Insomnia Cure
Juliet Cohen asked:
Insomnia is a sleep disorder. Sleep is a state of consciousnesses, which gives your body time to rest and build up your strength. It is characterized by an inability to sleep and/or inability to remain asleep for a reasonable period. Insomnia affects all age groups. Among older adults, insomnia affects women more often than men. The incidence increases with age. Insomnia can be a symptom of physical disorders, although for most of us it’s the result of tension, stress and anxiety — and of course the more anxious we get about our insomnia, the worse it gets. It is often caused by fear, stress, anxiety, medications, herbs, caffeine, depression, bipolar disorder or sometimes for no apparent reason. An overactive mind or physical pain may also be causes. Insomnia may be classified by how long the symptoms are present. Transient insomnia usually is due to situational changes such as travel and stressful events. It lasts for less than a week or until the stressful event is resolved. Short-term insomnia lasts for 1-3 weeks, and long-term insomnia (chronic insomnia) continues for more than 3 weeks. Chronic insomnia often results from depression or substance abuse. It is important to know that nearly everyone has problems sleeping at some time or other and it is thought that a third of people in the UK have bouts of insomnia. Newborn babies can sleep for 16 hours a day, while children of school age need an average of 10 hours. Adults usually need, on average, 7 to 9 hours sleep a night. As we get older, it’s normal to need less sleep. Most people over 70 need less than 6 hours sleep per night; and they tend to be light sleepers.
Three types of insomnia first is transient insomnia second is acute insomnia and last is chronic insomnia. It is not defined by the number of hours you sleep every night. Poor sleep quality can occur as a result of sleep apnea or major depression. Transient insomnia lasts from one night to a few weeks. Most people occasionally suffer from transient insomnia due to such causes as jet lag or short-term anxiety. Acute insomnia is the inability to consistently sleep well for a period of between three weeks to six months. Chronic insomnia is regarded as the most serious; persists almost nightly for at least a month. Chronic insomnia can lead to mental health problems such as depression, or misuse of alcohol or other medicines in order to gain sleep. Sleep apnea is a condition that occurs when a sleeping person’s breathing is interrupted, thus interrupting the normal sleep cycle. With the obstructive form of the condition, some part of the sleeper’s respiratory tract loses muscle tone and partially collapses. People with obstructive sleep apnea often do not remember any of this, but they complain of excessive sleepiness during the day. Central sleep apnea interrupts the normal breathing stimulus of the central nervous system, and the individual must actually wake up to resume breathing. Sometimes perimenopausal (the time leading up to menopause) women have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep; hot flashes and night sweats often can disturb sleep. Pregnancy also can affect how well a woman sleeps.
Treatment of insomnia should be individualized based on the nature and severity of symptoms. Most cases of insomnia inability to sleep or inability to sleep well at night. Lormetazepam, a short-acting benzodiazepine widely used for the treatment of insomnia. Rozerem is the very first insomnia treatment medication on the market that acts as a melatonin receptor agonist. Rozerem is just one of the many insomnia medications available on the market today. It is important that you discuss with your health care provider if prescription medications are right to treat your insomnia. Benzodiazepines drugs are relatives of diazepam (Valium) marketed as sleeping aids. Other drugs such as ethchlorvynol (Placidyl) are likely to produce neurologic side effects when taken. Barbiturates were formerly the standard sleeping pills, sold under such names as Seconal and Nembutal. Nonpharmacologic treatments for insomnia are considered effective if they decrease sleep onset latency or increase total sleep time by 30 minutes. Most treatment studies use patient-reported sleep diaries to measure outcome. Criteria used include total sleep time, sleep-onset latency, and number of nocturnal awakenings. A meta-analysis of 48 individual studies of behavioral therapy found stimulus control therapy to be effective and to be superior to progressive relaxation, imagery training, and paradoxical intention. Develop a regular sleeping schedule. Avoid daytime naps and stimulating activities just before bedtime. Avoid alcohol- it is a leading cause of poor sleep. Drink a cup of warm milk.
