Davion W asked:

Natural treatments for insomnia are slowly receiving acceptance from insomnia patients as a preferred choice of treatment for insomnia. Our generation has always been a generation that seeks for instant gratification and answers to our problems and needs. This has influenced our philosophy towards illnesses and diseases. We want quick fixes to our sicknesses. Unfortunately, a lot of these quick fixes such as over-the-counter and prescribed medicines and drugs for insomnia can only take care of our problems for a moment. Perhaps the answer we are seeking for our insomnia problems lie in natural treatments for insomnia.

Sleep is needed in order for our bodies to recover and rejuvenate. A recent studies conducted showed that as much as 20 percent of our adult population suffer from insomnia at different stages of their lives. Another staggering finding reveals that more than half of our elderly folks are experiencing difficulties in sleeping. Surely this makes the understanding of insomnia and its proper treatment important.

It is easy to obtain over-the-counter (OTC) and prescribed medicines and drugs for insomnia. We may pop a sleeping pill or two on the days we find hard to fall asleep. But pill popping seems to have taken center stage in many homes as the number one method of treating insomnia. There are health risks and drawbacks in doing so. Antihistamines or benzodiazepines are often prescribed to treat insomnia. These drugs may be able to put you to sleep almost instantly but taking them regularly for a prolonged period of time could result in harmful side effects like drug addiction, withdrawal symptoms, disruption of natural sleep patterns and drug tolerance. People using OTC and prescribed medicines may suffer from side effects like blurring of vision, urinary problems, giddiness and abdominal problems.

Natural treatments for insomnia on the other hand tend to emphasize on curing the root causes of insomnia. Most of the time, they do not interfere with the natural sleep cycle but aids the body to respond and readjust to its natural sleeping patterns. Some foods, herbs and supplements have been used quite widely to improve sleep.

Changing your diet is a good step towards treating insomnia. An anti-insomnia diet is one of the best natural treatments for insomnia. Eating foods which are rich in tryptophan would help to improve sleep. Tyrotophan, an essential amino acid promotes production of melatonin a sleep-inducing hormone. Dairy products such as cheese and milk, poultry, whole grains, soy products such as tofu, soy bean milk, nuts such as peanuts and hazelnuts and eggs are all rich in tryptophan.

Foods high in carbohydrates are great sleepers. They prepare your body to enter into sleep faster. Honey, jam, spaghetti, pasta, chocolate, cakes, cereals and milk are all great sources of carbohydrates. But do remember to eat in moderation. For those who are more health conscious, peas and beans, vegetables and fruits are also good substitutes.

Herbs such as chamomile, mugwort, passion flower, valerian root, lemon balm, Siberian ginseng, spearmint, thyme and linden have been used as natural treatments for insomnia.

Cure your insomnia using effective natural treatments for insomnia revealed in my blog. This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any ezine, newsletter, blog or website. The author’s name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.

Michael Lee asked:


Do you want to stop suffering from the torturous effects of insomnia? Do you want to sleep soundly like a baby and wake up feeling refreshed? These facts about insomnia can give you a better understanding of your sleep condition and help you find the appropriate insomnia cure for you. Should you already know some facts about insomnia, this insomnia article can teach you more than just the basics.

Basic Facts About Insomnia

Simply put, insomnia is the inability to fall asleep when you want to. It is characterized by little or poor-quality sleep.

There are three types of insomnia depending on the duration of the condition: 1) Transient or short-term insomnia, as the term implies, lasts only for one night to a few weeks; 2) Intermittent insomnia is short-term but recurring; 3) Chronic insomnia is the most serious as it happens at least three times a week for a month, year, or even a lifetime.

A main effect of insomnia is excessive sleepiness, which can be accompanied with restlessness, fatigue, lethargy, and irritability, among others. It can also cause problems in concentrating and focusing. The insomniac is there but not quite there. This is most common among chronic insomnia sufferers, who may find themselves in a constant state of limbo.

Insomniacs can be also more accident-prone. The cause of one out of every five highway accidents is the driver falling asleep momentarily.

In the long term, insomnia can affect relationships at home and work, hobbies, recreational activities, and general state of mind. More than just a sleep disorder, it can greatly affect quality of life; that’s why it is vital to know the facts about insomnia.

