Not knowing the real cause of insomnia makes it particularly challenging for the patient to address the symptoms. Sleep disorders such as insomnia can be caused by a multitude of reasons, You may be surprised to find that you may have habits that are affecting how well you sleep. Looking into the habitual routines that you perform every night before bed can often yield valuable insight. Your doctor is an excellent person to turn to when seeking information about chronic insomnia. There are a number of behaviors that may be contributing to the phenomenon that are in your power to change. In this discussion, we'll be exploring some of the more successful approaches to dealing with insomnia.
It's important to keep in mind that insomnia often stems from other aspects of a person's life. There may be one or many problems in the person's life that result in insomnia. A good example is when a person feels overwhelmed with stresses and is unable to effectively cope. When bed time comes you may find your mind is overactive and won't let you fall asleep. Your mind finds other distractions to keep itself churning and you to find yourself unable to fall into deep sleep. When you are sleeping lightly, then perhaps even the slightest sound is enough to wake you. So you can begin to find your own cure by looking within and examining what is going on in your life. Insomnia is also associated with symptoms of depression. Insomnia can manifest in people suffering from depression, causing them to wake up before their alarm goes off. However this does not equate to a universal truth. So you have to look at your situation to draw any kind of conclusion about that. In many cases it is the psychological aspects of insomnia that are at the root of the problem. So if you can identify possible problem areas that have been unattended thus far, then try to resolve them and see if your sleep improves.
Labeling chronic insomnia as the severe disorder that it has become is the right course of action. Insomnia is often the precursor to other medical issues that may lie hidden. Insomnia can have underlying physical causes, and it's important to eliminate those as a cause before proceeding with a course of treatment.
So of course that means you do need to talk to your doctor about what is going on. Assuming there are no physical problems, the conversation may move to psychological topics. Insomnia often has its roots in the anxiety around major life events like divorce or child birth. When that happens it then becomes apparent that you must remove the underlying stress to find relief.
Examining your daily habits can yield valuable insight about what may be the cause of your insomnia. Some of the more obvious contributing causes for insomnia may become readily apparent. Afterwards you can decide what approach to take to try to get a better night's rest.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Monday, April 30, 2012
Teeth Grinding in Your sleep
Teeth grinding is something that people develop and hang onto for years. This is why, stopping it may take some time, even more so since you do it when your unconscious. Many people successfully overcome this condition though, so don't let it overwhelm you. Many people have found the following methods to be quite successful when trying to treat their teeth grinding in their sleep.
Multiple types of therapy exist for treating those with a long standing problem of teeth grinding in their sleep, behavior therapy is one such type. One technique the therapist can teach you is how to pay attention to how you feel during the day along with techniques to relax your teeth and jaw. It is a common trait among teeth grinders, to carry their tension during the day in this area also. The goal of therapy in this case is to retrain you to release this tension instead of holding onto it. The hoped for result is that releasing the tension will carry over into your sleep. Remember, that this will take time and patience on your part, to watch your body and how it reacts and to work with the therapist. The results of no longer grinding your teeth in your sleep are worth the time and effort it will take you to learn this technique. If you have a problem with grinding your teeth at night be sure you are visiting with a dentist on a regular basis. Your dentist will give you some great ideas for treating your grinding problem and will also be able to keep a close eye on the problems already happening with your teeth. By constantly grinding your teeth, you can loosen them and cause other problems, so you may need dental work because of this. See your dentist during regularly scheduled appointments as needed to help you resolve this issue. Your dentist will probably be the one to tell you that you have a condition requiring closer supevision of your teeth and schedule appts well in advance for you.
One fairly extreme way to stop grinding your teeth when you sleep is to take a muscle relaxant before going to bed. By relaxing your body, and especially the jaw muscles, you may effectively stop the grinding process. Of course, there are some low points to this, one of which is to become addicted to these meds.
Additionally, you need to steer clear from these drugs during the day because they can be harmful for driving and make you sleepy at work and / or during typical activities. Muscle relaxants are sometimes suggested during interim scenarios, like after you've had some dental work, so that you won't grind your teeth and destroy the work they performed. You should only contemplate this if your medical professional suggests it and when other strategies for healing your habit of teeth grinding at night are being unsuccessful. No matter how long you have had the problem of grinding your teeth in your sleep, it is not something you have to live with forever. With so many differing techniques and methods available, it is simple to treat this problem. You can find relief from the unhealthy habit of grinding your teeth in your sleep, by using the above methods as a guide.
