Are you one of the 30% of adults who have symptoms of insomnia? The symptoms include: 1. Trouble falling asleep. 2. Trouble staying asleep. 3. Waking up too early. 4. Overall poor quality of sleep.
Woman and older people have more difficulty achieving adequate amounts of good sleep quality. Detecting and alleviating chronic insomnia may help reduce the risk of developing depression and anxiety. Are you one of those that can fall asleep more easily (being on the couch watching TV) when you are not trying to sleep? Does any of this sound familiar?
Do you have any of the following 10 habits? If you do, remember these unhealthy habits may undermine your sleep:
1. Inactivity-physical activity helps relieve stress, reduces cortisol production, and helps normalize sleep architecture.
2. Overeating and indigestion-weight loss often improves sleep quality.
3. Over stimulation- the areas of the brain that regulate sleep do not turn on and off like a switch.
4. Excessive worry-activation of frontal cortices, limbic system, amygdalae, autonomic nervous system, and adrenal glands severely compromise sleep as result of the spike of adrenaline and cortisol.
5. Erratic schedules- instead cooperate with the rhythms of nature.
6. Over extension-combining number three, four, and five.
7. Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol-avoid caffeine within seven hours of bedtime; nicotine withdrawal could begin within a few hours of last cigarette; alcohol is a chemical process, but it can suppress dream sleep early in the night then provoke REM rebound later on.
8. Bedroom blunders A. Temperature- avoid being too hot or too cold. B. Light-luminescent light on an alarm clock can stimulate the reticular activating system in the brain stem. C. Noise-keep it quiet. D. Clutter-remove it. E. pets-may disrupt sleep levels. F. Bed –get a new mattress every 8 to 10 years; new pillows every two years or so. G. space –avoid restrictive heavy bedding. H. Spouse- few people can sleep well if the person next to them is thrashing, snoring, coughing or getting up and down to go to the bathroom.
9. Napping-avoid napping more than 45 minutes and keep naps before 3 PM.
10. Pill popping-Meds can interfere with normal sleep patterns.
If changing your habits does not work, other options may have to be considered. This information was based on a continuing education class put on by the Institute for Natural Resources.
However, prescription meds such as Ambien, Restoril, Sonata or Lunesta may or may not be the solution to insomnia. For example, Dr. Daniel Kripke of the Scripps clinic in La Jolla, California conducted a study comparing 10,529 people using prescription sleeping pills. The findings, of this research, suggested that there was a 35% increased risk for cancer with people using prescription sleeping pills compared to people not taking sleeping pills. And the risk of developing lymphoma, lung, colon, or prostate cancer was greater than the risk for smokers. This information was found in the March/April 2012 edition of The National Psychologist.
Hopefully, you will change your habits, as a first step, before considering medication. Sweet dreams. As Secretariat said today “I like sleeping.”
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