Think You May Have Insomnia?
Three good things to do first thing in the morning to help with any health issue, and, yes INSOMNIA is a health issue.
I. Take the right supplements
2. Exercises. You do not need to workout just a little will do.
3. After you shower. Rinse in as cold a water as you can. Not only is it good for the heart, but, for those wanting to lose weight… You do not need to pay for and hour at a cold chamber you have one.
Sleep Success Summit
8 August 15 August 2016
Sleep affects every aspect of your life. Yet, for most, restful sleep is a complete mystery! To improve anything, you must start with sleep. Get answers at The Sleep Success Summit, online and free from August 8-15, 2016.
Think You May Have Insomnia?
Diagnosis & Self-Tests
If you think you may have insomnia, ask yourself the following questions:
• Does it take you more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, or do you wake up during the night and have trouble returning to sleep, or do you wake up earlier than desired?
• Do you have daytime symptoms such as fatigue, moodiness, sleepiness or reduced energy?
• Do you give yourself enough time in bed to get at least 7 hours of sleep each night?
• Do you go to bed in a safe, dark and quiet environment that should allow you to sleep well?
If you answered “yes” to all of these questions, then you may have insomnia.
Insomnia – Treatment
The treatment for insomnia depends on its underlying cause. For chronic insomnia a board certified sleep medicine physician may recommend any combination of the following treatments:
Sleep Hygiene
In many chronic insomnia cases, by practicing good hygiene and changing your sleep habits you can improve your sleep.
Sleep hygiene is a set of bedtime habits and rituals you can do every night to improve how you sleep.
Behavior therapies
Behavioral treatments teach you new sleep behaviors and ways to improve your sleeping environment. Good sleep habits promote sound sleep and daytime alertness.
Behavior therapies are generally recommended as the first line of treatment for people with insomnia. Typically they’re equally or more effective than sleep medications.
Behavior therapies include:
• Education about good sleeping habits. Good sleep habits include having a regular sleep schedule, avoiding stimulating activities before bed, and having a comfortable sleep environment.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy. This type of therapy helps you control or eliminate negative thoughts and worries that keep you awake.
• Relaxation techniques. Breathing exercises are ways to reduce anxiety at bedtime. These strategies help you control your breathing, heart rate, muscle tension and mood.
• Stimulus control. This means limiting the time you spend awake in bed and associating your bed and bedroom only with sleep and sex.
• Sleep restriction. This treatment decreases the time you spend in bed, causing partial sleep deprivation, which makes you more tired the next night. Once your sleep has improved, your time in bed is gradually increased.
• Remaining passively awake. Also called paradoxical intention, this treatment for learned insomnia is aimed at reducing the worry and anxiety about being able to get to sleep by getting in bed and trying to stay awake rather than expecting to fall asleep.
• Light therapy. If you fall asleep too early and then awaken too early, you can use light to push back your internal clock. You can go outside during times of the year when it’s light outside in the evenings, or you can get light via a medical-grade light box.
Lifestyle and home remedies
No matter what your age, insomnia is treatable. The key lies in changes to your routine during the day and when you go to bed. Good sleep habits promote sound sleep and daytime alertness. These tips will help.
• Exercise and stay active. Activity helps promote a good night’s sleep. Get at least 20 to 30 minutes of vigorous exercise daily at least five to six hours before bedtime.
Exercise has a broad-spectrum effect on all body systems mental and physical. The elevated heart rate, blood pressure, muscle, hormonal and neurotransmitter activity which accompanies exercise combine to create an overall high level of stimulation or ‘positive stress’ on the body and mind. But the body needs time to recover and return to its resting state. If exercise takes place in the evening, the body may not have enough time to return to a restful state and allow the shift necessary for easy sleep. The result is sleep onset latency making peacefulness and sleep impossible until the wee hours of the morning.
