I’m getting older, and dealing with insomnia is just one of the problems with which the senior generation has difficulty; however, being unable to sleep is not limited to just one age group. People of all ages have sleep problems.
There are hundreds of medications to help aid sleep – both OTC and prescription drugs –but most of them are habit forming, even though they claim otherwise. So what if you don’t want to take a drug to help you sleep?
If you search the Internet, there are millions of tips for falling asleep. (In fact, you could fall asleep just reading them!) I don’t know how well they work, but there are some definite steps you can take to prepare your body for beddie-bye.
First, it’s important to understand insomnia and the type you have. Usually, if you’ve missed just a few nights sleep due to something happening in your life, that’s generally not an issue. Then, once the problem is solved, the insomnia normally clears up on its own. However, if you lay awake night after night, tossing and turning, then you might have a more serious problem – chronic insomnia.
Chronic insomnia is usually due to another disorder, and it can lead to many more health issues.
There are three types of insomnia:
1. Initial insomnia: You turn out the lights and lay awake 30 minutes or longer, trying to “turn your brain off” by counting sheep, or thinking of peaceful scenes, all to no avail.
2. Middle insomnia: after going to sleep, you have difficulty remaining asleep, and you remain awake more than 30 minutes before the regular waking time.
3. Late or terminal insomnia: Waking prematurely in the morning after having only a portion of your sleep fulfilled.
To figure out which type of insomnia you have, you must first determine which type of sleeper you are. Some of us are “short sleepers” who need only five or six hours of sleep a night (such as myself), but some people need eight to 10 hours of sleep in order to function properly.
After looking at that, you need to evaluate your “sleep efficiency,” which is the number of sleep hours compared to how many hours of sleep you actually get. Your sleep hours should be 85 percent of your time in bed, so if you were in bed for eight hours and awake for two, then you received only 75 percent of the total time sleeping, which is poor.
If you’ve decided on the type of insomnia you might have, here are some tips that might give you some relief. Remember: these are suggestions for non-medical issues only. They are not medical advice.
See a doctor: Insomnia
can be a medical problem and need treatment.
Take a warm bath: It’s a great way to relax your body, although too long in a tub of hot water can drain you, so don’t over soak. Use bath salts or a cup each of Epsom salt and baking soda. They help to relax your muscles and remove toxins from your body.
Drink herbal tea or warm milk: A glass of warm milk 15 minutes before going to bed will soothe your nervous system. Milk contains calcium, which relaxes nerves. If you don’t want or like milk, then try a cup of herbal tea such as chamomile, catnip, anise or fennel. All contain natural ingredients that aid sleep.
Sleep with your head facing north: This supposedly aligns your body with the magnetic field Earth, bringing your energy into harmony with the planet.
Earplugs: If there’s noise outside of your room that keeps you awake, or awakens you, then grab those earplugs.
Hot water bottle: Place a hot water bottle on your stomach, close your eyes and breath deeply, so the bottle rises and falls. This is supposed to relieve tension.
Yawn: Force yourself to yawn, which signals your body it’s time to go to sleep.
Listen to relaxing music or sounds of nature.
Acupuncture, acupressure (shiatsu) or hypnotism: Random clinical studies have shown these might work for some people.
Find and cut out hidden stimulants: Some herbal tonics contain botanical stimulants, and some over-the-counter and prescription medicines contain caffeine. Read the labels. Also, no caffeinated drinks after noon.
Keep your room at a comfortable temperature: Usually around 70 degrees for most people.
Don’t go to bed: Last but not least, if you’re not sleepy, don’t go to bed. Read a novel, or the Bible.
Sources: Some information gleaned from www.healthy.net, www.thevoicemagazine.com, www.thehealthyhavenblog.com and www.healthpsych.com.