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Insomnia - three ways to a peaceful night's sleep
from: Jim BrackinEveryone has the occasional bad night's sleep. But if the odd
sleepless night is replaced by regular sleeplessness then you
may be experiencing a form of
Insomnia is a common problem as highlighted by a recent Which?
report that suggested in the United Kingdom "Up to one in
four people report difficulty sleeping at least three times a
week, and the problem is more common in older people." In
the United States it's estimated that $2.4 billion is spent a
year on insomnia prescriptions and remedies. Non-prescription
remedies sales including sales of melatonin top hundreds of
millions of dollars annually.
The five most common symptoms associated with insomnia
are;
1. Difficulty falling asleep.
2. Frequently waking up during the night.
3. Difficulty returning to sleep.
4. Waking up too early in the morning.
5. Un-refreshing sleep.
The amount of sleep needed varies from person to person. It's an
individual thing. As we age, it's usual to sleep less. This is
partly because of the decrease in the natural hormone, melatonin
which regulates the body's circadian rhythms. It's the circadian
rhythms which in turn regulate sleep patterns. It is not unusual
for sleep patterns to be temporarily affected by sudden changes
in weight or as a result of negative emotions such as
depression, stress, tension or even jet lag. Insomnia is rarely
a physical problem typically it is caused by a psychological
issue. So, if you solve the psychological issue and you'll find
that the insomnia will disappear.
How to beat insomnia.
First, consider diagnosing and treating any underlying
medical or psychological problems that may be contributing to
the insomnia. By removing the root cause of the problem, it's
likely that sleep patterns will naturally return to normal.
Second, identify behaviours that may prompt or worsen
insomnia. Be aware of any bad habits, take some action to stop
or reduce them. Known behaviours that can cause insomnia are a
large caffeine intake, drinking alcohol before bedtime or
smoking.
Third, use behavioural therapies and techniques to
improve sleep. Successful and popular therapies to beat insomnia
include; relaxation therapy that provides psychological
'anchors' or sleep triggers; sleep suggestion audios that using
binaural sounds and positive suggestions to induce a natural
state of relaxation; and re-framing to eliminate the negative
emotions that cause the insomnia.
Whatever you do to beat insomnia, take some form of positive
action. Don't just hope that the problem will go away. After all
what have you got to lose other than another sleepless night?
About the author:
Jim Brackin contributes practical tips, help and advice on
popular psychology to a variety of magazines like Cosomopolitan,
Real, Spirit & Destiny and Women's Own. He appears regularly on
TV for Sky News (UK) as a body language expert, developed
providing fast, fun and free personality profiles and the
self-help site ">www.virtual-therapist.com"> Virtual
Therapist.
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