Insomnia is a sleep disorder. Sleep is a state of consciousnesses, which gives your body time to rest and build up your strength. It is characterized by an inability to sleep and/or inability to remain asleep for a reasonable period. Insomnia affects all age groups. Among older adults, insomnia affects women more often than men. The incidence increases with age. Insomnia can be a symptom of physical disorders, although for most of us it’s the result of tension, stress and anxiety — and of course the more anxious we get about our insomnia, the worse it gets. It is often caused by fear, stress, anxiety, medications, herbs, caffeine, depression, bipolar disorder or sometimes for no apparent reason. An overactive mind or physical pain may also be causes. Insomnia may be classified by how long the symptoms are present. Transient insomnia usually is due to situational changes such as travel and stressful events. It lasts for less than a week or until the stressful event is resolved. Short-term insomnia lasts for 1-3 weeks, and long-term insomnia (chronic insomnia) continues for more than 3 weeks. Chronic insomnia often results from depression or substance abuse. It is important to know that nearly everyone has problems sleeping at some time or other and it is thought that a third of people in the UK have bouts of insomnia. Newborn babies can sleep for 16 hours a day, while children of school age need an average of 10 hours. Adults usually need, on average, 7 to 9 hours sleep a night. As we get older, it’s normal to need less sleep. Most people over 70 need less than 6 hours sleep per night; and they tend to be light sleepers.
Three types of insomnia first is transient insomnia second is acute insomnia and last is chronic insomnia. It is not defined by the number of hours you sleep every night. Poor sleep quality can occur as a result of sleep apnea or major depression. Transient insomnia lasts from one night to a few weeks. Most people occasionally suffer from transient insomnia due to such causes as jet lag or short-term anxiety. Acute insomnia is the inability to consistently sleep well for a period of between three weeks to six months. Chronic insomnia is regarded as the most serious; persists almost nightly for at least a month. Chronic insomnia can lead to mental health problems such as depression, or misuse of alcohol or other medicines in order to gain sleep. Sleep apnea is a condition that occurs when a sleeping person’s breathing is interrupted, thus interrupting the normal sleep cycle. With the obstructive form of the condition, some part of the sleeper’s respiratory tract loses muscle tone and partially collapses. People with obstructive sleep apnea often do not remember any of this, but they complain of excessive sleepiness during the day. Central sleep apnea interrupts the normal breathing stimulus of the central nervous system, and the individual must actually wake up to resume breathing. Sometimes perimenopausal (the time leading up to menopause) women have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep; hot flashes and night sweats often can disturb sleep. Pregnancy also can affect how well a woman sleeps.
Treatment of insomnia should be individualized based on the nature and severity of symptoms. Most cases of insomnia inability to sleep or inability to sleep well at night. Lormetazepam, a short-acting benzodiazepine widely used for the treatment of insomnia. Rozerem is the very first insomnia treatment medication on the market that acts as a melatonin receptor agonist. Rozerem is just one of the many insomnia medications available on the market today. It is important that you discuss with your health care provider if prescription medications are right to treat your insomnia. Benzodiazepines drugs are relatives of diazepam (Valium) marketed as sleeping aids. Other drugs such as ethchlorvynol (Placidyl) are likely to produce neurologic side effects when taken. Barbiturates were formerly the standard sleeping pills, sold under such names as Seconal and Nembutal. Nonpharmacologic treatments for insomnia are considered effective if they decrease sleep onset latency or increase total sleep time by 30 minutes. Most treatment studies use patient-reported sleep diaries to measure outcome. Criteria used include total sleep time, sleep-onset latency, and number of nocturnal awakenings. A meta-analysis of 48 individual studies of behavioral therapy found stimulus control therapy to be effective and to be superior to progressive relaxation, imagery training, and paradoxical intention. Develop a regular sleeping schedule. Avoid daytime naps and stimulating activities just before bedtime. Avoid alcohol- it is a leading cause of poor sleep. Drink a cup of warm milk.
