Insomnia: Cry For Help Before It's Too Late

People that cannot fall asleep or stay asleep are insomniacs. Insomniacs, people suffering from insomnia, should know that a lot of treatment options are available to them. Many insomniacs choose to suffer in silence, ignore their disorder and try to go on with their lives. Inevitably, insomnia can get to a point wherein an insomniac would do anything just to get some sleep.

The danger of sleeping pills

Profit drug companies make out of sleeping pills sold shows how many people have sleeping problems. Benzodiazepines are used to treat insomnia, seizures, anxiety disorders and alcohol withdrawal. Forms of this drug are popularly known as Xanax, Valium and Ativan. Sales reached up to $21 billion in 1999. In the same year, it was the most prescribed medication.

Currently, support groups exist for benzodiazepine addiction and withdrawal. Using this drug for long periods of time can lead to tolerance and addiction. This makes things worse for insomniacs. Some increase their own dosage and end up dead. Drug overdose from sleeping pills happens quite often. All that just to get some sleep.

Insomnia wreaks havoc

Insomnia indirectly causes many transportation accidents. In fact, many accidents are caused by sleepiness. More accidents occur due to a sleepy driver than from those driving under the influence of alcohol. In worst cases, the driver falls asleep behind the wheel. Those usually end in fatality. This endangers more than just the insomniac. Other people around them are not completely safe.

Workplace accidents from sleep deprived workers are twice as much as those that sleep normally. In some industries, these accidents can be fatal.

Insomnia, alone, cannot kill. Together with depression, it can be dangerous. A person can end up wanting to kill oneself. If they don’t end up doing it themselves, the sleeping pills can.

Hotline?

Unfortunately, sleeping pill addiction has support groups, insomnia does not. Insomnia is usually ignored by insomniacs and their doctors. One reason is because it is usually a symptom and not a condition in itself. Doctors tend to ignore it especially when the patient has other complaints. Studies show that out of tens of millions, only 5% of insomniacs will seek medical help. 69% won’t even mention it to their doctors. Majority choose to just live with it.

Eventually, it can become difficult especially if work or school performance starts to suffer. Insomnia has many disturbing effects. It can lead to impaired mental functioning, dizziness, irritability, fatigue and depression among other things. Sleep deprivation also includes the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Insomniacs know when they have reached that point. It becomes too difficult to go through each day constantly sleepy and tired. They can often call in sick for work. A study made shows that insomniacs have twice the rate of absenteeism at work. At that point, they should start seeking for help. It can get to a point wherein medication no longer works. Self-help doesn’t help. Many treatments are available. Insomniacs just have to cry for help.

Know more about insomnia at http://insomniarevealed.com/insomnia-overview/. Insomnia Revealed also has information on insomnia causes and treatment.

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Natural Remedies For Insomnia

Although it is normal for you to have sleepless nights from time to time, regular sleeplessness is a bit more serious. This is called insomnia and may in itself be a symptom of a more serious medical condition like heart disease and depression. Therefore, it is very important to consult your doctor immediately if you find yourself suffering from this condition.

If you are fortunate enough not to have a serious condition as the cause of your insomnia, and your doctor gives you the go signal to self-medicate, you may try any of the following natural remedies for insomnia:

Relaxation TechniquesLearning how to relax is one of the most effective natural methods to fall asleep quickly, lengthen the period of sleep, and ensure that you wake up feeling fresh and well-rested. It is best to perform a relaxation technique about 20 minutes before you go to bed. Here are the most common relaxation techniques that you can take advantage of:

1. Yoga – This technique makes use of a combination of meditation, stretching, and breathing exercises. A study conducted in Harvard University revealed that performing yoga daily for eight straight weeks effectively rids an individual of insomnia.

2. Visualization – This technique involves your imagination. It is done by thinking of a relaxing scene as you lie in bed waiting to fall asleep. For example, you could imagine yourself lying in a hammock that hangs between two palm trees on a tropical island. As you visualize this scene, try to imagine as well how the ocean breeze would feel against your skin and how the hammock would lull you to sleep with its gentle swaying motion. The more vivid the scene is in your mind, the faster you will fall asleep.

