Have problems falling asleep at night? Have you tried a sound machine with some soft music? These are just a few tips you might get from a medical professional.
Sleep medicine is a recognized medical subspecialty which shows just how many people are having trouble sleeping in our modern society. Doctors who specialize in sleep medicine help people who are unable to sleep well. Sleep doctors are able to detect and treat both common and rare sleep disorders. Some common sleep disorders are insomnia, jet lag, sleepwalking, snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) makes sure to provide best medical care to people with sleeping troubles. The AASM accredits centers and labs that treat people who have sleep problems. In 1977 the AASM accredited the first sleep disorders center. The AASM also certifies behavioral sleep medicine (BSM) specialists. These doctors help people improve their sleep by changing how they think and behave.
• Do not nap during the day. Sleeping trouble at night can be cured by not napping at daytime. If you are feeling especially tired and feel as if you absolutely must nap, be sure to sleep for less than 30 minutes, early in the day.
• Limit caffeine and alcohol. Avoid drinking caffeinated or alcoholic beverages – but not soda water- for several hours before bedtime.
• Don’t smoke. Nicotine is a stimulant and can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.
• Expose yourself to bright light/sunlight soon after awakening. This will help to regulate your body’s natural biological clock. Likewise, try to keep your bedroom dark while you are sleeping so that the light will not interfere with your rest.
• Exercise early in the day. Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise every day can help you sleep, but be sure to exercise in the morning or afternoon. Exercise stimulates the body and aerobic activity before bedtime may make falling asleep more difficult.
Your level of iron should be checked. Iron deficient women tend to have more problems sleeping, so if your blood is iron poor, a supplement might help.
Sleeping machines with sounds is really a marvel of new technology. You can get ones that have all the rain sounds or waterfalls, included with AM/FM radio, coupled with a CD player for your relaxation techniques. When I worked the night shift, I began using one to block out daytime sounds, and 15 years later, I am still using it. In fact, can’t go to sleep with out it. I highly recommend for you to add one of these machines to your sleep environment to help with insomnia.