Cure Insomnia With Hypnosis
May 10, 2011 by admin
Filed under Abstinence
Nancy Ho asked:
Insomnia
Individuals will normally vary in their need for and the satisfaction they derive from sleep. Insomnia may cause problems during the day, such as tiredness, a lack of energy, difficulty in concentration and irritability.
Insomnia can be classified as transient (short term), where a person has not been able to get any sleep from the last few days or weeks, intermittent (on and off) or acute.
Transient insomnia lasts anywhere from a single night to a few weeks. If episodes of transient insomnia occur from time to time, insomnia is said to be intermittent.
A person with acute insomnia will either not be able to sleep properly, or will have difficulty sleeping for about 3 weeks to six months. Insomnia is considered to be chronic if it occurs on most nights and lasts for a month or more.
The Causes of Insomnia
Individuals with certain physiological and psychological conditions are more likely to be affected by insomnia. The following are some examples:
Advanced age (insomnia occurs more frequently in those age 60) Female gender A history of depression or having a negative mindset Other conditions (such as stress, anxiety, a medical problem, or the use of certain medications) including the above conditions, insomnia is likely to happen on the individual.
There are many causes of insomnia. Transient and acute/intermittent insomnia usually occur in people who are temporarily experiencing one or more of the following:
Reaction to Stress Environmental noise Extreme temperatures, too old or too warm Change in the surrounding environment i.e bedrooms Sleep/wake schedule problems such as those due to jet lag The side effects of medication Treating Insomnia
Many people with insomnia believe that they need medication to treat it. However, there is no guarantee that these will have long-lasting effects, and even then medication may have undesirable side-effects such as addiction to sleeping pills. There are alternative treatments to medication.
In general, the available treatments for chronic or acute insomnia may consist of:
First, diagnosing and treating the underlying medical or psychological problems Identifying behaviors that may worsen insomnia and stopping (or reducing) them Possibly using sleeping pills, although the long-term use of sleeping pills for chronic insomnia does not solve the problem and there may be health-damaging side effects, such as addiction Trying behavioral techniques to improve sleep, such as relaxation therapy, sleep restriction therapy, reconditioning or hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy is by far the most effective tool as it targets the hidden roots of the problems that cause insomnia, especially acute and chronic insomnia.
Relaxation Therapy
There are specific and effective techniques that can reduce or eliminate anxiety and body tension. As a result, the person’s mind is able to stop “racing,” the muscles can relax, and restful sleep can occur. It usually takes much practice to learn these techniques and to achieve effective relaxation.
Sleep Restriction
Some people suffering from insomnia spend too much time in bed unsuccessfully trying to sleep. They may benefit from a sleep restriction program that at first allows only a few hours of sleep during the night. Gradually the time is increased until a more normal night’s sleep is achieved.
Reconditioning
Another treatment that may help some people with insomnia is to recondition them to associate the bed and bedtime with sleep. For most people, this means not using their beds for any activities other than sleep and ***.
As part of the reconditioning process, the person is usually advised to go to bed only when sleepy. If unable to fall asleep, the person is told to get up, stay up until sleepy, and then return to bed.
Throughout this process, the person should avoid naps and wake up and go to bed at the same time each day. Eventually the person’s body will be conditioned to associate the bed and bedtime with sleep.
Hypnotherapy as a treatment for Insomnia
Hypnotherapy can be a rapid technique to break the debilitating habit of sleep deprivation. Using hypnotherapy (usually in two or three sessions) can make getting to sleep easier, getting back to sleep after waking up easy, giving a better quality of life.
In the hypnosis session, we use several techniques, besides relaxing you deeply, which is exactly what you need for your body and mind to ‘tip over’ into sleep. We are also able to reprogram the mind to get normal natural sleep. In some of the chronic cases, we will get to the source of the insomnia and thus freeing you from sleeplessness.
Additionally, hypnosis is excellent for stopping the ‘chattering mind’ that plagues so many insomniacs.
We also teach our clients to use Self-Hypnosis. The following is a quick review of what we do:
How to use Self-Hypnosis to get to sleep Hypnotizing yourself Guided Self-Hypnosis for Insomnia
Here’s a short script for a guided self-hypnosis. Find yourself a quiet and comfortable place where you won’t be disturbed. Make sure that you take of all your accessories, switch off your handphone before you begin so that you won’t be disturbed.