DietThere are certain foods that can actually cause or aggravate sleeplessness, and it is important for you to avoid or cut back on your intake of these foods in order to get rid of insomnia. Caffeine is one substance that you should avoid, especially within two hours of going to bed. It causes not only insomnia, but also restlessness. Caffeine is usually found in coffee, soft drinks, and tea. Sweets should also be avoided at night because they are known to give you a short burst of energy, which can cause sleep interruptions.

As you avoid foods that cause sleeplessness, you should also increase your intake of those that can help you sleep better. Whole grain crackers are good snacks to have before bedtime. Foods that are rich in magnesium content are also advisable because magnesium is known for its sedative properties. In fact, a deficiency in magnesium is one of the common causes of sleep problems. Magnesium is found in legumes, seeds, leafy greens, cashews, almonds, and whole grains.

AromatherapyPeople have used English lavender for years as an aromatherapy herb. Its scent is believed to help people fall asleep quickly. The good news is that research is now beginning to prove this belief to be true. Aromatherapy has been found to work especially well for women, probably because a woman’s sense of smell is generally more acute than that of men. You can take advantage of this technique simply by placing a sachet of lavender under your pillow. Chamomille and ylang-ylang are also believed to be excellent aromatherapy oils.

 

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Hypnosis for Insomnia

Most people have suffered insomnia in some form – whether it was the night or two before a big interview or exams but it is estimated that between 30-50% of the population is affected by transient or short-term insomnia and approximately 10% by chronic insomnia.

The classification of insomnia is based on how long the problem has been present:

• less than a week – transient insomnia;
• one to three weeks – short-term insomnia;
• longer than three weeks – chronic insomnia.

While you may have tried and tested many cures for insomnia which may have provided partial but not sustained relief, hypnotherapy for insomnia can provide the best solution to your inability to sleep through the night. 

Hypnosis for insomnia treatment has a two pronged approach (1) you achieve a restful good quality sleep and (2) you can find the underlying cause for your insomnia and treat this.  This gives you the best result.

Causes of Insomnia:

• stress
• depression
• emotional upset
• someone snoring

Whatever the reason for your insomnia, hypnosis can help you.

Insomnia Symptoms:

• difficulty falling asleep;
• difficulty remaining asleep;
• daytime difficulties with tiredness; impaired memory and concentration; irritability.

You may start to dread bedtime as you fear the challenge of falling asleep but this in itself creates a stress response in the body triggering adrenaline which is not conducive to sleep.

Hypnotherapy as a treatment for insomnia:

You develop good sleep hygiene.  With the relaxation element of hypnosis, your focus for your mind becomes relaxation of the mind and body, not sleep.  As you listen to my calm, soothing tones, you are providing your mind with a direction, instead of letting it do its own thing.  The function of sleep is to allow the body and mind to repair and rejuvenate and any worries can be worked out in the subconscious mind. 

As a hypnotherapist, I know the difference listening to the CD can make as a re-enforcement of the good work done in session.  As I tell all my clients, I am better than a sleeping tablet because you achieve a good quality of sleep (without the groggy feeling) and a sense of wellbeing (developing the ability to feel calm and relaxed inside).

Sleeping tablets, alcohol, drugs etc may provide transient relief for insomnia but they are not addressing the underlying reason for your insomnia. 

If you would like to experience 1. sleep and 2. deal with your underlying reason for insomnia, hypnotherapy is the solution.

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Easy And Simple Tips To Cure Insomnia

Are you suffering from insomnia? If so, you will want to read this article because it will provide some easy tips to cure your problem without using any drugs. Many people used these easy tips and their feedbacks were very positive. Here they are:

Create a firm living schedule and stick to it. As researches show, people who suffer from insomnia don’t have a regular daily schedule. In other words, they live quite freely or their situations don’t allow them to have a firm schedule. They can go to bed at 10pm today but maybe 2am tomorrow. This kind of schedule will first cause sleeping disorder and finally causes chronic insomnia. Therefore having a firm sleeping schedule is very important.

