Some 36 percent of Australian and 30 percent of New Zealanders suffer from insomnia at some level, although many people don't seek help for it. This common complaint, however, can almost always be put to rest with simple, fast-acting solutions.
Insomnia is a general term that refers to difficulty falling or staying asleep. It's not really a disorder but a symptom with many causes. We all have occasional sleepless nights, and insomnia for a day or two that then disappears isn't much of a problem. But if you have it for longer, you're likely to pay a high price. Research has shown that if you have frequent insomnia, you're four times more likely to suffer from depression than people who sleep soundly. You're also more likley to underperform at work and to have difficult family realtionships. More frightening, you could really hurt yourself (or your loved ones): it has been estimated that 20 to 30 percent of serious road crashes in Australia and New Zealand involve driver fatigue.
The reason it's so hard to define insomnia is because everyone requires different amounts of sleep. The bottom line, sleep experts say, is how you feel the next day. If you frequently wake up feeling dull and unfreshed--either because it took you forever to fall asleep or you woke repeatedly at night or got up too early--there's a good chance that insomnia is taking its toll.
Most insomnia is triggered by temporary upsets--emotional stress, for example, or flare-ups of arthritis or other painful conditions. Once your life returns to normal, in most cases, so will the quality of your sleep. But sometimes it doesn't work that way. Some to feel anxious even after the original problem is long gone. This can result in long-term or chronic insomnia-disturbed sleep that occurs at least three times a week for a month or more.
LIKELY FIRST STEPS
Your doctor is most likely to take a three-pronged approach in exploring the causes of your insomnia. The first step is to identify--and correct--any underlying physical or emotional problems that may be keeping you awake. After that, you'll probably be asked to make a few lifestyle changes to promote better sleep. Finally, you may be given over-the-counter or prescription drugs to break the 'insomnia cycle' and help you get some much needed rest.
Lifestyle changes
Whether you've battled insomnia for years or are experiencing it for the first time, the best place to start is to practise what doctors call 'good sleep hygiene', habits that naturally promote better sleep.
Treatment Options
It's also important to maintain regular sleep habits. Go to bed and get up at the same times everyday, even on weekends. And go easy on the naps. They're fine for catching up on occasional missed sleep, but napping regularly makes it harder to maintain a consistent sleep schedule.
A crucial part of sleep hygiene is to keep stress out of your bedroom. Limit what you actually do in the bed to sleep or sex. Don't use the room as a second study. If you do, you'll start to associate going to bed with stress and anxiety. For the same reason, leave the bedroom when insomnia strikes. If you're going to be frustrated because you can't sleep, do it in the living room or kitchen. Only go to bed when you think you're really ready to fall asleep.
Two additional things: shut out bright light and noise. Install heavy curtains or blinds if you need to, to block these out. Earplugs will muffle external sounds, or you can mask noises by running a fan or setting the radio to the fuzz between stations, or you can even use a white noise machine.
Your daytime habits are just as important for beating insomnia as what you do at night. Don't drink caffeinated beverages after about noon. And be sure to limit your alcohol consumption to one or two drinks in the evening. Alcohol can make it easier to fall asleep, but it also causes more frequent night-time awakenings.
What is happening
Insomnia is a general term that refers to difficulty falling or staying asleep. It's not really a disorder but a symptom with many causes. We all have occasional sleepless nights, and insomnia for a day or two that then disappears isn't much of a problem. But if you have it for longer, you're likely to pay a high price. Research has shown that if you have frequent insomnia, you're four times more likely to suffer from depression than people who sleep soundly. You're also more likley to underperform at work and to have difficult family realtionships. More frightening, you could really hurt yourself (or your loved ones): it has been estimated that 20 to 30 percent of serious road crashes in Australia and New Zealand involve driver fatigue.
The reason it's so hard to define insomnia is because everyone requires different amounts of sleep. The bottom line, sleep experts say, is how you feel the next day. If you frequently wake up feeling dull and unfreshed--either because it took you forever to fall asleep or you woke repeatedly at night or got up too early--there's a good chance that insomnia is taking its toll.
Most insomnia is triggered by temporary upsets--emotional stress, for example, or flare-ups of arthritis or other painful conditions. Once your life returns to normal, in most cases, so will the quality of your sleep. But sometimes it doesn't work that way. Some to feel anxious even after the original problem is long gone. This can result in long-term or chronic insomnia-disturbed sleep that occurs at least three times a week for a month or more.
- Improve your sleep habits, such as going to bed and getting up at the same times and exercising regularly, to promote sleepiness.
- Meditation or other relaxation techniques to reduce emotional stress.
- Over-the-counter or prescription sedatives for short-term relief of sleepless.
