Insomnia is a sleeping disorder characterized by persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep despite the opportunity. It is typically followed by functional impairment while awake. Insomniacs have been known to complain about being unable to close their eyes or "rest their mind" for more than a few minutes at a time. Both organic and non-organic insomnia constitute a sleep disorder.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 60 million Americans suffer from insomnia each year. Insomnia tends to increase with age and affects about 40 percent of women and 30 percent of men.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Cure for Sleeplessness and insomnia

Insomnia is often a symptom of another condition rather than a condition of its own. If insomnia is caused by medical or psychological conditions, treatment will focus on those underlying conditions. When poor sleep quality itself is the major problem, medications can be prescribed short-term to relieve symptoms. Insomnia weakens the immune system, and also impacts upon our ability to think clearly and function well. Good quality sleep is vital for a healthy body and mind and for emotional wellbeing. Some excellent tips for curing from sleeplessness and insomnia are as follows:

Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol in the late afternoon and evening. Caffeine and nicotine can delay your sleep, and alcohol may interrupt your sleep later in the night.
If you have trouble sleeping when you go to bed, don't nap during the day, since it affects your ability to sleep at night.
Exercise regularly, but do so at least three hours before bed-time. A workout after that time may actually keep you awake because your body has not had a chance to cool down. Exercise should precede meals, not immediately follow them; the first promotes, the latter, unless moderate, obstructs digestion.
Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine that will allow you to unwind and send a "signal" to your brain that it's time to sleep. Avoiding exposure to bright light before bedtime and taking a hot bath may help.
Taking a warm bath or drinking a glass of warm milk (milk contains a chemical that is converted to a sleep-enhancing compound in the brain) before bedtime.
It is often possible to break the cycle of insomnia by deliberately staying awake for an entire night.
Medicines may be prescribed when the cause of insomnia includes a particularly stressful situation (a bereavement or the loss of a job, for example) or pain from some physical condition.
Sleep hygiene measures are simple actions that address sleep habits and factors that may keep you from good sleep. For example, keep regular bedtimes and wake times-7 days a week-and try to avoid taking naps during the day.
Hypnotic medications help you fall asleep or stay asleep. Antidepressants that have a calming or sedative effect can be used to aid sleep.

Autor: Rachel Broune

Rachel Broune writes articles for depression. He also writes for anxiety and phobias.


Added: July 14, 2008
Source: http://articlerich.com/Article/Cure-for-Sleeplessness-~

0 comments:

 
Design by Amanda @ BloggerBuster