Insomnia Causes

Sleeplessness may be caused by any or a combination of the following:

7) Diet high in stimulants. Caffeine is the main culprit. Drinking too much coffee, tea, colas and eating too much chocolate, especially in the evening, can cause problems sleeping. Alcohol is also not recommended – a nightcap may induce sleepiness at first, but prevents you from going into deep sleep, or the REM state, and thus, lets you sleep less soundly.

Environmental factors. Noise, light, sudden weather changes, a room that is too hot or too cold, can disturb sleep, if not delay it.

9) Change in routine. Traveling often, sleeping in an unfamiliar bed, and a job with variable schedules are examples of routine interruptions that can cause insomnia, though short-term.

10) Stress or stressful life events. Work-related problems, relationship problems, anticipation of an upcoming event like a presentation or medical exam, and sudden life events like divorce and death of a loved one are only some examples. Anxiety related to stress may very well be the number one reason why you can’t catch a wink.

11) Medical conditions. Asthma, eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia, peptic ulcer, anxiety disorders, can prevent you from falling into restful slumber.

12) Hormones. A woman suffering from menopausal symptoms like hot flushes and night sweating may have trouble sleeping. Insomnia in teenagers, meanwhile, occur mostly because of the onset of puberty, where sleeping needs and sleeping patterns usually change.

Insomnia Treatment the Natural Way

There are different insomnia treatment options, ranging from the natural insomnia herbs to the medical. Medical treatment, usually through sleeping pills, have unpleasant side effects and can ironically cause further insomnia in the long run, so therapy and natural methods are safer and more effective. Below are some examples.

6) Aromatherapy. For bouts of sleeplessness from time to time, taking a bath before going to bed using a few drops of essential oils like lavender, marjoram, or ylang-ylang can help. Or you can drop these oils directly on your pillow.

7) Flower essence therapy. White chestnut particularly helps cure insomnia gradually, usually in just a few weeks. Flower remedies can be bought in some health food stores or via mail in some websites.

Herbal therapy. Valerian is known as the best herbal treatment for insomnia, as it decreases nervous system activity. Use as per dosage instructions in the pack.

9) Relaxation therapy. This involves progressive muscle relaxation training, imagery training, hypnosis among others. This can be learned alone or with the help of a qualified practitioner. These techniques can relax your body and mind and make you feel drowsy and ready for bed.

10) Reconditioning. This method involves re-associating the bedroom and bed with sleep only. In applying this technique, activities like eating, reading, and watching TV cannot be done in bed. Napping for more than 30 to 45 minutes during the day is also discouraged. A fixed wake-up time is also scheduled to train the body.

Knowing these facts about insomnia, you and your loved ones can deal with the condition better should it come.

Christopher Cooney asked:


With all of the medical advances that have been made over the past hundred years insomnia is still an issue with 10 to 15 percent of all adults and closer to 25 percent of adults who are 65 and older. Other known facts about insomnia include: there are more instances of insomnia in women than men, many people with insomnia also have depression, and insomnia often is worse during the holiday season.

Nobody likes to have to deal with sleep difficulties. They wear you down to the point that everything else becomes a fuzzy blur. The purpose of this article is to familiarize you with insomnia causes and introduce an approach to insomnia treatment that may assist you with your insomnia.

The causes of insomnia vary from person to person but all of the reasons have a main theme behind them, stress levels. As we age, our health often turns for the worst, this can cause stress and worry. During the holidays, we often think of family or friends we miss, our schedules become hectic and we run into deadlines at work as well as with our personal shopping. All of these things increase our stress levels. College students complain of insomnia around semester finals. As women age, their hormone levels change and they experience insomnia. All of these can be caused by stress.

Stress is not the only cause of insomnia. Other causes include; new surroundings, schedule disruptions, noises, dietary changes, low iron levels, disease, and even extreme temperatures. When you start to see a pattern of insomnia take notes of what you have been doing and you will probably be able to identify a pattern change that is causing your insomnia.

After you have discovered your cause, you still need to treat insomnia. Treatment can be as simple as opening a window, turning on a fan, adding or taking away a pillow or even sticking to a schedule. Whatever treatment you choose, for it to be effective, it must address the underlying cause of insomnia. This is why you should keep a sleep journal. A sleep journal will help you to track changes in patterns that you may not have noticed on your own.

