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Insomnia Treatments

July 16th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Can’t sleep? You’re not alone. Many people suffer from insomnia and search for insomnia treatments.

There are many causes of insomnia, and perhaps the most common is stress, which causes transient insomnia - you can’t fall asleep for a few days.

For these people insomnia treatments include eliminating stress and dulling the pain that is keeping their mind focused on something other than falling asleep. In some folks, a system of preparing for bed is needed to clear their minds before attempting sleep. Getting ready for bed is usually more involved than pulling down the sheets and without proper preparation, sleep will be denied.

Medical Intervention May Provide Temporary Relief

Those suffering a temporary inability to fall asleep, and more importantly stay asleep for a reasonable amount of time, sleep aids may be helpful. However, using sleeping pills as insomnia treatments is not recommended by medical provider as the person can develop a dependency on them and many have undesirable side effects. Whenever a sleep problem exists, experts agree it is better to treat the symptom rather than the inability to sleep.

In extremely rare cases, there may be a hereditary problem called fatal familial insomnia in which the person lacks a specific gene that regulates sleep patterns. This ailment, although extremely rare, is almost always fatal with two or three years from the onset and insomnia treatments do not work.

Other forms of sleeplessness can be dealt with on a case-by-case basis and insomnia treatments may include things as simple as practicing good sleep hygiene.

Do not take naps during the day, or stay away from stimulants such as caffeine, chocolate and alcohol within an hour of bedtime. Behavior modification may be necessary to reduce episodes of insomnia such as heavy physical activity at least an hour before bedtime and the importance of quiet time prior to going to bed.

Insomnia is very common

July 4th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Can’t get to sleep? While you’re lying there wide awake, you’re sharing your insomnia problem with millions of other people.

Just about everyone suffers from insomnia on occasion and the inability to sleep, or sleep for any length of time, can leave the person feeling unrested, irritable and in some cases unable to think clearly. However, in most the inability to sleep is transient and generally only occurs once or twice week.

The causes of insomnia vary from person to person, but common causes include stress, pain, depression or for unknown reasons. People who travel frequently may suffer what is called jet lag and their circadian clock, an internal mechanism that tells the body it needs rest, may be off causing a loss of sleep. This and short-term anxiety can cause transient insomnia which can last from one night to a few weeks. Acute insomnia can last from a few weeks to six months.

The most serious is acute insomnia, which can cause the loss of sleep every night for at least a month. Medical professionals will attempt to determine the cause for the lack of sleep and cure the underlying cause. An overactive mind or some type of physical pain is generally associated with transient insomnia.

It has been estimated that at least 60 percent of American suffer from transient insomnia, with up to 40 percent of women and 30 percent of men having trouble sleeping on occasion. The common thought that as a person ages their need for sleep lessens is disregarded by most sleep disorder specialists. They say that across the board Americans get an average of seven hours of sleep each night while doctors recommend seven to 10 hours.

There are some who confuse poor quality sleep, such as sleep apnea, with insomnia, which causes people to have trouble breathing while they sleep. This causes them to wake up numerous times throughout the night and most times they do not know they are awake. All they know is that they are extremely sleepy throughout the day. Sleep specialists can determine this cause and help find a remedy to enable the person to sleep soundly throughout the night.

In very rare cases, a hereditary illness called fatal familial insomnia will cause a person to totally be unable to sleep, usually resulting in death within about two years following onset of the problem. There is no known cure for this ailment, which can easily be passed to subsequent generations.

Nocturnal Sleep Related Eating Disorder - do you have it?

May 11th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Imagine getting up in the middle of the night, fixing a meal, and eating it… and having no memory of the event in the morning. That’s nocturnal sleep-related eating disorder.

People can do strange things when asleep, as comedic portrays of sleepwalking individuals has shown. Sleepwalking has been a known problem with some people for years, but can a person do other activities while asleep? A disorder recognized only in recent years, nocturnal sleep related eating disorder is one example of just how much a person can do when the subconscious mind takes over at night. If you fear that you are suffering from nocturnal sleep related eating disorder, there are some symptoms that you and your family can look for, and treatments that you can seek.

Symptoms: eating while asleep

Given that both can involve activity while asleep, nocturnal sleep related eating disorder is related to sleepwalking. However, while in sleepwalking, simple motion is the basis, those suffering from nocturnal sleep related eating disorder tend to head right for food, which generally means going to the kitchen. Sufferers will eat while still asleep or only partially awake, and often cannot remember their episodes of sleep-eating.

Often, the foods are consumed are high in fat and calories or involve strange combination of foods, and seems to be linked to those who are dieting or depressed, causing binges when the subconscious mind is in control. If you suffer from nocturnal sleep related eating disorder, you may wake up with food in the kitchen, with a stomachache from overeating, and may suffer from a loss of appetite in the mornings.

Are you stressed?

Treatment of nocturnal sleep related eating disorder isn’t always easy, but tends to start with a trip to a sleep disorder center so you can be studied while asleep. Based on the results of these studies, doctors may provide a course of treatment to stop further episodes of nocturnal sleep related eating disorder. Often this will not include sleeping pills, as a person may continue to have episodes under sedation. In addition, sometimes occurrences of nocturnal sleep related eating disorder are linked to other compulsions, including drug and alcohol addiction, so introducing sedatives that can cause dependency will often worsen the problem.

There seems to be a big link to stress and nocturnal sleep related eating disorder, so your doctor may prescribe classes for reducing stress or anxiety. If you worry that you may be suffering from nocturnal sleep related eating disorder, your best bet to improving the situation for yourself is to avoid intake of alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, or any other drugs, to review your diet to ensure that it is not being too restrictive during the day, and to arrange for study at a sleep center. With a little research and work, you’ll soon be sleeping as you should be.

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