| Insomnia |
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Introduction
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Some forms of insomnia |
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Strategies for dealing
with insomnia |
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Finding help and further
information |
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| Select any section that interests you or
else read on through the page. |
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| Introduction |
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| You
may find it odd that a feature of life with which everyone
is familiar with, on occasion or from time to time, is
listed as a problem. The truth is that lack of sleep may
be a complicating factor in coping with times of stress.
Additionally some people have developed styles and patterns
which deny them sleep. The positive side of this dilemma
is that now a great deal more is known about sleep and
some of the things which improve or induce it without
the use of medication. This page addresses a few concepts
and remedial activities. |
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| Some
forms of insomnia |
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| Normal
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Waking
early |
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Difficulty
in getting to sleep for a period of time
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Prolonged,
disturbed and light sleep |
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Sleep
which is interrupted by shock and fear on sudden
waking (night terror) |
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Sleep
which is interrupted by nightmares |
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Small
amounts of sleep with cat napping at other times
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Occasional
complete absence of sleep |
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| Not
so normal |
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Any
of the above which becomes chronic (ie. lasts for
an extended duration or occur in repeated bouts
over a long time) |
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Sleep
which has a radically disordered rhythm |
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Disturbance
caused by shift work |
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Seasonally
affected sleep e.g. excessive sleep in winter
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Sleep
disturbance associated with feeling depressed (or
having Chronic Fatigue or ME) |
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Jet-lag
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Apnoea
(a sort of snoring but with a breathing lapse involved)
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Snoring
problems |
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Teeth
grinding |
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| Strategies
for dealing with insomnia |
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Basically
strategies to beat insomnia fall into these main categories
Getting help from others
Changing your night-time routine
Preparing the body for sleep
Behaviour conducive to sleep |
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| Getting help from
others |
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Check
with your doctor to assess whether you have a disordered
pattern. This is particularly the case with abnormal
sleep. |
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Talk
with a counsellor about issues which impinge on
your sleep |
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Consider
referral to a sleep clinic if matters are advanced.
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| Changing
your night-time routine |
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Noise
- ear plugs, æwhite noise' background distraction
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Temperature
- not too hot, not too cold |
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Don't
go to bed hungry |
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Try
to modify late night drinking and go to the toilet
in order to avoid being woken by a full bladder
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Make
your bed as comfortable as possible |
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Reduce
mental activity two hours before sleep |
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Reduce
light levels two hours before sleep |
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Have
a range of distractions available for use in the
event of insomnia - relaxed area away from the bed
plus hot water bottle - light reading - something
mechanical |
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Create
a sleeping environment which has a freedom from
work and disturbance eg. screen off from essays!
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| Preparing
the body for sleep |
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Use
diet and herbs to provide you with the chemistry
which encourages sleep, particularly foods containing
melatonin may be helpful; oats, sweet corn, rice,
ginger, tomatoes, bananas and barley all contain
Melatonin. Oats contain most, barley least. Also
carbohydrates broadly speaking affect the production
of Tryptophan which is what effects the levels of
Serotonin in the brain. |
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Temperature
maintenance |
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Decrease
caffeine intake before sleep |
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Decrease
alcohol intake before sleep |
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Avoid
respiratory stimulants before sleep (cigarettes)
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Avoid
exercise before bedtime (increases stress response
chemistry in many people) |
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Check
for general sleep deprivation (see reference to
questionnaire below) |
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| Behaviour
conducive to sleep |
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Keep
sleep to limits; don't oversleep |
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Avoid
long daytime napping |
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Don't
allow too much sleeplessness to occur in bed. Get
up and do light things until you feel drowsy again
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Don't
magnify or alarm yourself over your sleepless state,
this may make it worse. |
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Keep
a clutter free sleep area just for sleep (and sex!)
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Consciously
stop yourself worrying at night. Write concerns
down and deal with them in the morning |
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| Finding
help and further information |
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| Books
include: |
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The
Natural Sleep Handbook - Anthea Courtney, Thomsons 1990
The Good Sleep Guide - Michael Van Straten, Kylie Cathie
1990 |
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| Adapted from material produced
by Royal Holloway College, the University of London |
