Insomnia and treatments that help you sleep soundly

I have all the information you need on insomnia and treatments to get you sleeping again as soon as possible!

In fact - I have one of the best treatments for insomnia I have ever come across.  I wish I had found this many years ago - I would have been able to help so many clients!

As a counsellor, when talking about insomnia and treatments, how fortunate am I to be able to point people to a free treatment!  Yep - this method of treating insomnia is not going to cost you a penny.

Depending on how long you have been suffering from insomnia, you may or may not be ready to try this.  So, be sure to visit my other pages on insomnia and treatments too.

However, why not start by taking this test on the BBC website.

You may also be interested in: Natural sleep remedies and the Physical effects of sleep deprivation (links further down)

What is insomnia?

You may want to skip this if you are already well aware!

Insomnia is a symptom - not a disease - of all kinds of disorders, illness and difficulties.

If you are suffering from insomnia, the quality and/or quantity of your sleep is poor.  Here is what insomnia entails:

• difficulties falling asleep
• waking up frequently during the night
• waking up and unable to go back to sleep quickly
• waking up too early
• it started suddenly - acute insomnia
• it has lasted for at least a month - chronic insomnia

Insomnia - being a symptom - means that there is always something causing your suffering from sleep difficulties.  Most of the time - if the underlying factor is sorted your sleeping pattern will improve, if not be cured.

To find out what causes insomnia, hop over to my page on Physical effects of sleep deprivation (see links).  I will be here when you come back.

Acute insomnia and treatments

Are you suffering from the occasional insomnia?  Have you recently experienced a trauma of some sort?

The good news is that transient or intermittent insomnia experienced following an identifiable cause is usually easily treated.

See my page on Natural sleep remedies (see links) for treatments and ways of dealing with insomnia.

Chronic insomnia and treatments

The treatment of chronic insomnia requires a little more attention.  We would first need to explore exactly what your particular pattern of sleeplessness looks like.

Your doctor will want to know much more about your insomnia if you have had it for a long time.  The following questions will help you gain more insight:

• When did it start?
• What was happening at the time?
• How did it develop/change over time?
• When did you not suffer from insomnia?
• What was going on when you slept well?
• Are you otherwise healthy?
• Are you taking any medication?
• What is your diet like?
• Do you exercise?
• Do you suffer from depression and/or anxiety?

I really want to reassure you though.  Just because you have had sleep difficulties for a long time does not necessarily mean it is going to take longer to sort out.  There are some really effective treatments for insomnia.

Should you take sleeping pills?

Your doctor will be (should be) reluctant to prescribe sleeping tablets for your insomnia and treatments that deal with the underlying problems are far more preferable.

Prescribed medication is unlikely to improve your sleep over a longer period of time.  Not only that - sleeping tables are addictive and withdrawal comes with its own difficulties/side effects.

Your body becomes accustomed to the sleep medication.  It develops 'tolerance' - it compensates for the presence of the drug in your bloodstream.  As it does so, you are going to need a higher dosage to achieve the same effect.

Can you see how sleeping tablets are only suitable for a very short time?  On top of that - 'the same effect' may include side effects that you will be less enamored with, such as (depending on the kind of medication):

These problems lead to poor performance - at school or at work, problems at home and they interfere with your social life.  They also lead to increased risk of accidents to due the affect on co-ordination and reaction time. So - the fall-out from your original problem does not appear to change.

In addition you may suffer physical side effects:

I am naming just a few of the side effects!

'Sleep hygiene' and insomnia

Any discussion about insomnia and treatments needs to include advice on sleep hygiene.  Therefore, please ensure that you follow all the advice on how to get the best possible night's sleep on these pages.

All is well if you are generally a good sleeper.  However, if your 'sensitivities' express themselves in disturbed sleep - please ensure that you look after yourself as suggested.

It is essential that you heed the following advice:

• Deal with any indecision immediately.  Don't keep fretting about something - it will only lead to disturbed sleep.

• Learn to relax with this fantastic video game: The Journey to Wild Divine at Wilddivine.com

• Buy the best possible mattress you can afford.  You spend a good deal of you life on it!  A great deal of healing takes place at night, so you want to be sure that you are not adding any strain.

  In addition, if you and your spouse/partner are falling into each other in the middle - it is likely to make the whole situation worse.

• Don't be tempted to put a television in your bedroom.  Your bed is for sleeping - nothing else.  Well ...  sex is OK of course. ;-)

• Do not take your laptop to bed for whatever reason.  Your bedroom is for sleeping not working or keeping up with people - however dear (or not).  You are much more likely to miss the signs that your body is telling you - enough is enough.  Routinely ignoring your body's messages, sets you up for trouble.

• Be sure to sleep in the pitch-dark. This encourages the production of melatonin.

• Expose yourself to bright natural daylight.  This ensures that your body produces serotonin - a 'happy' hormone and vital part in regulating your sleep/wake cycle.  If you spend lots of time indoors, at work and at home - your body is at risk of 'misinterpreting' light levels.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia!

The video clip below explains one of the best treatments for insomnia. It involves sleep restriction.  It describes a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach for insomnia - all in 7 minutes flat!

The video shows a man - a longtime insomniac - absolutely at his wits end.  Within a month of starting the programme he is cured of his insomnia and treatment did not include any medication.

Clearly it is going to take some effort on your part.  However, I can assure you that your body clock will be reset and you stand a very good chance of sleeping like a baby in less than a month time!  How good is that?

Insomnia treatments and talking therapy

There is now good evidence that talking therapy is an excellent treatment for insomnia (see links below).

I would urge you to deal with your insomnia by contacting a therapist.  This is particularly important if you have suffering for over a month from insomnia and treatment is next on your list.

You owe it to yourself, but also to your partner - if indeed you are married/in a relationship.  Your restlessness is very likely to have a negative effect on your spouse/partner too.

I have helped many people to sleep like a baby again.  It often mattered little how long they had been affected by insomnia and treatment would be completely individual.

Make an appointment with your doctor to rule out any physical problems and then make a decision on what you are going to do to cure your insomnia.

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I have collated the very best sleep tips, including the most effective, targeted and safe sleep remedies specifically for people going through a difficult period in their life. Find out more ...

You may also be interested in:
Sleep better forever Natural sleep remedies Bored with life Natural depression treatments Physical effects of sleep deprivation Arguing couples What causes fear

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Other helpful links:

The American Association for Family Physicians - an overview of insomnia
The American Academy for Sleep Medicine - an article on CBT
Drugs.com - for detailed information on prescribed medication
PubMed - Meta-analysis of anxiety reducing exercise
National Sleep foundation

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News:

22 Dec 2011 - International Business Times: Police officers battle with sleep disorders
7 March 2011 - NSF study: Sleepy connected Americans

Images courtesy of: 1 Clix; 2  N da Silva Osga; 3 Andrew Hildebrand; 4 Muriel Miralles de Sawicki; 5 Danny de Bruyne

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