Firstly make sure that your body is relaxed. Relaxation occurs when your body is free from tension in the muscles. A good technique to accomplish this is to want to relax all the muscles in the different areas of your body.
Starting with the area of the feet up through the knees, next relax your thighs then abdomen, back, shoulders arms and hands, all the way to your fingertips, move to your chest, throat, ****** muscle, mouth and jaw areas. All this time feel a wave of calm relaxation flowing through those body parts.
Continue by taking gradual deep breaths through your nose, and then slowly exhale out through your mouth (The brain and body require more oxygen to enter hypnosis). Next, roll your eyes up (eyelids closed, looking up into the forehead). This causes the eyelids to “flutter”, replicating the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) of sleep.
Now concentrate on your breathing and, only on the exhale, mentally repeat “Relax, calm, peaceful, restful, sleep” or “Beautiful, deep, restful, sleep”. You will find yourself drifting off to sleep.
By now, indeed, you have hypnotized yourself, and that state of mind will draw you into unconscious sleep. During a one-on-one session with a Hypnotherapist you will be coached how to correctly do all this, and the success rate is 95%. For more information:
Insomnia
Individuals will normally vary in their need for and the satisfaction they derive from sleep. Insomnia may cause problems during the day, such as tiredness, a lack of energy, difficulty in concentration and irritability.
Insomnia can be classified as transient (short term), where a person has not been able to get any sleep from the last few days or weeks, intermittent (on and off) or acute.
Transient insomnia lasts anywhere from a single night to a few weeks. If episodes of transient insomnia occur from time to time, insomnia is said to be intermittent.
A person with acute insomnia will either not be able to sleep properly, or will have difficulty sleeping for about 3 weeks to six months. Insomnia is considered to be chronic if it occurs on most nights and lasts for a month or more.
The Causes of Insomnia
Individuals with certain physiological and psychological conditions are more likely to be affected by insomnia. The following are some examples:
Advanced age (insomnia occurs more frequently in those age 60) Female gender A history of depression or having a negative mindset Other conditions (such as stress, anxiety, a medical problem, or the use of certain medications) including the above conditions, insomnia is likely to happen on the individual.
There are many causes of insomnia. Transient and acute/intermittent insomnia usually occur in people who are temporarily experiencing one or more of the following:
Reaction to Stress Environmental noise Extreme temperatures, too old or too warm Change in the surrounding environment i.e bedrooms Sleep/wake schedule problems such as those due to jet lag The side effects of medication Treating Insomnia
Many people with insomnia believe that they need medication to treat it. However, there is no guarantee that these will have long-lasting effects, and even then medication may have undesirable side-effects such as addiction to sleeping pills. There are alternative treatments to medication.
In general, the available treatments for chronic or acute insomnia may consist of:
First, diagnosing and treating the underlying medical or psychological problems Identifying behaviors that may worsen insomnia and stopping (or reducing) them Possibly using sleeping pills, although the long-term use of sleeping pills for chronic insomnia does not solve the problem and there may be health-damaging side effects, such as addiction Trying behavioral techniques to improve sleep, such as relaxation therapy, sleep restriction therapy, reconditioning or hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy is by far the most effective tool as it targets the hidden roots of the problems that cause insomnia, especially acute and chronic insomnia.
Relaxation Therapy
There are specific and effective techniques that can reduce or eliminate anxiety and body tension. As a result, the person’s mind is able to stop “racing,” the muscles can relax, and restful sleep can occur. It usually takes much practice to learn these techniques and to achieve effective relaxation.
Sleep Restriction
Some people suffering from insomnia spend too much time in bed unsuccessfully trying to sleep. They may benefit from a sleep restriction program that at first allows only a few hours of sleep during the night. Gradually the time is increased until a more normal night’s sleep is achieved.
Reconditioning
Another treatment that may help some people with insomnia is to recondition them to associate the bed and bedtime with sleep. For most people, this means not using their beds for any activities other than sleep and ***.