Create quiet place to sleep. This is quite obvious. 90% of people cannot have a good sleep when they have to live in noisy environment. Be sure to turn off all kind of sound creators such as TV, Radio… when you go to bed. You will see your sleep quality will be increased.

Forget everything before going to bed. You may have many things to worry about. However, when you go to bed, just keep your mind free from such things. Worrying about things when you go to bed will do nothing good for you. In the contrary, you will have a sleepless night. If you can’t sleep, your next day can be a bad day.

These tips are very simple but effective. As you can see, I didn’t mention any kind of drugs in this article. It’s the great thing of these methods. If you can follow the tips mentioned above, you will be free from insomnia soon.

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Herbal Medicines for Anxiety and Insomnia

Anxiety and worry are facts of life. Most people will feel worried if they are about to take an exam, start a new job, or have an operation. The anxiety normally goes away after the stressful event, especially if all has gone well. But sometimes anxious feelings feed on themselves and start to inter¬fere with everyday life.

Anxiety can often lead to other symptoms, such as insomnia or panic. Symptoms of anxiety include difficulty in concentrating, irritability, tense muscles, aches and pains, nausea, dizziness, breathlessness, sleep problems, dry mouth, decreased or increased appetite.

Diet and Nutrition Caffeine, alcohol, and smoking can all contribute to anxiety states and so are best avoided. Magnesium supplements may be helpful. Aromatherapy Lavender and camomile oils are relaxing and calming. Use them in a relaxing bath or in a burner to scent a room.

Visualization Practice imagining situations where you feel peaceful and relaxed and “go there” when you start to feel anxious. Relaxation tapes and classes can help you learn how to do this.

Bach Flower Remedies Agrimony, Rock Rose, and Red Chestnut are possible choices.

Counseling and Talking Treatments Behavioral psychotherapy aims to help you unlearn problem behavior. Cognitive therapy can help you recognize and change patterns of thinking that reinforce your anxiety

Homeopathy A homeopath will tailor remedies to the individual case, but Aconite and Argentum nit are recommended for the physical effects of anxiety. Herbal Medicine A herbalist may prescribe sedatives such as passiflora, camomile, or valerian as infusions.

Insomnia

Insomnia is a common symptom of anxiety and stress. If the underlying problems are dealt with, the insomnia usually clears up. Aromatherapy A bath with a few drops of essential oil of meadowsweet and orange blossom will soothe.

Relaxation Therapies Yoga and meditation can help you to relax and free your mind from worry and stress. Herbal Medicine Infusions of lime blossom, hops, or Californian poppy all have a sedative effect.

Consult a practitioner/therapist for:Homeopathy Depending on the case, a homeopath may choose from Aconite for insomnia caused by fear, Arnica for the overtired, Coffea for the racing mind, Phosphorus for nightmares that wake you, Ignatia for the fear that you will never sleep again, and Nux vomica for insomnia caused by heavy drinking.

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Fast Treatments for Insomnia – The Only True Cure Worth Using

So, you wish to overcome your insomnia problems, do you? Then it is time to put away trivial home remedies and turn toward the one and only natural insomnia cure that DOES work. If you’re not prepared to dump those worthless, “everyday cures for insomnia” — the type you have been using for months, if not years, with ZERO results — then go ahead and close this page now.

Taking warm bathes, using herbal insomnia candles, lowering the room temperature, turning off all lights, having a glass of warm milk, and massage treatments are the types of remedies which have little to no REAL usefulness. That isn’t to say these treatments are totally useless. They simply won’t be a big help with long-term lack of sleep problems. For a real difference in the quality of your sleep — meaning a real IMPROVEMENT — you must start using an insomnia treatment which is proven to give good results; and that happens to be sleeptracks!

What does this insomnia cure really do? That’s an easy one. It modifies your brainwave pattern by making use of specially calibrated sounds & rhythms.

How this insomnia natural remedy gets results: You insert the CD, push play, then hop into bed. The soundwaves from the track are quickly “recognized” by your brain and then copied. Because these unique soundwaves were designed to resemble healthy brainwave patterns — the sort which can make getting to sleep much easier — you should have minimal trouble falling to sleep quickly & remaining asleep all through the night.