Once you have identified the cause and chosen a treatment it may take a couple weeks for your sleep pattern to get back to normal. If you have had a long term problem with insomnia it may take you longer to get a routine set. Use your journal to keep track of changes that you have made and how they effected your sleep patterns. Stick with a schedule for at least a week, and preferably two weeks, before you decide it isn’t working and move on to another change.

Your doctor can help you to find any medical reasons that may contribute to sleepless nights. If you have had insomnia for longer than two weeks, you should discuss any changes in your medical health with a medical professional. Insomnia affects all your health, please take care of this problem.

Thomas Choo asked:


If you suffer from insomnia, and is actively looking for an insomnia cure, you are not alone. It is estimated that some 60 million people in the USA suffer from varying degree of insomnia each year, which is about 1 in 5 Americans.

Insomnia is the failure to fall asleep or stay asleep. Insomnia can also be described as the inability of waking up from your sleep feeling rested and refreshed. The most accepted definition of insomnia can be described as a combination of those first two explanations.

Regardless of which definition fits you the best, millions of people agonize from it. Many are desperate for an insomnia cure. You can be affected for just a few nights or suffer for years. Long-term insomnia is not the norm though. Rather, many people might suffer insomnia intermittently, depending on the stress in their lives or a specific health state.

If you are not waking up feeling rested or you have difficulty falling asleep, you just might have insomnia. But do you have any idea of other symptoms that could point to insomnia? Here is a short list:

* Feeling touchy or being in a bad mood * Trouble falling asleep and staying asleep * Waking multiple times at night or waking up too early * Concentration difficulties or daytime grogginess

Without paying heed to your insomnia and seeking out insomnia cure, you could end up a variety of health and life issues. You could be more predisposed to illnesses or take longer to get over an illness. Depression can develop in individuals who do not get adequate rest from their sleep. You have to pore over your life and try to determine the underlying causes of your insomnia, before looking for any insomnia cure.

For many people with occasional insomnia, the biggest contributor to this sleep condition is stress. Sometimes, it could be related to work or being out of work. Other times, it could be something personal like having a newborn, a death in the household or divorce.

But what if your work and personal life is going along pretty well and you still have sleep issues? A medical check by your physician is quite in order. You could have an underlying medical condition that is hindering your sleep. Allergies and asthma are two culprits as are sleep apnea and headaches. The medication you take for illnesses like diabetes or heart conditions could also be a consideration.

There are a number of techniques and ideas to help you cure your insomnia. If it is stress-related, behavior modification techniques could be helpful. These could be anything from changing your sleeping conditions to visual imagery to rigorous bed scheduling. Yoga and other exercises along with deep breathing techniques also help.

But what if it is related to health issues, specifically some medication you take? It is not usually in your best interests to change medication or stop them all together. When this is the scenario, you might find sleep medication work best to get you through the insomnia.

There are a few things you can do that might help make your situation more conducive to sleep:

* Stop drinking any liquids at least two hours before bedtime. Potty breaks are one of the problems that contribute to insomnia. * Limit your caffeine intake as well as alcohol and smoking. * Try not to take naps. * Institute some form of exercise in your daily activities. * Take the television out of the bedroom. Focus on the fact that the bedroom is only for sleeping and other extra-curricular activities. * And speaking of those extra-curricular activities, *** is a great stress release and just might help you in the snoozing department.

If you decide to seek medical advice for insomnia cure, keep a diary or journal of your daily sleep habits for a few weeks. When you visit a doctor about your possible insomnia, the journal is very helpful in pinpointing possible triggers and can help in determining the best course of action for combating that insomnia so you can get a good night’s sleep.

Colleen Lilly asked:


(c) 2008 Your Mind Body and Soul 123

Insomnia refers to a persistent inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, despite a person’s best efforts. Any sleep disturbance that lasts over three weeks may be considered insomnia. Insomnia can have many root causes, and many solutions, too. It is estimated that 64 million people suffer from insomnia. Thinking about that statistic can be enough to keep you up at night!

