime, that can interfere as well.

Make sure your bed and bedroom are quiet and comfortable.

Good quality sleep is a habit. If you make the changes above, dont expect changes in your sleep pattern to occur overnight, give it time. And be forgiving of yourself. Nothing prevents a good nights sleep more than the increased sense of annoyance at not being able to go to sleep. So quit trying, get up and do something relaxing.

Further Self Help Strategies

Just as the external environment and our patterns of behaviour influence our ability to fall asleep easily and readily, so too does our internal environment have an effect. We can make every effort to reduce external stimulus, dim the light and listen to soothing music, but if we are making huge, bright pictures in our mind, or chattering away to ourselves in an urgent, intense tone, we are still creating a problem for ourselves. So pay attention to your thoughts as you prepare for sleep. And notice how you think them. What is it about them that make it harder to drop off to sleep?

Are you making images that big, bright, active, crowded? Let them become dimmer, further away, slow down the activity

Are you talking away to yourself? What sort of tone is that internal voice using? Make it slow down, and drop in pitch. Allow your internal thinking to become as soothing and gentle as you have made the external environment. You might find this helpful to do over a few minutes, so the internal dialogue gradually becomes quieter and quieter until you can barely hear it.

Self-Hypnosis

Self-hypnosis is a way of relaxing mind and body to a stage at which the communication between your conscious and unconscious mind becomes free and unimpeded. There are a number of ways in which this can benefit sleep, not least in that the relaxation it brings is beneficial in its own right.

There a number of ways to learn self-hypnosis, but it really is quite simple. When settles in bed, find a way to physically relax your body. Different ways work for different people, so for example, you might like to

1.direct your attention to each part of your body in turn, noticing how tense it feels. Then tense it further, release it and relax. Move on to the next part of the body. Do this from the feet up to the muscles in the head and then back down again, before just lying there and enjoying the sensation of relaxation. Or,

2.visualise a relaxing energy travelling up your body. It may be a golden light, or a warm pink glow. As it travels up your body, notice what the energy feels like as it suffuses and relaxes every muscle. Is it warm, does it gently vibrate? Is there a sound like a gentle hum associated with it? (If you represent it differently, thats OK everyone is unique in this respect). Alternatively,

3.pay attention to your breathing. As you breathe in, notice what happens to the muscles around your body. And as you breathe out, notice how they relax just a little bit further each time you breathe out. As you breathe in, say to yourself (in your mind) in a slow, relaxing voice Breathe, and as you breathe out, say and relax

And having reached that state of relaxation, simply say to yourself, in the same slow, relaxing manner, and knowing you are addressing your unconscious as well as conscious self and tonight, as I sleep more readily and easily each time I do this, I sleep deeper and deeper than ever before, to awake in the morning, refreshed, alert and awake

You can repeat this three times, allowing your internal voice to get quieter and quieter each time you say it. Adam is an NLP practitioner, hypnotherapist, and mental health nurse with over a decades experience. He is passionate about the use of language to effect change.
This article is free to use but please link to http://www.hypnosisaudiocds.com/insomnia-hypnosis.php using the link text "insomnia hypnosis"

What Helps Insomnia?

To answer the question of what helps people with insomnia you must first look at the cause of the condition.

Many people can not go to sleep at night or it may take them a long time to fall asleep, this can be brought on by many different things. It can be stress, worrying about tomorrows schedule, or wondering what that new sound outside could be. If you are among this group, like I am, then you must find ways to turn off your brain. If you are just lying there and arent sleepy at all, get up and do something to take your mind off of whatever is occupying it. Read a book or take a warm bath. You need to relax before you go to bed. If you always go to bed at lets say 10pm, but your mind is still racing, you may not be in the state of mind required for a good nights sleep. You must be in a relaxed state to drift of into that deep sleep necessary to tackle the day ahead.

What will help you relax your mind?
After your warm bath you can listen to quiet music or sounds. Ocean sounds and gentle winds blowing may ease you into slumber. Listening to this music will also help to drown out any other noises that may get your attention. Noises such as the house settling, cars going by, or even the neighbor dog can keep you awake and alert. You need to focus your mind away from anything that is keeping your mind active, so you can ease off into slumber.

