The A To Z Of Peaceful Sleep

Posted by Apnea
Categorized Under: Snoring
Dated: 31 Jan 2009
Comments: 0

The best way to fall asleep is to have good sleep habits or to use natural sleep aids.  But first visit with your doctor to make sure there are no medical reasons for the insomnia.

Insomnia can be caused by fear, stress, anxiety, medications, herbs, caffeine, depression, or other mental conditions and sometimes occurs for no reason apparently. An overactive mind or physical pain may also be causes. Finding the underlying cause of insomnia is usually necessary to cure it.

There are behavioral treatments for insomnia.  One of these relaxation techniques is practiced by tensing certain muscle groups and then totally relaxing them.  Another relaxation method calls for an individual to repeat a set of visualizations to induce a state of relaxation.

It is also good to be aware of and manage the amount of stress in your life which can allow you to more easily relax at night when it’s time to sleep.  Stimulus control therapy reassociates the bed and bed¬room with sleeping by limiting the amount of time spent in the bedroom for non-sleep activities.  So take your television, computer and office out of the bedroom.

Reducing the use of stimulants and depressants and avoid¬ing big meals just before bed can help reduce the risk of insomnia episodes.

Other methods to help fall asleep faster is to relax before bedtime.  People relax in many ways, watching television, reading, soaking in a warm bath or taking a short walk.  Soft music also helps people fall asleep as well as any type of white noise machines that are currently on the market.  When I worked nights, I had to get one of these machines that made the sound of a water fall in order to fall asleep.  Even after 15 years, I still can not fall asleep with out that sound.

Still having problems?  Insomnia can  be caused by stress either at work or at home, clinical depression, uninviting sleeping area, too much light in the room, drinking alcohol, drugs, muscle tension, too much caffeine, lumpy bed, pregnancy or any number of reasons. 

Because Insomnia may be a symptom of other medical problems sleep medicine is a recognized medical subspecialty. 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.

So it is recommended that before you start any herbal or OTC (over-the-counter) sleep aids that you check with your doctor.  Also remember, just like prescription medications, herbs and OTC sleep aids have their good and bad effects and effect different people, differently.

Bathing will help guys sleep.    Men are most often to have an irregular sleep schedule. Many men simply don’t realize that they need more sleep. Every person has their own need for sleep. On average, most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep each night to feel alert and well rested because of poor sleep habits.

Caffeine is a known stimulant and energizes the body.  It is contained in coffee, tea, sodas, chocolate and a host of other products.  And before bedtime is not a good time for having any of these products as they will keep you awake.

These are just a few natural ways to help you fall asleep.  But remember, if problems with sleep continue nightly for several weeks; be sure to consult with your family physician.

Hundreds Of Natural Sleep Aids

Posted by Apnea
Categorized Under: Snoring
Dated: 23 Jan 2009
Comment: 1

Are you looking for help in sleeping?  Perhaps this article can provide you with some tips to cure insomnia.

A sleep disorder (somnipathy) is any disruption in the sleep patterns of an individual. While some sleep disorders may leave you feeling unrefreshed, a number of symptoms are more severe including excessive sleepiness, snor¬ing, difficulty falling asleep during normal sleeping hours and abnormal be¬haviors such as restless leg syndrome. There are even disorders that cause you to get too much sleep.

Sleep medicine has become a recognized medical subspecialty. 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.

Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by chronic problems  falling asleep, staying asleep or only sleeping for several hours and being wake unable to fall back to sleep. It is typically followed by functional impairment while awake.

It can be caused by another disorder, by changes in the sleep environment, by the timing of sleep, or by stress. Researchers do not know exactly why people need sleep, but we do know that lack of sleep can kill. Humans deprived of sleep for long periods begin hallucinating and develop other mental problems.

The best way to fall asleep is to have good sleep habits or to use natural sleep aids. These include reducing stress by using visualization or relaxation techniques, making lifestyle changes such as no-smoking, no caffeine, no daytime naps, or getting more light during the day.  Other natural or best sleep aids are changing to a healthier diet and starting an exercise program.   But, if after making these changes to try to reduce problems with sleep, and after visiting a doctor to make sure there are no medical reasons for the insomnia; then there are other sleep aids that a person can consider using.

Several herbs benefit people ailing with sleeping problems.  One common herbal sleep aid is Valerian which has been recognized for years in Europe as being helpful with insomnia. It is sold in the United States as a dietary supplement.  There is no agreement on how this sleep aid works, but studies have shown that it does help with insomnia, as well as stress. There are side effects that have been reported, so before taking this herbal aid, a person should discuss taking Valerian with a pharmacist, especially if they are taking any prescription medications.  The root is the part that is used in herbal sleep aids, and side effects of headaches and night terror, have been reported.  The oil of this root is reported to have the odor of cat urine, so the most popular way to take Valerian is as a pill, rather than a tea made from the liquid.

Melatonin is a sleep aid to help people fall asleep — especially people who suffer from the insomnia caused by shift work or jet lag.Melatonin is a naturally found hormone in the body if another hormone called serotonin is exposed to decreased light at night.   It has side effects and most of the literature recommends it not being used by people with depression, schizophrenia, autoimmune diseases, or other serious illness. Pregnant and nursing women and children should also not use melatonin.

Other common over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aids such as Sominex, or Nytol can also be tried by adults but, again, a person should discuss with a doctor before taking any of these sleep aids especially if the person suffers from and is being treated for depression, or other mental health problems as well as persons being treated for Parkinson’s disease. Most of the OTC sleep aids contain antihistamines which are known to cause some lingering side effects such as dry mouth, and excessive drowsiness.

There are many herbal teas for sleep presently on the market.  But the best way to fall asleep is naturally with correction of bad sleep habits.You can reset your sleeping cycle by a hundreds of natural sleep aids that are available.