QUESTIONS TO ASK
- Do you think I might have sleep apnoea or another sleep disorder?
- Could my insomnia be linked to the depression that I have been experiencing lately?
- Is there a way you can tell whether post-traumatic stress syndrome is What's keeping me awake at night?
- I seem to have more insomnia now that I'm going through menopause. Would HRT be good for me?
Treatments
Your doctor is most likely to take a three-pronged approach in exploring the causes of your insomnia. The first step is to identify--and correct--any underlying physical or emotional problems that may be keeping you awake. After that, you'll probably be asked to make a few lifestyle changes to promote better sleep. Finally, you may be given over-the-counter or prescription drugs to break the 'insomnia cycle' and help you get some much needed rest.
Lifestyle changes
Whether you've battled insomnia for years or are experiencing it for the first time, the best place to start is to practise what doctors call 'good sleep hygiene', habits that naturally promote better sleep.
Treatment Options
LIFESTYLE CHANGES
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Work on 'sleep hygiene' Maintain a regular sleep schedule; no naps.
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Relax Try yoga or meditation to reduce stress
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Limit caffeine & alcohol No coffee after noon; no drinks before bed.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exercise Makes you tired and defuses stress.
MEDICATIONS
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Antihistamines Act as mild sedatives.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sleeping pills Promote falling asleep and sleeping through.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Antidepressants Can help depression-induced insomnia.
NATURAL METHODS
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Work on 'sleep hygiene' Maintain a regular sleep schedule; no naps.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Relax Try yoga or meditation to reduce stress
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Limit caffeine & alcohol No coffee after noon; no drinks before bed.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exercise Makes you tired and defuses stress.
MEDICATIONS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Antihistamines Act as mild sedatives.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sleeping pills Promote falling asleep and sleeping through.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Antidepressants Can help depression-induced insomnia.
NATURAL METHODS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Herbal remedies Try valerian, camomile or lemon balm.
PROCEDURES
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sleep laboratory Tests valerian, camomile or lemon balm
TAKING CONTROL
An hour before your usual bedtime, for example, get into a relaxing routine. Read or listen to soothing music. Avoid stressful activities such as paying bills, difficult phone calls or completing work projects. Consider taking a hot bath. Your core body temperature will rise then fall, which will help you fall asleep more readily--and stay asleep. Don't take a bath just before bed, however, because it will temporarily increase blood flow and thus alertness.Herbal remedies Try valerian, camomile or lemon balm.
PROCEDURES
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sleep laboratory Tests valerian, camomile or lemon balm
TAKING CONTROL
- Start a sleep diary. By keeping a summary of your sleep habits for about 10 days, you may get valuable clues about what's happening. Record when you go to bed, how long it takes you to fall asleep, how often you awake up at night, how you feel the next day, and so on. Then pass this information along to your doctor.
- Limit your ZZZZs at first. Some experts advise starting with only four hours of sleep-say 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. Once you're sleeping well during these hours, add another 15 to 30 minutes to either end or both--and keep adding time until you are getting the sleep that you need.
- Eat tofu or other say foods daily. These are rich in oestrogen-like compounds called phyto-oesterogens. Women who regularly eat them are less likely to experience menopausal hot flushes or other related sleep-disrupting symptoms.
- Take care with sleeping pills. The short-term use of sleeping pills--often up to a month--is very safe for most people. But there are some exceptions. Watch out if you drink: combining the pills with alcohol intensifies the effects of each. If you're elderly or get up a lot at night, sleeping pills may increase your risk of falls or other accidents. Or, if you have sleep-related breathing problems, the drugs you take may increase problems by depressing the vital 'breathing centre' in your brain.
It's also important to maintain regular sleep habits. Go to bed and get up at the same times everyday, even on weekends. And go easy on the naps. They're fine for catching up on occasional missed sleep, but napping regularly makes it harder to maintain a consistent sleep schedule.
A crucial part of sleep hygiene is to keep stress out of your bedroom. Limit what you actually do in the bed to sleep or sex. Don't use the room as a second study. If you do, you'll start to associate going to bed with stress and anxiety. For the same reason, leave the bedroom when insomnia strikes. If you're going to be frustrated because you can't sleep, do it in the living room or kitchen. Only go to bed when you think you're really ready to fall asleep.
Two additional things: shut out bright light and noise. Install heavy curtains or blinds if you need to, to block these out. Earplugs will muffle external sounds, or you can mask noises by running a fan or setting the radio to the fuzz between stations, or you can even use a white noise machine.
Your daytime habits are just as important for beating insomnia as what you do at night. Don't drink caffeinated beverages after about noon. And be sure to limit your alcohol consumption to one or two drinks in the evening. Alcohol can make it easier to fall asleep, but it also causes more frequent night-time awakenings.
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