As part of the reconditioning process, the person is usually advised to go to bed only when sleepy. If unable to fall asleep, the person is told to get up, stay up until sleepy, and then return to bed.
Throughout this process, the person should avoid naps and wake up and go to bed at the same time each day. Eventually the person’s body will be conditioned to associate the bed and bedtime with sleep.
Hypnotherapy as a treatment for Insomnia
Hypnotherapy can be a rapid technique to break the debilitating habit of sleep deprivation. Using hypnotherapy (usually in two or three sessions) can make getting to sleep easier, getting back to sleep after waking up easy, giving a better quality of life.
In the hypnosis session, we use several techniques, besides relaxing you deeply, which is exactly what you need for your body and mind to ‘tip over’ into sleep. We are also able to reprogram the mind to get normal natural sleep. In some of the chronic cases, we will get to the source of the insomnia and thus freeing you from sleeplessness.
Additionally, hypnosis is excellent for stopping the ‘chattering mind’ that plagues so many insomniacs.
We also teach our clients to use Self-Hypnosis. The following is a quick review of what we do:
How to use Self-Hypnosis to get to sleep Hypnotizing yourself Guided Self-Hypnosis for Insomnia
Here’s a short script for a guided self-hypnosis. Find yourself a quiet and comfortable place where you won’t be disturbed. Make sure that you take of all your accessories, switch off your handphone before you begin so that you won’t be disturbed.
Firstly make sure that your body is relaxed. Relaxation occurs when your body is free from tension in the muscles. A good technique to accomplish this is to want to relax all the muscles in the different areas of your body.
Starting with the area of the feet up through the knees, next relax your thighs then abdomen, back, shoulders arms and hands, all the way to your fingertips, move to your chest, throat, ****** muscle, mouth and jaw areas. All this time feel a wave of calm relaxation flowing through those body parts.
Continue by taking gradual deep breaths through your nose, and then slowly exhale out through your mouth (The brain and body require more oxygen to enter hypnosis). Next, roll your eyes up (eyelids closed, looking up into the forehead). This causes the eyelids to “flutter”, replicating the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) of sleep.
Now concentrate on your breathing and, only on the exhale, mentally repeat “Relax, calm, peaceful, restful, sleep” or “Beautiful, deep, restful, sleep”. You will find yourself drifting off to sleep.
By now, indeed, you have hypnotized yourself, and that state of mind will draw you into unconscious sleep. During a one-on-one session with a Hypnotherapist you will be coached how to correctly do all this, and the success rate is 95%. For more information:
Insomnia in Children and Women
May 10, 2011 by admin
Filed under Diseases And Conditions
Cindy Heller asked:
While insomnia prevails among a notable proportion of adults, children too suffer from sleep disorders. Insomnia in children is characterized by signs of wakefulness or restlessness daily at night, irritability or heaviness on waking from sleep, mood swings, lack of concentration, and unusual difficulty with remembering.
Causes of Insomnia in Children
In children, the causes of insomnia are generally more easy to work out that in grown ups. If your child suffers from any of the symptoms listed above, look for any one or more of these causes that usually cause sleep disorders in children: stress, diet, anxiety, fear, physical problems (constipation, pain etc.), and disturbed routine (watching TV late in the night, over use of computer, video games etc.)
Insomnia in Women
A good number of women suffer from sleep disorders in early pregnancy. Insomnia In Early Pregnancy Is Mostly Caused By Discomfort And Anxiety. Most people attribute the sleep disorders in early pregnancy to the hormonal imbalances – while in some cases this would be true, there are plenty instances where the insomnia in early pregnancy is caused by the excitement and anxiety of being pregnant. . To counteract the problem, you will have to consult a doctor since self medication would be contraindicated once you are confirmed to be pregnant.