I know what you’re thinking. You are thinking “why aren’t more individuals using this natural insomnia treatment if it’s so reliable?” Well, I’ll tell you why — because of over the counter sleeping pills! OTC sleeping pills are the “norm” for nearly all sleep deprivation and lack of sleep troubles, not brainwave entrainment therapy. The fact is, if you were to even try to explain to an everyday person that SOUND is a more effective way of treating sleep troubles than taking pills, he/she would certainly laugh and call you a nut. Unfortunate, but it’s the truth.

The chances are high that if you went to a doctor — ANY doctor — and inquired about ideas to deal with sleeplessness, you would be told about (or even given) some brand new insomnia drug that has been “tested & proven” to give insomnia relief. He probably won’t have any idea about sound treatments or how it works. Instead, he will encourage a treatment that you are going to have to take EACH AND EVERY evening and you will have to pay for week after week & month after month. As though that wasn’t lousy enough, this “drug” treatment is virtually assured to worsen your lack of sleep troubles over the long haul. Talk about an idiotic way to manage insomnia problems.

There aren’t any more effective natural remedies for insomnia than sleeptracks. It’s affordable, it’s all natural, its entirely safe, it starts working fast, and it’s absolutely effective for long lasting insomnia problems. If there is a superior remedy available, I sure haven’t found it; and I’m pretty sure, neither have you.

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Insomnia Ruins Your Nights And Wrecks Your Days

Sleeplessness is so common that it can be considered normal for many people to think they suffer from insomnia.  In most cases poor sleep is due to bad pre-bedtime habits or normal changes in our bodies as we age.

You don’t have to dread the nights and struggle through the days feeling like your head is in a fog with your body so tired all you want to do is hide some where quiet and sleep.

Changes To Sleeping Habits Are Often Normal

Some people seem to have a genetic background that predisposes them to be poor sleepers.  This might have been a good trait if you slept in a cave and hungry Saber tooth tigers were on the prowl.

Unfortunately insufficient sleep usually leaves us feeling jaded, grumpy and unable to energetically participate in our work and play.  Whatever the cause or effect, insomnia is not a useful trait in modern post cave dwelling life.  Everybody of every age needs plenty of good undisturbed sleep.

Your Sleep Cycle Changes As You Age

Many people of any age also feel as though they haven’t had enough sleep when they first wake but once they’re up and about they usually realise that they are in fact well rested. People in their sixties, although mentally alert and functioning extremely well in other aspects of their lives may find that they want to go to sleep earlier in the evening and get up earlier in the morning than they used to.

If you find yourself troubled by a change in sleeping habits and there are no other health issues that might be responsible then the best thing you can do is try and accept the change, adjust your life to suit and get on with living.

It’s Common To Wake During The Night

Often mature adults will wake about once an hour for a good part of the night.  These people find this both annoying and worrying but they usually drop back off to sleep within a relatively short time after waking and they usually end up getting enough sleep overall.

Apart from the common natural shift in sleeping patterns as people age other factors can disturb the sleep cycle.  These can be stress, anxiety or worry, busyness or excitement, coffee consumed late in the day, smoking, alcohol consumption or health issues such as pain, discomfort, restless legs and so on.  Other factors may be as simple as being too hot or cold in bed, having a restless or snoring partner or even a bladder problem that wakes you at night.

Teach Yourself To Sleep Well

Apart from taking drugs to make you sleep there are a lot of things you can do to make better quality sleep for yourself.

• Unwind in the evenings and make sure you go to bed happy, relaxed and ready to sleep.  If you have to work late try and fit in a ‘chill out’ period before you crawl between the sheets.

• Set yourself regular bedtimes and rise in the morning at about the same time as usual every day.

• Stay in bed for the allotted time – try and avoid getting up during the night to deal with problems and try and avoid shift work if you are prone to being a bad sleeper. If you have to break your usual sleep pattern try and re-establish it as soon as possible, particularly if you go overseas and end up in a different time zone.  Go to bed at night and get up in the morning as usual even if your body is telling you it is all wrong.