Multiple types of therapy exist for treating those with a long standing problem of teeth grinding in their sleep, behavior therapy is one such type. One technique the therapist can teach you is how to pay attention to how you feel during the day along with techniques to relax your teeth and jaw. It is a common trait among teeth grinders, to carry their tension during the day in this area also. The goal of therapy in this case is to retrain you to release this tension instead of holding onto it. The hoped for result is that releasing the tension will carry over into your sleep. Remember, that this will take time and patience on your part, to watch your body and how it reacts and to work with the therapist. The results of no longer grinding your teeth in your sleep are worth the time and effort it will take you to learn this technique. If you have a problem with grinding your teeth at night be sure you are visiting with a dentist on a regular basis. Your dentist will give you some great ideas for treating your grinding problem and will also be able to keep a close eye on the problems already happening with your teeth. By constantly grinding your teeth, you can loosen them and cause other problems, so you may need dental work because of this. See your dentist during regularly scheduled appointments as needed to help you resolve this issue. Your dentist will probably be the one to tell you that you have a condition requiring closer supevision of your teeth and schedule appts well in advance for you.
One fairly extreme way to stop grinding your teeth when you sleep is to take a muscle relaxant before going to bed. By relaxing your body, and especially the jaw muscles, you may effectively stop the grinding process. Of course, there are some low points to this, one of which is to become addicted to these meds.
Additionally, you need to steer clear from these drugs during the day because they can be harmful for driving and make you sleepy at work and / or during typical activities. Muscle relaxants are sometimes suggested during interim scenarios, like after you've had some dental work, so that you won't grind your teeth and destroy the work they performed. You should only contemplate this if your medical professional suggests it and when other strategies for healing your habit of teeth grinding at night are being unsuccessful. No matter how long you have had the problem of grinding your teeth in your sleep, it is not something you have to live with forever. With so many differing techniques and methods available, it is simple to treat this problem. You can find relief from the unhealthy habit of grinding your teeth in your sleep, by using the above methods as a guide.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Tips for Better Sleep
Sleeping problems are all too common in our fast paced and stressful society. One approach to this is to get used to getting by on only a few hours sleep. Some people, meanwhile, fight ineffectively against insomnia, lying awake hour after hour. Just getting by on insufficient sleep is hardly an ideal solution, and not one you should be satisfied with. If you want more sleep, you may require you to examine your habits and change a few of them, but wouldn't it be worth it? The approaches we'll be covering in this article have helped many people overcome insomnia, and they may work for you as well.
Get in the habit of shutting off the TV an hour or so before bedtime. This includes TV programs, movies and videos on any of your screens or devices. Turn off the glowing box at least an hour before you go to bed. If you feel the need for some stimulation, stick to something with sound only. When your brain watches a movie or images from a computer game, it stays in "action" mode, which doesn't help you sleep. That's why it can be hard to go from a movie or computer game directly to sleep mode. Giving yourself this down time to relax and not overstimulate your senses can make a real difference. Eat a small snack before you go to bed. You may have noticed that eating certain kinds of foods makes you sleepy, and this is what you're looking for now. Nuts -preferably unsalted, as you don't want to get thirsty- warm milk and turkey are all effective in this way. A small half turkey sandwich (without any sort of spicy condiments or additions) and a half a glass of warm milk, for example, is a perfect before bed snack because it sends tryptophan into your system which tells your brain that it is tired and helps you fall asleep. Aside from the large portions, people tend to get tired after holiday meals because of the turkey they've eaten.
Go ahead and give yourself permission to get back up. There is nothing more distressing and enervating than staring wide-eyed at the ceiling and not being able to drift off to sleep. Tossing and turning for hours will only stress you out and make you even less likely to be able to fall asleep. After the first 30 minutes, if you are still restless, get up and find something relaxing to do. Here is a solution that works for a lot of people: they have discovered that simply reading a good book - in a different room - can put them in the right frame of mind to go quickly to sleep when they return to bed. There are an awful lot of things you can do to ensure that you get a good night's sleep. You can often conquer insomnia without any great expenses or complex procedures. It's mainly a matter of finding effective ways to calm down your mind and body. When such measures as we've talked about here don't work, though, then you should seek medical advice. Everyone can eventually find a way to sleep better!