Sleep disorders during Pregnancy
Studies have found that about 78 % of pregnant women suffer from insomnia for varying durations. However, physicians believe that sleep disorders during pregnancy is normal and not dangerous to the infant’s health. A number of reasons account for sleeping difficulties encountered during pregnancy. In many cases, the growing size of the abdomen is the main cause of sleeplessness. Pressure eon the bladder caused by increased size of the abdomen makes it necessary to urinate several times during the night. The pregnant woman feels trouble with finding a comfortable position for sleeping. Feeling the baby’s movement can also cause waking up at night. Heartburn and back pain are two main physical problems that cause insomnia during pregnancy. There might be aching in the hips, causing discomfort. Hormonal changes and psychological conditions like anxiety and/or depression are other main causes of sleeplessness.
Coping With sleep disorders during Pregnancy
The first thing to do is to prevent you from getting overly anxious, just looking at the time and worrying about sleep. Taking a warm bath, before going to bed, brings comfort and relaxes you to sleep. Relaxation exercises like yoga and meditation etc. are helpful in relieving anxiety and bringing sleep. You can also ask your partner for a massage. Take plenty of exercise during the day or in the evening but not too close to bedtime. Exercise will make you tired and hence drive you to sleep. Also try to avoid taking naps in the day. If you get up several times to urinate during the course of the night, take fewer fluids after 4 pm. Also avoid taking caffeine drinks in the evening. Their stimulating effect is a sleep antagonist. Keep the temperature of the bedroom at a comfortable level. Keep the window open for fresh air to reach you. Use additional blankets to keep you warm if the room feels cold.
Menopause and Insomnia in Women
Women going through their menopause frequently suffer from insomnia. Menopause and sleep disorders co-occur due to the reduction and imbalance of hormones associated with menopause. The resulting stress, anxiety, and depression deprive the menopausal woman of sleep. Accompanying these sleep disturbances are hot flashes and sweats that are the characteristic symptoms of menopause.
Treatment for Menopausal Insomnia
Insomnia is treated in a variety of ways like prescribed medications, herbal formulas, relaxation techniques, exercises, psychological treatment (if anxiety or depression are the main cause), lifestyle changes, home remedies and nutrition etc. For menopause and sleep disorders co-occurring, hormone replacement therapy is also used. However, it is not effective in all women and different women going through menopause respond differently to this therapy. When the body’s hormonal imbalance settles down by itself, the insomnia associated with it also disappears.
Various Prescribed Medicines for Insomnia
Trazodone is an antidepressant available in the drug market under the brand name Desyrel or Desyrel Dividose. Besides treating depression, loss of motivation for daily activities, and other symptoms, Trazodone is frequently prescribed for treating symptoms of insomnia.
Over the years, lexapro and sleep disorders have been connected together because of the fact that most people who have taken this drug ends up suffering from insomnia. According to experts, lexapro is one of the most effective drugs for treating depression especially in children and adolescents. Unfortunately, lexapro and insomnia seem to have become so closely associated that when you think of lexapro and insomnia, you immediately associate it with cause and effect where lexapro becomes the cause of insomnia.
Melatonin is a hormone that the body produces naturally. It is also a powerful antioxidant. Melatonin is reported to help to have a sedative effect on the body, helping to induce sleep in many. It is non-toxic and no side effects have been officially reported while using this therapy. Using melatonin for sleep disorders is a fairly well-known practice in society.
Prozac is certain type of medicine that is commonly used to treat depression in people. As an anti-depressant, prozac is rather effective and is said to be very good in helping people with anxiety disorders and eating disorders. However, the bad news about prozac is that it can have some serious side effects including insomnia.
While insomnia prevails among a notable proportion of adults, children too suffer from sleep disorders. Insomnia in children is characterized by signs of wakefulness or restlessness daily at night, irritability or heaviness on waking from sleep, mood swings, lack of concentration, and unusual difficulty with remembering.
Causes of Insomnia in Children
In children, the causes of insomnia are generally more easy to work out that in grown ups. If your child suffers from any of the symptoms listed above, look for any one or more of these causes that usually cause sleep disorders in children: stress, diet, anxiety, fear, physical problems (constipation, pain etc.), and disturbed routine (watching TV late in the night, over use of computer, video games etc.)