• Don’t turn your bedroom into an entertainment centre.  Bedrooms are for sleeping, not places to watch TV, eat, study or work.

• Don’t drink coffee after lunch time.

• Drinking alcohol in the evening can disturb your sleep pattern and smoking can stimulate your senses too and is best avoided of an evening.

• If you get tired during the day just have a quick nap. Even dozing in a chair for 10 minutes can charge your batteries enough to get you through the rest of the afternoon with renewed energy.

• If you cannot drop off to sleep after a reasonable time in bed I’d suggest getting up for while and leave the room.  Do something relaxing like reading or some other quiet calming activity until you feel sleepy again.  Do not reward yourself with food or drink as you will find you may lay in bed of an evening thinking about getting up for a snack instead of just lying there comfortably drifting off into sleep.

• Get fit.  Exercise will tune your body up and is very likely to get your sleep pattern more in line with your lifestyle expectations.

De-Stress Yourself Each Evening

Don’t stress if you have a few nights where you don’t seem to be sleeping well.  Relax; these periods of poor sleeping usually don’t last very long.  Try and re-establish your bedtime routine, make sure you are in good health, physically fit and happy.  Good sleep will be yours again even if your sleeping patterns turn out to be different than they used to be. An occasional brief bout of insomnia will do you no harm.

Feeling tired does not necessarily mean you have insomnia.  Just try getting enough bed time for a few nights and you will feel remarkably better.

 

 

 

Ian Miller – Health Writer

 

 

 

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Herbal Treatments for Insomnia

For those people who are reluctant to rely on medical treatment or prescription drugs for their sleeping problems, they could go for insomnia herbal treatment. There are numerous herbal remedies for those who suffer from insomnia. However, despite the fact that many of these treatments are herbal, this does not necessarily mean that the herbs can be taken in large amounts, or any time he or she wants to. Sure, there are some herbal treatments for insomnia that have no adverse side-effects, but some herbal treatments can be hazardous when abused or consumed improperly. This goes to show that despite the name, not everything is completely safe. Certain precautions should be taken, and it is best to consult a doctor first, especially when the insomnia is severe.

Avena Sativa, an insomnia herbal treatment, is extremely safe. It is more commonly known as oats, and it is basically the same oats sold as oatmeal or rolled oats. Unless consumed as extracts or tincture, women should not use it during pregnancy or when breast feeding their child. Besides that, Avena Sativa has no adverse side effects. Oats helps people sleep by containing a mild sedative. Plus, oats are rich in vitamins and minerals (such as vitamin B and fiber). California Poppy, a perennial herb, does not contain any opium like its close relative. It does, however, have mild opiate effects. It aids people by relaxing the body, easing off anxiety and stress. It can have adverse effects when taken in large quantities by children or senior citizens. Celery seed is another insomnia herbal treatment that relieves a person from nervousness and anxiety. Celery stalks are more commonly recognized, but it is the seeds that have potent effects. Consumption of the seed, however, can make a person lose potassium, so replenishing the body with it is vital. If intake of this seed causes diarrhea or stomach pains, intake should be stopped.

Chamomile is another good herbal treatment that can give a lethargic effect. In fact, its flowers are even used as tranquilizer. It is also readily available in tea form. Hops is also considered as a sedative, and this is the same herb that gives a bitter taste to beer. People who suffer from depression are not advised to consume hops. Kava is another herb that can help people fall asleep, and it has a similar effect as alcohol. Besides being a sedative, it is also considered as an anti-depressant, although it can harm the liver. Lemon balm, usually consumed as a tea, is another tranquilizer-like sedative. It can also work as bath salts. People using thyroid medication should not use lemon balm.

Other herbs include Motherwort, Passion Flower, St. John Wort, Skullcap, Valerian, Wild Cherry and Yarrow. People who wish to consume any of these should research about the herbs first, or consult a doctor. Pregnant and breast-feeding women are not allowed to consume nearly all of these herbs because it can have adverse effects on their child’s wellbeing. Also, no one herb is applicable for all people, so there is a chance that certain herbal treatments might not work.

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