Get in the habit of shutting off the TV an hour or so before bedtime. This includes TV programs, movies and videos on any of your screens or devices. Turn off the glowing box at least an hour before you go to bed. If you feel the need for some stimulation, stick to something with sound only. When your brain watches a movie or images from a computer game, it stays in "action" mode, which doesn't help you sleep. That's why it can be hard to go from a movie or computer game directly to sleep mode. Giving yourself this down time to relax and not overstimulate your senses can make a real difference. Eat a small snack before you go to bed. You may have noticed that eating certain kinds of foods makes you sleepy, and this is what you're looking for now. Nuts -preferably unsalted, as you don't want to get thirsty- warm milk and turkey are all effective in this way. A small half turkey sandwich (without any sort of spicy condiments or additions) and a half a glass of warm milk, for example, is a perfect before bed snack because it sends tryptophan into your system which tells your brain that it is tired and helps you fall asleep. Aside from the large portions, people tend to get tired after holiday meals because of the turkey they've eaten.
Go ahead and give yourself permission to get back up. There is nothing more distressing and enervating than staring wide-eyed at the ceiling and not being able to drift off to sleep. Tossing and turning for hours will only stress you out and make you even less likely to be able to fall asleep. After the first 30 minutes, if you are still restless, get up and find something relaxing to do. Here is a solution that works for a lot of people: they have discovered that simply reading a good book - in a different room - can put them in the right frame of mind to go quickly to sleep when they return to bed. There are an awful lot of things you can do to ensure that you get a good night's sleep. You can often conquer insomnia without any great expenses or complex procedures. It's mainly a matter of finding effective ways to calm down your mind and body. When such measures as we've talked about here don't work, though, then you should seek medical advice. Everyone can eventually find a way to sleep better!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Methods to Cure Insomnia
Millions of people are frustrated by what they perceive is insomnia. It could very well be that a portion of these people have to cope with insomnia or similar symptoms. If you are afflicted with recurrent insomnia, it would be wise to seek medical advice.
I actually have a friend that chronically had sleepless nights, but in spite of his efforts he couldn't come up with the reason why. He eventually sought medical advice and was diagnosed with sleep apnea. So there could be reasons for your chronic condition that may need to be professionally diagnosed. However, there are quite a few things you can do on your own that could make a positive difference in the quality of your sleep.
It's critical not to discount the fact that insomnia is almost always related to other issues. The source of the problem may be singular or it may be a combination of contributing factors. Not being able to handle multiple sources of stress can lead to insomnia. The end result is your mind may be too active while you are trying to fall asleep. Even if you are able to drift off, your mind is still plagued by stress and you are not able to fully rest. When you are sleeping lightly, then perhaps even the slightest sound is enough to wake you. So you can begin to find your own cure by looking within and examining what is going on in your life.
The mind is an amazing thing, but it may be found to be a hindrance when attempting to relearn conditioned behaviors. For example, it is best to train your mind to consider the bedroom as a place where you sleep.
Of course if you have a spouse or partner, then your bedroom is also a place for intimacy. What you should try to avoid is turning your bedroom into a one-stop place for other things such as watching television. The idea is to teach your brain what activities to associate with being in your bed. Ultimately, the plan is to help your mind and body come to agreement on when to fall asleep.
If you are someone who has an inability to calm yourself down for sleep, that is something you should work on. Very many people in industrialized nations are not as relaxed as they should be. People living in the US will tell you that their daily lives surround them with stress. Financial worries are often at the root of the stress that people experience day to day. Physical activity has proven to effectively combat stress. If you have difficulty finding time to work out, then even something like taking a walk in the evening will help. When something is interfering with your sleep, then you must take some kind of action to minimize or eliminate the problem.
Habitual behaviors often play a key role in insomnia and should be looked at. Some relevant issues may come to light just through moderate introspection. Afterwards you can decide what approach to take to try to get a better night's rest.
I actually have a friend that chronically had sleepless nights, but in spite of his efforts he couldn't come up with the reason why. He eventually sought medical advice and was diagnosed with sleep apnea. So there could be reasons for your chronic condition that may need to be professionally diagnosed. However, there are quite a few things you can do on your own that could make a positive difference in the quality of your sleep.
It's critical not to discount the fact that insomnia is almost always related to other issues. The source of the problem may be singular or it may be a combination of contributing factors. Not being able to handle multiple sources of stress can lead to insomnia. The end result is your mind may be too active while you are trying to fall asleep. Even if you are able to drift off, your mind is still plagued by stress and you are not able to fully rest. When you are sleeping lightly, then perhaps even the slightest sound is enough to wake you. So you can begin to find your own cure by looking within and examining what is going on in your life.
The mind is an amazing thing, but it may be found to be a hindrance when attempting to relearn conditioned behaviors. For example, it is best to train your mind to consider the bedroom as a place where you sleep.