Chronic insomnia can be caused by many different things. Insomnia can be a symptom of an underlying medical condition, or it can be caused by stress in your life or anxiety. Insomnia treatment should target the root cause of the chronic insomnia. Some people choose to using medication for insomnia, such as Ambien; but using Ambien for insomnia can also make the problem worse, as you may begin to feel anxiety that you will not be able to sleep without your medication. It can be helpful to discuss your insomnia with your doctor, to make sure that you don’t have symptoms of another more serious medical condition, such as arthritis, migraines, prostatic hypertrophy, or menopause, all of which may cause insomnia and also require additional medical attention.

Common Causes of Insomnia

People that use nicotine, alcohol, and even some prescription drugs used for allergies and asthma, are at a higher risk for insomnia. Those who keep erratic hours, shift workers for example, also suffer from frequent insomnia as they try to keep their bodies and sleep schedules regulated. On the other hand, people who are especially sedentary or quiet may also experience insomnia as they do not have enough stimulation.

How to Treat Insomnia

Insomnia treatment often involves beginning with focusing on establishing good sleep hygiene and good sleep habits. Learning relaxation techniques and changing certain lifestyle habits can help improve insomnia dramatically. Recommendations include limiting noise and light from your sleeping area. Try using room darkening shades. Perhaps a fan will help drown out noise if you have close neighbors, a crazy work schedule, or live near a highway or an airport.

Try to establish a good bedtime routine

Unwind before bed with a good book or a television program you enjoy. Generally avoid watching television in bed, though, this can keep you up much later than you intended. Avoid things like exercise, eating, confrontation, alcohol, or smoking before you turn in for the night. However, an early-evening walk and a healthy snack may have positive effects a few hours later when you try to sleep.

Many people suffer from insomnia at some point in their lives. Those that experience chronic insomnia are all too familiar with the anxiety insomnia can causeonce you wake up in the middle of the night, you instantly start to worry that you won’t fall back asleep. Lack of sleep is listed for many as one of the biggest causes of stress, anxiety, poor job performance, and relationship issues. Understanding some of the causes, and learning about some of the non-medicinal treatments that can cure insomnia can help insomnia sufferers get a good night’s rest.

Cindy Heller asked:


With increased awareness in the media and health food circles, alternative approaches to healing are growing, which includes alternative insomnia medicine. One such therapy for insomnia is the use of valerian root. Valerian root is an herb which has been used extensively throughout the ages as a calming and relaxing herb. It is often referred to as “nature’s Valium” for its sedative qualities. Another alternative insomnia medicine is melatonin. Melatonin also helps to induce sleep.

Homeopathic Remedies for Insomnia

The world of homeopathic treatment offers many alternative solutions for a full gamut of diseases, ailments, and sicknesses, including insomnia. Aconitum apellus is a remedy specified for someone who has panic attacks associated with insomnia. This homeopathic remedy for insomnia helps to calm and soothe the fears that occur shortly before falling asleep. Ignatia is another homeopathic remedy which is supposed to help a person struggling with insomnia because of an emotional struggle such as grieving the loss of a loved one. Calcarea Phosphorica lessens the joint pains in adults and growing pains in children. Various supplements of calcium and magnesium also help to calm the nervous system and are recommended to take at bedtime to help sleep to come.

Herbal Treatment for Insomnia – It Can Be Treated Naturally

There are plenty of the over-the-counter medicines that can successfully treat this disease. Nonetheless, a good majority of people still prefer to go for the herbal treatment for insomnia because they feel it has fewer side effects. Some of the common (read traditional) herbal treatments for insomnia will include remedies with plants such as passion flower, valerian root, Californian poppy seeds, dog wood, and so on.

Home Remedies for Insomnia

Self help is the best help. You could be your own doctor whereby you may get relief much faster.

Home Insomnia Cure No. 1 – When you find that you cannot sleep, the first step should be to try and relax. You will never be able to do this on the bed, because your inability to fall asleep will irritate you further and aggravate your condition. Hence, if you stayed more than 30 minutes in bed and you find that sleep evades you, get up from the bed and do something that relaxes you. Have a hot cup of chamomile tea, read a favorite bestseller, have a hot mug of milk and generally try to relax. You will find that in no time, you will feel sleepy.

Home Insomnia Cures No. 2 – Reading has always been a great relaxing technique. However, not all type of reading will be helpful to you. Avoid any such topics that would excite you further, such as ghost stories, sexual fantasy stories, or puzzles. The best would be to read something that is pleasant yet simple – such as a magazine, newspaper, comic books, or a favorite bestseller.