Insomnia in Women
A good number of women suffer from sleep disorders in early pregnancy. Insomnia In Early Pregnancy Is Mostly Caused By Discomfort And Anxiety. Most people attribute the sleep disorders in early pregnancy to the hormonal imbalances – while in some cases this would be true, there are plenty instances where the insomnia in early pregnancy is caused by the excitement and anxiety of being pregnant. . To counteract the problem, you will have to consult a doctor since self medication would be contraindicated once you are confirmed to be pregnant.
Sleep disorders during Pregnancy
Studies have found that about 78 % of pregnant women suffer from insomnia for varying durations. However, physicians believe that sleep disorders during pregnancy is normal and not dangerous to the infant’s health. A number of reasons account for sleeping difficulties encountered during pregnancy. In many cases, the growing size of the abdomen is the main cause of sleeplessness. Pressure eon the bladder caused by increased size of the abdomen makes it necessary to urinate several times during the night. The pregnant woman feels trouble with finding a comfortable position for sleeping. Feeling the baby’s movement can also cause waking up at night. Heartburn and back pain are two main physical problems that cause insomnia during pregnancy. There might be aching in the hips, causing discomfort. Hormonal changes and psychological conditions like anxiety and/or depression are other main causes of sleeplessness.
Coping With sleep disorders during Pregnancy
The first thing to do is to prevent you from getting overly anxious, just looking at the time and worrying about sleep. Taking a warm bath, before going to bed, brings comfort and relaxes you to sleep. Relaxation exercises like yoga and meditation etc. are helpful in relieving anxiety and bringing sleep. You can also ask your partner for a massage. Take plenty of exercise during the day or in the evening but not too close to bedtime. Exercise will make you tired and hence drive you to sleep. Also try to avoid taking naps in the day. If you get up several times to urinate during the course of the night, take fewer fluids after 4 pm. Also avoid taking caffeine drinks in the evening. Their stimulating effect is a sleep antagonist. Keep the temperature of the bedroom at a comfortable level. Keep the window open for fresh air to reach you. Use additional blankets to keep you warm if the room feels cold.
Menopause and Insomnia in Women
Women going through their menopause frequently suffer from insomnia. Menopause and sleep disorders co-occur due to the reduction and imbalance of hormones associated with menopause. The resulting stress, anxiety, and depression deprive the menopausal woman of sleep. Accompanying these sleep disturbances are hot flashes and sweats that are the characteristic symptoms of menopause.
Treatment for Menopausal Insomnia
Insomnia is treated in a variety of ways like prescribed medications, herbal formulas, relaxation techniques, exercises, psychological treatment (if anxiety or depression are the main cause), lifestyle changes, home remedies and nutrition etc. For menopause and sleep disorders co-occurring, hormone replacement therapy is also used. However, it is not effective in all women and different women going through menopause respond differently to this therapy. When the body’s hormonal imbalance settles down by itself, the insomnia associated with it also disappears.
Various Prescribed Medicines for Insomnia
Trazodone is an antidepressant available in the drug market under the brand name Desyrel or Desyrel Dividose. Besides treating depression, loss of motivation for daily activities, and other symptoms, Trazodone is frequently prescribed for treating symptoms of insomnia.
Over the years, lexapro and sleep disorders have been connected together because of the fact that most people who have taken this drug ends up suffering from insomnia. According to experts, lexapro is one of the most effective drugs for treating depression especially in children and adolescents. Unfortunately, lexapro and insomnia seem to have become so closely associated that when you think of lexapro and insomnia, you immediately associate it with cause and effect where lexapro becomes the cause of insomnia.
Melatonin is a hormone that the body produces naturally. It is also a powerful antioxidant. Melatonin is reported to help to have a sedative effect on the body, helping to induce sleep in many. It is non-toxic and no side effects have been officially reported while using this therapy. Using melatonin for sleep disorders is a fairly well-known practice in society.
Prozac is certain type of medicine that is commonly used to treat depression in people. As an anti-depressant, prozac is rather effective and is said to be very good in helping people with anxiety disorders and eating disorders. However, the bad news about prozac is that it can have some serious side effects including insomnia.