• Check your medications. If you take medications regularly, check with your doctor to see if they may be contributing to your insomnia. Also check the labels of OTC products to see if they contain caffeine or other stimulants, such as pseudoephedrine.
• Avoid or limit naps. Naps can make it harder to fall asleep at night. If you can’t get by without one, try to limit a nap to no more than 30 minutes and don’t nap after 3 p.m.
• Avoid or limit caffeine and alcohol and don’t use nicotine. All of these can make it harder to sleep. Avoid caffeine after lunchtime. Avoiding alcohol can help prevent restless sleep and frequent awakenings.
• Don’t put up with pain. If a painful condition bothers you, make sure the pain reliever you take is effective enough to control pain while you’re sleeping.
• Stick to a sleep schedule. Keep your bedtime and wake time consistent from day to day, including on weekends.
At bedtime:
• Avoid large meals and beverages before bed. A light snack is fine. But avoid eating too much late in the evening to reduce the chance of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and improve sleep. Drink less before bedtime so that you won’t have to urinate as often.
• Use your bed and bedroom only for sleeping or sex. Don’t read, work or eat in bed. Avoid TV, computers, video games, smartphones or other screens just before bed, as the light can interfere with your sleep cycle.
• Make your bedroom comfortable for sleep. Close your bedroom door or create a subtle background noise, such as a running fan, to help drown out other noises. Keep your bedroom temperature comfortable, usually cooler than during the day, and dark. Don’t keep a computer or TV in your bedroom.
• Hide the bedroom clocks. Set your alarm so that you know when to get up, but then hide all clocks in your bedroom, including your wristwatch and cellphone, so you don’t worry about what time it is.
• Find ways to relax. A warm bath or a massage before bedtime can help prepare you for sleep. Create a relaxing bedtime ritual, such as reading, soft music, breathing exercises, yoga or prayer.
• Avoid trying too hard to sleep. The harder you try, the more awake you’ll become. Read in another room until you become very drowsy, and then go to bed to sleep.
• Get out of bed when you’re not sleeping. Sleep as much as you need to feel rested, and then get out of bed. If you can’t sleep, get out of bed after 20 minutes and do something relaxing, such as reading. Then try again to get to sleep.
Alternative medicine
To improve anything, you must start with sleep! Essential Oils Revolution
36 tips, strategies and secrets for using essential oils safely and effectively–because millions of people are regaining control of their health with essential oils! Don’t miss The Essential Oils Revolution 2 from August 22-29, 2016, free and online! :
• Essential oils that have been shown to be beneficial for treating insomnia and other sleep disturbances include lavender, valerian, vetiver, roman chamomile, and marjoram. The most effective method of using essential oils includes aromatherapy with the use of a diffuser and some research suggests that aromatherapy through massage is effective in providing relaxation.
• Acupuncture. During an acupuncture session, a practitioner places many thin needles in your skin at specific points on your body. There’s some evidence that this practice may be beneficial for people with insomnia, but more research is needed. If you choose to try acupuncture along with your conventional treatment, ask your doctor how to find a qualified practitioner.
• Yoga. Some studies suggest that the regular practice of yoga can help improve sleep quality, and the risks are limited. Be sure to start slow and work with an instructor who listens to you and helps adapt poses to your needs and limitations.
• Meditation. Several small studies suggest that meditation, along with conventional treatment, may help improve sleep. Some research suggests that regularly practicing meditation may have other positive health effects, such as reducing stress and lowering blood pressure.
Because the Food and Drug Administration does not mandate that manufacturers show proof of effectiveness or safety before marketing dietary supplement sleep aids, talk with your doctor before taking any herbal supplements or other OTC products. Some products can interact with medications, and others — such as L-tryptophan, kava or 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) — can be dangerous on their own.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
Products and information on Experience Essential Oils and Shop are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent ANY disease.
A decision to use/not use this information is the sole responsibility of the reader.
Please see your vet, doctor or health care professional for medical evaluation for yourself or your animals.