Home Insomnia Cures No 3 – immerse yourself in hot water and a long drawn bath. You could use aromatic oils before or after the bath, and or aromatic candles to create a relaxing and pleasing atmosphere all around you.

Home insomnia cures No 4 – listening to music might help as well. This could work best while or after taking the hot water bath, though it is okay when used singly also. As is the case of the books, you should choose music that is soothing and soft so it can relax you and induce sleep.

Behavioral Therapy

Self-hypnosis and auto-suggestion methods work pretty well. You will need to master the art of self-hypnosis from a professional. You will also find certain specific exercises (such as yoga) that promote sleep in the long run – if you prefer to have only natural means to treat this disease. This type of treatment is also called behavioral therapy and it is normally applied singly or in combination with other types of treatments, depending on the response of the person to the medicines, sleep therapies and so on.

Often all it needs to cure insomnia is a simple change of life-style habits and a few stringent and serious measures which influence sleep:

1. Avoid any caffeine in any form at least four hours before sleep; preferably you should eliminate it totally from your diet.

2. Avoid alcohol intake of any kind.

3. Avoid having your meals too late at night (allow at least four hours between the last meal and your bed time).

Natural Sleeping Remedies

One of the most common insomnia solutions is drinking milk before you go to bed. Drinking a warm glass of milk has been proven to be effective insomnia solution throughout the years. Another very practical insomnia solution is exercise. Simple physical exercises performed a few hours before going to sleep can be a good insomnia solution. Yoga exercise is very calming that even if you had a very busy day, all your stress will be gone when you do yoga exercises. Sleeping at regular hours can cure insomnia.

Cindy Heller asked:

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder among all ages, especially among senior citizens. The patient should remember or write down all the insomnia symptoms he/she experiences and discuss with the physician to help in making a correct diagnosis. The most typical of all insomnia symptoms is difficulty in sleeping. Encounters with anxiety and/or depression are two main symptoms associated with insomnia. Insomnia symptoms include poor concentration and short memory. Insomniac people usually awake prematurely during sleep and have trouble falling asleep again. Insomniacs feel irritability without any obvious cause. It is especially experienced during the day. People suffering from insomnia frequently experience decreased alertness and mental sluggishness.

Insomnia symptoms may last for a little or longer time, depending on the type of insomnia. In case of Transient Insomnia, the symptoms last for a few nights. In Short-Term Insomnia, the symptoms stay for two to three weeks. If they last more than three weeks, the patient is suffering from Chronic Insomnia. Health experts also sometimes distinguish between primary and secondary insomnia. Primary insomnia is characterized by symptoms of difficulty in falling asleep, waking several times during sleep, and fatigue. These symptoms last for a month and has unknown cause. In secondary insomnia, there is a known underlying medical condition. Depression is major cause of secondary insomnia.

To diagnose the condition of sleeplessness as insomnia, the physician makes sure that the symptoms are not being caused by other sleep disorders or other disease or side effects of any medication. Along with the symptoms of insomnia, other disorders may be detected in the same patient; these include mania, depression, phobias, or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Help for Insomnia

It is often possible to fight insomnia with simple home remedies; however, when the insomnia crosses two weeks and you start feeling groggy, disoriented, acutely irritated and totally lost, it is time you go for professional insomnia help.

The treatments available for insomnia are varied and very efficient. Reaching at the right diagnosis is quite problematic, which involves a battery of tests and long-drawn assessment studies. This is why people usually avoid asking for professional insomnia help unless it becomes too much to bear otherwise. Most of the times, the homemade cures will dramatically improve your condition; however, in case you still experience this problem, it could be an indication of some serious health problem which would necessitate a doctor’s opinion. You should always keep in mind that prevention is better than cure. A timely medical intervention may save your life.

Tips for Insomnia

Insomnia tips no 1 – Do not sleep or even take a cat nap (those 10-20 minutes forty winks), if you are prone to insomnia attacks. Maintain strict timings both for sleep and for your meals.

Insomnia tips no 2 – Eat your dinner at least four hours ahead of your bed time. For example, if you normally retire at 10:30 pm, have your dinner at 6:30 – 7:00 pm latest. Often insomnia is aggravated by digestive problems, and hence, it is best to avoid the problem altogether.

