Sleep Problems

Have you tried practically everything to get a better night’s sleep? You’re not alone. More than 1.6 million Americans say that they’ve experimented with herbal remedies, relaxation techniques and other methods to fall sleep, according to a recent study from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. But which really work? Researchers have come up with a few suggestions:

* Try a cup of chamomile tea.
This beverage contains glycine, a chemical that acts as a mild sedative, say researchers from Imperial College London. And since glycine is also a muscle relaxant, it may help reduce menstrual pain. Tip: Drink your tea an hour or more before bedtime if nighttime trips to the bathroom pose a problem.

* Consider the possibility of reflux.
Even if you don’t feel the pain of heartburn, acid reflux may be waking you up at night, according to a study conducted at the Lynn Health Science Institute in Oklahoma City. Dubbed “silent reflux” due to its lack of symptoms, this condition affects about one in four troubled sleepers. Tip: If you have sleep problems that don’t have an obvious cause, talk to your doctor about whether you might be suffering from reflux.

* Duck from dawn’s early light.
“Avoid very early morning sunlight if you wake up too early,” says James Maas, Ph.D., a sleep researcher at Cornell University and author of Power Sleep. “Your body will start to come out of its sleep cycle when it should still be in a deep sleep.” Since sunlight helps set your body clock, exposure to the bright light of early morning contributes to the premature peak in your body cycle. Keep your bedroom very dark, but get plenty of light after rising to boost mood and alertness.

To reset your body clock so that you get better sleep and don’t wake up too early in the morning, take a late afternoon walk, advises Maas: “Melatonin is a hormone that sets your inner clock and tells your body when it’s time to be sleepy. By getting late afternoon sunshine, you’ll be forcing your body to produce melatonin later in the day. This will cause your inner body clock to peak later, making you sleep more soundly at night.”

* Check your medicine cabinet.
Have you been prescribed medicine for high blood pressure or depression? Some of these drugs can cause insomnia. For instance, a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology found that some beta-blockers-used to treat high blood pressure-slashed production of melatonin by 80 to 90 percent. In addition, taking the antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can lead to trouble falling asleep or nighttime awakenings. If you use either of these types of drugs and you have sleep problems, talk to your doctor about changing your dosage or switching to a drug that doesn’t disrupt sleep.

Using these strategies, you just may zap your sleep problems and get better rest.

Writer: Gabrielle Lichterman
©MediZine’s Healthy Living, Second Quarter 2007

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My sleep problems are out of control?

I cannot get myself out of bed without at least 10 hours of sleep, usually closer to 12 or 13. My schedule also changes all the time. When I “reset” myself back to getting up in the morning, I just can’t stay that way for much more than a week. I am missing out on life because all I do is sleep all day. I feel bad about myself and more depressed. My psychiatrist told me to use trazodone at night, but I already have problems waking up and I think that makes it worse. I just want to be able to wake up after 8 hours of sleep like a normal person. Even if I slept from 4 am to noon every day, I would be happy. When you get up after sleeping 13 hours and it’s already dark outside, you just feel awful. Is anyone else going through this? If so, any techniques or meds which worked for you?

Answer
you are not alone on this. Even if i get 10 hrs of sleep a night, i still hit that snooze alarm. I find myself rushing out the door and than i cant fall asleep till midnight. I have tried sleeping pills and they just do not help (at least for me). If pos take a warm bath at least one hr before you plan on going to bed. my Doc told me that would help me get a better night of sleep. also don’t drink anything with caffeine past 7pm. that makes you not sleep as well and then u are tie rd in the morning. my doc tells me to wake up the same time every morn even on weekends (yea right). i have been told that if you sleep more than eight hrs a night, you are sleeping way too much.