If you are waking up in the middle of night, you may be hearing something that suddenly wakes you up. It could be anything from a neighbor on their way to work or just loud trucks that drive by around the same time each night. If you are listening to the quiet and peaceful sounds like were mentioned above these outside noises will not hamper your sleep.

Jason Rickard is the owner of http://www.yourfavouriteshop.com - Offering White Noise and Relaxation CDs.

Natural Remedies for Insomnia

No one really wants to rely on medication to help them sleep, so many are seeking out natural remedies that will help them sleep peacefully all night long.

There are some really wonderful and enjoyable ways for your mind and body to get the rest it needs.

Aromatherapy is known to help many people relax and sleep peacefully. Lavender oil is a great solution that can be used for relaxation. Just add a drop or two into a pot of water and boil. Then you can breath in the soothing and relaxing aroma.

If you can find a partner to give you a massage this can also help with insomnia. You need to have your body and mind in a state of relaxation before you ever crawl in your bed to go to sleep. You can find many books at your library on massaging and more specifically can teach you how to massage your stress and tension away.

Many people that suffer from insomnia agree that some herbs do help rid the body of stress and tension and give you a relaxing feeling. Some of the ways to use herbs for relaxation is: herb teas, tinctures, pillow stuffed with herbs, herbal bath and massage oil made of herbs. You can talk with someone at your local herb shop to learn which are best for relieving stress and helping with sleep.

For some people eating a large meal late in the evening can cause them to have a hard time falling asleep. So, do not eat a heavy meal full of fatty foods after 6pm. This may cure your insomnia if you usually enjoy your evening meal at a later time.

Exercise before going to bed can also help with those that suffer from insomnia. Mild exercise such as a walk around the neighborhood or yoga is the most recommended. You just want to be sleepy yet not exhausted.

Listening to quiet music or sounds that are relaxing can also help to put your mind and body into a relaxing state.

Jason Rickard is the owner of http://www.yourfavouriteshop.com - Offering White Noise and Relaxation CDs.

What is Insomnia?

Insomnia does not necessarily mean that you can not get any sleep. More specifically, people with insomnia may just have a hard time going to sleep or wake up during the night or just feel that their sleep is just not adequate enough.

Every individual is different in how many hours of sleep their bodies need to feel rested. When you feel deprived of sleep you may have problems performing your daily activities. You may feel tired all day long, or have bouts of being tired throughout the day, you may experience a lack of energy, you may have trouble concentrating, and some people may become irritable and grouchy.

Insomnia can occur in any person no matter the age, culture or sex. Children have even been known to have bouts of insomnia.

It can be brought on by many different things including stress, noises around your home or outside, temperature changes in your environment, side effects to medications, and even can be due to jet lag. In children, insomnia may be come from stress due to nightmares or even problems at school.

If not taken care of properly, it can be a real problem and may lead to other health problems. Without enough restful sleep your body becomes run down and you are more susceptible to colds, viruses and flu. Since concentration and energy becomes a factor, your job performance may suffer and someone that has a go get em attitude could wind up with your promotion. So, you need to get control of insomnia before it begins to control your life.

Try to find the cause to your restless nights sleep. If it is due to medication, then you should talk with your physician. But, if it is due to stress or other outside interferences then you must learn how to manage the problems.

Jason Rickard is the owner of http://www.yourfavouriteshop.com - Offering White Noise and Relaxation CDs

Moderex for Insomnia and Anxiety

Moderex GABA with Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid has been proven to help you sleep and relax while increasing natural HGH levels in your body. After helping literally thousands of men and women deal with problems such as insomnia and anxiety - our team of researchers has finally found a solution...

Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid - GABA - is a vital neurotransmitter that will naturally calm your body and mind. Recent studies have shown that GABA has the calming effects of Valium, without the heavy feeling of sedation.

Neuroscientists have found that brain cells keep people awake by firing neurons spontaneously on their own. These results suggest that sleep and relaxation depend on signals from other regions of the brain to calm down these nuerons.

GABA is responsible for 90% of the chemical signaling in your brain. It is one of the most abundant inhibitory neurotransmitters in your body. The brain cells that keep you awake are continuously firing neurons. When you are sleeping or resting, your body produces GABA which inhibits the firing of the neurons which allows you to relax. But with such factors such as stress and diet, your body may not be able to produce enough GABA - causing numerous problems.

Learn more about Moderex.

J. Ratliff is an avid health writer for Ask Wellness.