Insomnia tips no 3 – Avoid any drink that influences sleep, such as coffee in any form, alcohol, and even tea (unless it is medicated). In case you must have your regular cup of coffee, at least ensure that you take it before a minimum of four hours from your bedtime.

Insomnia tips no 4 – Introduce daily exercise in your routine. In case you are not too fond of physical exercise, you can simply take a walk for about 30 minutes daily; try to gradually increase it to one hour or so for best results.

Insomnia tips no 5 – If you find that you cannot sleep, do not fight it. Sleep usually comes after your body relaxes completely. The best thing to do is get up from the bed and do something that you enjoy (reading, listing to music, writing letters to dear ones, etc) aiming to relax your mind and body.

Treatment for Insomnia

Majority of people suffering from sleep disorders turn to pills and medications. This proves to be working at first, but gradually some problems arise that need serious consideration before one starts with a particular kind of sleeping pills or medication. These days, both over the counter medications and prescriptions pills are used for insomnia treatment.

Over the counter medications for insomnia are usually ineffective in log term insomnia treatment. First of all, they do not ensure the quality of sleep enjoyed by healthy people. They give about 5 % duration of deep sleep while in healthy sleep this duration is 10 % to 25 %. Secondly, over the counter drugs for insomnia mostly work by the action of antihistamines (anti-allergic chemicals) present in them. These include chemicals like diphenhydramine citrate, diphenhydramine hydrochloride, and doxylamine succinate. While antihistamines do cast a sedating effect, they are not to be used by people with prostate problems, angina, heart problems, and urinary problems. Antihistamines can add to the intensity of these conditions. Finally, over the counter drugs have a number of side effects like: drowsiness and dizziness (that may remain for twenty four hours), memory lapses, dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision, and urinary retention.

Various types of medications, collectively called hyptonics, are prescribed for insomnia treatment. Hypnotics generally fall in three categories: benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepines, and antidepressants. Most of the health experts agree on using insomnia medications for a short period only. In all cases of using over the counter drugs or prescribed medications, it is important that the patient educate him/herself well on the possible side effects.

Andrew P Jones asked:


What is Insomnia? The Insomnia sleep disorder, also known as Wakefulness or Dysomnia, is an inability to sleep, or disturbed sleep preventing you from getting a proper night’s rest.

The main effect of insomnia is that you may feel constantly tired and irritable, with poor concentration and coordination.

There are two main types of Insomnia:

Primary Insomnia has no underlying medical cause for the difficulty in sleeping.

Secondary Insomnia has an underlying medical cause triggering disturbed sleep: any condition causing pain, discomfort, or directly causing mental disturbance or anxiety, or specific conditions such as Sleep Apnea or Seasonal Affective Disorder. If you suspect an underlying medical or mental condition seek medical advice.

Behavioral therapy to encourage sleep can be used in both cases, though for Secondary Insomnia you should liaise with your doctor if receiving treatment for an underlying cause.

A period of insomnia can vary from transient (a few nights) to short term (up to 3 weeks) to chronic, long term insomnia (over 3 weeks)

Transient or Short Term Insomnia can be caused by traumatic events such as acute illness, injury or surgery, bereavement, job loss or less serious events such as trouble at work, an exam, extreme weather change, traveling (including jet lag)

Statistics about Insomnia causes: 50% Psychological, 40% Behavioral: sleep environment (30%) stimulants or medication (10%), 10% Physical (pain, illness etc.)

30-40% of people report insomnia each year; 10-15% of people reporting insomnia say they have chronic insomnia.

The amount of sleep needed by people varies: Babies need about 17 hours sleep a day, a child nine to ten hours per night, and an adult seven to eight hours each night, though that typically decreases as you get older.

Chronic Child Insomnia can have even more serious effects than with adults. Getting enough sleep is much more important for young children than for fully grown adults, as a childhood growth demands a healthy sleep cycle.

Don’t send a child to bed as a punishment as this may lead to insomnia due to a fear of being sent to bed. Consider using a bedroom only for sleep, not play.

Never give a child sleeping medicine without proper medical consultation. Sleeping pills may seem to provide instant, even amazing insomnia relief compared to behavioral therapies, but their results are short term and they often have other side effects.

