Insomnia and symptoms of sleeplessness affect nearly 40 million Americans. Sleeping pills require a doctor's prescription and come with some nasty side effects, including dry mouth, loss of motor function, addiction and withdrawal symptoms. That's not including the risk of an accidental overdose.
2. Most of us have nights when, no matter
what we do, we can't fall asleep. You know
the drill. They're those nights when you've
got so many things on your mind.
3. You're worked up, maybe from stress, or
money. Maybe there's street noise and it's
keeping you up. Maybe you had a cup of
coffee after dinner, and you're actually
stressed about it, because you recognize
your body's response to caffeine at night,
and you're thinking that you won't sleep
because of it.
4. There are those of us that have chronic
insomnia. This is a sleep disorder that stays
with a patient for life. You'd be surprised
though, that more often than not, your
sleepless nights, be they trouble falling
asleep, staying asleep, waking up early or
waking up groggy, are within your control.
Let's take a moment to analyze some of the
leading causes of sleeplessness, and if
they're influencing the issues you're having.
5. In fact, many of the leading causes of
sleeplessness are completely within our
control. Drinking coffee within several hours
of sleeping is obviously not a good idea, as
coffee is a source of caffeine. Depending on
your physiology, you might also do well to
avoid tea, and even decaffeinated tea, as
they also have caffeine, albeit in smaller
quantities.
6. Alcoholic beverages are also best avoided,
as alcohol, contrary to popular belief, is a
stimulant. Having a few beers before bed
might make you pass out, but it will
certainly affect the quality of your sleep, and
you'll more than likely wake up groggy,
while wine and other alcoholic beverages
can keep you from falling asleep at all.
7. Sleeping habits also play a key role in
determining your ability to sleep. Circadian
rhythm is your body's internal clock, which
among other things, determines your
instinct to sleep, and conversely, when to
rise. Going to bed and getting up at different
times can make it difficult for your body to
set its schedule, contributing to bouts of
sleeplessness.
8. There are, of course, issues beyond our
control, that can affect our sleep. Stress is a
leading contributor to sleepless nights.
There is no getting around this, whether it's
related to money issues, your job,
relationships or other situations in your life
that has you up nights. Depression is
another leading cause of sleeplessness that
can't be understated
9. These are issues that we all face, and while
we often can't remove the causes of stress
and depression from our lives, we can
control how we respond to them. Exercise,
stress management, counselling and/or
medication, when appropriate, can alleviate
the symptoms of stress and depression and
reduce the likelihood they'll keep you from
sleeping.
10.
11. You can minimize your sleepless nights by
maintaining a fixed sleeping schedule. This
means going to bed and waking at the same
time every night. Challenging as this might
be, by setting a routine you allow your body
to strengthen its circadian rhythm, making it
easier to sleep and rise. This will also have
a positive effect on your sleep quality. You'll
feel refreshed after sleeping.
12. You can also make your bedroom a
conducive sleeping environment. Use your
bed only for sex and sleep, and resist the
urge to read or watch TV in bed. Keep your
bedroom dark and cool. A good set of
curtains or heavy blinds should block light,
particularly in the summer months, when
the sun sets later in the evening and rises
early.
13. Some people find that the noise from a fan
helps them sleep as well.
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14. Now, for those nights when, no matter what
you try, you just can't sleep. Keep your
alarm clock display out of sight, so you're
not tempted to look at it. If you're not
sleeping after half an hour, get up and do
something. Reading is a good choice here,
as it's not overly stimulating and keeps you
focused. Then go back to bed. Still not
sleeping? Try a few more times. If it persists
longer than a few hours, get up.
15. In situations like this, the body needs tough
love. Yes it's highly unpleasant going
through the day without sleep, but by doing
so you're making your body and brain even
more tired. You will sleep again, this much
is certain. By denying yourself sleep on
these difficult nights you're raising your
sleep deprivation. And very soon, your only
instinct will be to sleep!
16. Then, once you've gone through your
unpleasant, sleep-deprived day, do the
following things.
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17. Eat your dinner at least three hours before
bed, so your body has time to digest the
meal before you start shutting down for the
night. Refrain from excessive alcohol (this
varies according to the individual, but more
than two drinks several hours before bed is
probably pushing it). Don't drink coffee,
caffeinated soft drinks like Coke, or even
tea.
18. About two hours before bed, take Alteril, an
all-natural sleeping aid that contains
melatonin, a sleep inducer found in warm
milk that encourages sleep. Yet because the
ingredients are natural, Alteril doesn't come
with the dangerous side effects associated
with sleeping pills, including dependance
and withdrawal symptoms.
19. Stick to low-stimuli activities before bed. No
action or horror movies. No reviewing
money issues or watching sports. Just keep
it light. Reading is good. So is light
conversation, or surfing the net.
Then, assuming you've got eight hours
before your alarm is scheduled to ring, go to
bed.
You will sleep very, very well.
20. The bottom line when trying to beat
sleeplessness is to manage what you can
control. Don't drink caffeine or alcohol, eat
large meals or deal with stressful issues
before bed. Go to bed and rise at the same
time every day, including on weekends
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21. Make your bedroom a sleeping
environment, dark and cool, and use your
bed only for sex and sleep. Take a natural
sleeping aid like Alteril for short-term
sleeping problems, avoid prescription
sleeping pills, and consult with your doctor
in the unlikely event that your sleeping
issues last longer than a month.
22. By managing the factors that influence your
sleeping patterns and taking a safe and
proven sleeping aid like Alteril to ensure
you get a good night's rest when you need it
most, you're setting healthy sleeping habits
that will see you through the highs and lows
of life that, whether stressful or not, will
have you sleeping soundly.