Of course if you have a spouse or partner, then your bedroom is also a place for intimacy. What you should try to avoid is turning your bedroom into a one-stop place for other things such as watching television. The idea is to teach your brain what activities to associate with being in your bed. Ultimately, the plan is to help your mind and body come to agreement on when to fall asleep.
If you are someone who has an inability to calm yourself down for sleep, that is something you should work on. Very many people in industrialized nations are not as relaxed as they should be. People living in the US will tell you that their daily lives surround them with stress. Financial worries are often at the root of the stress that people experience day to day. Physical activity has proven to effectively combat stress. If you have difficulty finding time to work out, then even something like taking a walk in the evening will help. When something is interfering with your sleep, then you must take some kind of action to minimize or eliminate the problem.
Habitual behaviors often play a key role in insomnia and should be looked at. Some relevant issues may come to light just through moderate introspection. Afterwards you can decide what approach to take to try to get a better night's rest.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Leading Causes of Insomnia
The causes of insomnia differ from one person to the next. In some cases there may be more than one factor involved. If you're having trouble sleeping, you should look at everything that might be responsible, from your diet to your daily schedule to your state of mind. The purpose of this article is to identify some of the main causes of insomnia so you can more easily determine why you have this problem.
One prominent culprit is a lack of daily exercise. People who lead sedentary lifestyles often do not get enough exercise and, as a result, have trouble sleeping. The problem with not getting enough exercise is that it impacts so much more than just your ability to sleep at night. You'll definitely want to consider ways of working more exercise into your day if you happen to be suffering from insomnia. It really isn't all that difficult to make small changes in the amount of exercise you're getting.
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that makes it difficult to breathe when you sleep. People who suffer from this condition wake up many times during the night. Apnea can be blamed one of two different physiological events. In either case, breathing is interrupted. There are certain signs of this that you or someone you sleep with can spot, but the best way to diagnose it is by going to a sleep center. Sleep apnea sufferers commonly complain of feeling sleepy all the time, frequent headaches, and even loud snoring - or rather their partners do. The good news is that this is a condition that is entirely treatable. Treatment is necessary though because your body is being robbed of vital oxygen as a result of this condition.
Keeping strange hours may also lead to insomnia. For example, people who work the night shift often have trouble sleeping during the day. Every person has his or her own natural rhythm and it is easier for that person to fall asleep at certain times. You're more likely to have trouble sleeping when your job or studies interfere with the sleep hours that work best for you. Some people are able to retrain their bodies in order to function in society but it is much easier to change jobs in order to match your normal sleep rhythm. You just have to figure out if your prime time for sleeping is at night (as is the case with the vast majority of the population) or during the day.
There are many possible causes for insomnia but it is necessary to figure out why you have it and what you can do about it if you suffer from it. Because sleep is so important to all aspects of your life insomnia is a problem that is simply too far-reaching to overlook. These are some of the causes of insomnia but not all by any means. After you know what it is that is causing your insomnia you can get the treatment you need.
One prominent culprit is a lack of daily exercise. People who lead sedentary lifestyles often do not get enough exercise and, as a result, have trouble sleeping. The problem with not getting enough exercise is that it impacts so much more than just your ability to sleep at night. You'll definitely want to consider ways of working more exercise into your day if you happen to be suffering from insomnia. It really isn't all that difficult to make small changes in the amount of exercise you're getting.
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that makes it difficult to breathe when you sleep. People who suffer from this condition wake up many times during the night. Apnea can be blamed one of two different physiological events. In either case, breathing is interrupted. There are certain signs of this that you or someone you sleep with can spot, but the best way to diagnose it is by going to a sleep center. Sleep apnea sufferers commonly complain of feeling sleepy all the time, frequent headaches, and even loud snoring - or rather their partners do. The good news is that this is a condition that is entirely treatable. Treatment is necessary though because your body is being robbed of vital oxygen as a result of this condition.
Keeping strange hours may also lead to insomnia. For example, people who work the night shift often have trouble sleeping during the day. Every person has his or her own natural rhythm and it is easier for that person to fall asleep at certain times. You're more likely to have trouble sleeping when your job or studies interfere with the sleep hours that work best for you. Some people are able to retrain their bodies in order to function in society but it is much easier to change jobs in order to match your normal sleep rhythm. You just have to figure out if your prime time for sleeping is at night (as is the case with the vast majority of the population) or during the day.
There are many possible causes for insomnia but it is necessary to figure out why you have it and what you can do about it if you suffer from it. Because sleep is so important to all aspects of your life insomnia is a problem that is simply too far-reaching to overlook. These are some of the causes of insomnia but not all by any means. After you know what it is that is causing your insomnia you can get the treatment you need.
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