Adults do not all need eight hours every night! Some people manage on as little as four hours sleep a night. If you don’t need much sleep then get up early – spending too long in bed can help trigger insomnia.

People can also mistake the amount of sleep they are actually getting, because they tend to remember waking up as a longer period than it actually was.

After failing to sleep for a few nights, you may become anxious that you won’t sleep causing Fear or Anxiety Insomnia. A major step towards anxiety insomnia treatment can be to accept that you can cope with its effects, thus reducing the fear of not sleeping. You would then build upon this with behavioral therapy.

Three main areas where you can encourage sleep are:

Sleep Environment – a comfortable bed, a bedroom that is quiet, dark and the right temperature

Sleep Discipline – use your bed for sleeping (and sex) only, watch TV etc. elsewhere

Sleep Conditioning – creating a routine, going to bed and getting up at the same time

The results of behavioral therapy may take effect slowly but are long term – the creation of good habits which make you less prone to insomnia.

Sleep can be disrupted even by normal foods and behaviors: e.g. don’t consume coffee after 1pm – try decaffeinated coffee instead. Avoid consuming alcohol within two hours of going to bed, although it may make you drowsy initially it can inhibit sleep when you wake up in the middle of the night.

A warm drink, dairy, soy products, eggs, rice and grains aid relaxation; foods such as bread or crackers which are high in carbohydrate can reduce anxiety, thus aiding sleep. Do not eat sugary or spicy food or drink near bedtime.

Stress or a mind too active or anxious will hinder the relaxation necessary before sleep comes.

Regular physical exercise helps control stress physically and psychologically by breaking up the day after work to distance you from work problems. Early evening is the best time for exercise if you want to use it to help get to sleep.

A warm bath can help relaxation – but don’t stay there too long or have the water too hot.

Try meditation or other relaxation techniques. Continuous practice will help you do them more effectively, so practice during the day to reduce stress, then even when you are tired it’ll work better. If you are lying awake anyway, why not just do the relaxation exercises for fun!

Alan B. Densky, CH asked:


Are you going to bed near the time that everyone else is waking up? It may be cold comfort to know that you are among the 20 million Americans who suffer from insomnia. If dark circles, a groggy head and hours spent lying awake have become standard for you, a hypnosis insomnia program could bring the help you desire.

No doubt you believe you’ve tried everything to fall asleep, including a nightcap, over-the-counter-sleep aids or even highly addictive prescription sleeping pills. All lead to the same outcome: You build up a tolerance, your “sleep” is not restful and the next morning, you felt groggy. Hypnotherapy for insomnia can bring safe, effective sleep devoid of side effects.

Many people incorrectly think that hypnosis is sleep. But effective hypnosis and NLP insomnia programs will only bring results if you are awake while in a deeply relaxed state. In the hypnotic state, your unconscious is more accepting and open to suggestions. In the most effective programs, post-hypnotic suggestions are given to your unconscious to abolish tension and set up a positive expectation of restful sleep. NLP for insomnia is commonly effective after the initial session because we are inclined to get what we expect, so you will sleep soundly all through the night.

After thoroughly relaxing, the next step in self-hypnosis insomnia therapy is discovering what compels you to suffer from a sleep disturbance. Another crucial part of a hypnosis insomnia course requires implementing small changes to your evening ritual that will have the most significant effect on your ability to quickly fall asleep for sound and restful slumber all night long.

At the heart of a successful hypnotherapy insomnia program lies Neuro-Linguistic Programming, or NLP. Powerful NLP techniques can be used to “flip” things around in the unconscious so that experiences and thoughts that previously caused stressful feelings will actually bring about relaxation instead.

Diminishing stress is paramount for a hypnotherapy insomnia treatment to work, and hypnotherapy visualizations can train the unconscious to immediately turn off distressing thoughts and feelings that create stress and anxiety. These tranquil feelings stay with you through the day so that when it is time for bed, you can fall asleep quickly and rest throughout the entire night without interruption.

In addition to using effective NLP techniques in hypnotherapy insomnia programs, Ericksonian Hypnotic Metaphors are also worthwhile. Basically, a qualified hypnotherapist creates a metaphor, or a parable, that directs your unconscious to subdue your thoughts-especially in the evening-to get rid of any anxiety or fear about staying awake.

To permanently beat insomnia, discovering how to relax with self-hypnosis is essential, but it is not always practical to listen to a CD or watch a DVD. Learning how to give yourself post-hypnotic suggestions anytime, anywhere to create deep relaxation can be accomplished simply. That’s right-you can successfully use self-hypnosis insomnia suggestions any time you need them.

Hypnotherapy insomnia programs can’t hurt you in any way. A hypnotherapist can’t make you say or do anything that you do not want to. You remain completely in control, and there is no “hypnotized feeling” that you have to overcome. In fact, the worst that might possibly happen is that you may fall asleep for 30 minutes or so. That’s the goal of hypnosis for insomnia in the first place!

Hypnotherapy suggestions for insomnia can be directives to the unconscious to draw on pleasant memories and fantasies to create pleasant dreams and relaxation. You will feel tranquil at bedtime and have a positive expectation of sound and restful sleep. And that positive expectation will help you fall asleep promptly, and the dreams will make you sleep soundly and restfully all night long.

Moreover, hypnotherapy programs are highly effective; it has been reported that most people are hypnotizable to a greater or lesser extent. However, people who are in an active state of psychosis or who have less than a 70 IQ generally are not hypnotizable. Most senile people are also hard or impossible to hypnotize. Like any move to improve the quality of your life, your motivation is essential for success.

Each person responds differently to each type of hypnosis, so ensure your hypnotherapy insomnia program offers several different methods, like NLP and Ericksonian Metaphors, to bring you the results that you are seeking. Most hypnotherapy insomnia program participants notice their sleep issues are alleviated by hypnosis, and insomnia simply fades away like a bad dream.

peterhutch asked:


What is insomnia?

Insomnia is the inability to get high-quality sleep. It can last a day or two, a month, or even months on end. Because different individuals need different amounts of sleep, insomnia is not defined by the number of hours you sleep or by how quickly you fall asleep. Instead, it depends on the quality of your sleep, and how you feel after sleeping. Even if you are sleeping eight hours a night, if you’re still feeling drowsy and fatigued during the day, you may be experiencing insomnia.

Insomnia may be classified by how long the symptoms are present.

Transient insomnia usually is due to situational changes such as travel, extreme climate changes, and stressful events.

Short-term insomnia usually is due to ongoing stressful events, medication side effects, medical conditions, and lasts for one to three weeks

Chronic insomnia (long-term insomnia) often results from depression or substance abuse and continues for more than three weeks.

Insomnia affects all age groups. Among older adults, insomnia affects women more often than men. The incidence increases with age.

Insomnia is also a problem that is prevalent among people with HIV/AIDS.

What are the main causes of insomnia?

psychological health problems such as stress or anxiety

physical health problems such as asthma or pain

medicines like those taken for asthma, vertigo and depression

jet lag (for more information see Related topics)

A number of other diseases and conditions can cause secondary insomnia

environmental factors such as noise, an uncomfortable bed or being too hot or cold

lifestyle habits, eg eating late at night, drinking alcohol or using stimulants such as nicotine

Exposure to stress may contribute to the development or worsening of insomnia. Relationship problems, a chronically ill child, or an unrewarding career may contribute to sleep problems. If you suffer from these types of stresses, you should seek counseling to gain a new outlook on your troubles and more control in your life.

People who work alternating shifts may develop insomnia because of a continually fluctuating sleep-wake schedule. For example, if a person works five nights a week and then works a day schedule for the next days, insomnia may result from changes in circadian rhythm.

Caffeine most commonly disrupts sleep. While a drink or two before bed may help a person relax, more than that can lead to fragmented sleep and wakefulness a few hours later.

The levels of melatonin, the hormone that helps control sleep, decrease as a person ages. By age 60, the body produces very little melatonin.

Long-term use of sleep medications. If you need sleep medications for longer than several weeks, talk with your doctor, preferably one who specializes in sleep medicine.

Stimulants. Prescription drugs, including some antidepressants, high blood pressure and corticosteroid medications, can interfere with sleep.

Heavy, spicy, or high-sugar foods eaten at night can cause indigestion strong enough to wake you.

Depression and sleep problems are closely linked: insomnia can be an early sign of depression.