Understanding The Cause And Treatment Of Sleep Disorders
If you suffer with any form of sleep disorders then you will know just how debilitating they can be. Although they are not thought of as serious illnesses they can drastically affect the way we live our lives. We become more anxious and stressed, and may have to take time off from our jobs or school; there have also been cases when sleep disorders have caused automobile accidents.
It is thought that almost twenty five per cent of the population have sleep problems at some time in their life. The most common forms are insomnia, snoring, and sleep apnoea.
Chronic insomnia is a disorder when an individual cannot retain a regular sleep pattern, this may include having problems falling asleep and also maintaining sleep. It is one of the most common sleep problems and can result in the person becoming very irritable and exhausted and not able to concentrate. There is no single cause for insomnia, but there are conditions and factors that are thought to make it more likely. These include people above sixty years old, women, and those that suffer from depression.
Stress can also be a major factor, if the individual has suffered a traumatic or worrisome event such as an illness, injury, personal loss, or even examinations then their sleep pattern can become disrupted. Insomnia may also be due to lifestyle or environmental factors such as too much light or noise at night or heavy caffeine consumption. In many cases a normal sleep pattern can return over time. For those people were this is not the case then there are a number of prescription drugs that can be given.
Although not as serious as insomnia, snoring can still be a problem. For the person that snores it may simply be an embarrassment but for those that are trying to rest within earshot it can be very annoying and frustrating. Snoring is caused by a problem with the soft tissue that is found at the back of the throat. This results in the snoring sound being transmitted up the airway.
It may happen that the snoring gets worse with age, but it also depends upon the body shape and size of the individual. In most cases snoring can be treated. Some specialists will recommend that a patient tries to shed weight, specifically fatty tissue, from around the neck. Also it is believed that by avoiding alcohol, sleeping pills, and heavy meals before going to bed the problem can be lessened. Perhaps the easiest remedy is for the snorer to sleep on their side rather than their back.
Affecting fewer people than both insomnia and snoring, sleep apnoea can be a serious condition. The problem is best described as a loss of breath whilst asleep. It is caused by the same muscles as snoring. These relax and block the airway causing a loss of breath for anywhere up to thirty seconds. The result of this is that as the oxygen in the blood supply becomes less the so brain transmits an emergency warning to the rest of the body to make the person wake up and swallow air.
The course of treatment for sleep apnoea will vary depending upon the severity of the condition. Most mild cases can be treated through a change in behaviour and habits. Severe cases will require the use of a CPAP machine at night or even surgery.
Chronic Insomnia Medications Information
Chronic insomnia may not be a life threatening complaint but it can seriously affect an individual’s standard of living. It can cause irritation, stress, absence from work and school, and even automobile accidents. If you are one of the many people that suffer with this problem then it may be useful to try the various chronic insomnia medications. These can help you retain a good sleep pattern and improve your overall life. As with any drugs or treatment it is best to seek advice from your local GP, they may offer any one of a number of solutions.
One of the most commonly prescribed insomnia medications is what are termed hypnotic drugs. These are mostly given to people who cannot sleep sufficiently due to emotional disturbances. Hypnotic medications are mostly given for short term use as tolerance and addiction are a concern. Such drugs include benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and anti-depressants. If a patient is depressed then it is important that if they are given any one of these prescriptions they are monitored regularly to check on their mental well being. If the individual cannot maintain sleep due to pain then they should take analgesics before going to bed.
Benzodiazepines were developed nearly forty years ago. They are still one of the most common chronic insomnia medications for sleep disorders. They target the areas of the brain that are known to be involved in the promotion of sleep. There are various brands available, the most well known being Valium, Tranxene, and Mogadon. These will shorten the time needed to fall asleep and also limit the amount that a person wakes during the night. The actual insomnia can vary so much that some people may drift off easily but cannot maintain sleep or vice versa, for this reason some medications are absorbed slowly while others act quickly.
GPs will also prescribe the class of drugs known as non-benzodiazepines for certain patients. These generally have a quicker action time and a short duration. This is important when an individual does not want to feel drowsy once that have awoke. An example is Zolpidem. As with many anti-insomnia medications there is the possibility for sleep problems reoccurring when it is withdrawn.
At one time barbiturates were commonly prescribed. These work by depressing the central nervous system and alter respiration, heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure. Now they are not so often given as they have been found to be more difficult to withdraw and may have a greater risk of suicide.
Certain tricyclic antidepressants that have sedative effects are often given to people that have insomnia linked to mood disorders. They are a preferred option to benzodiazepines if the doctor believes the patient is seriously depressed. They will give a prolonged sleep continuity pattern.
It is now the case that some people will seek out over the counter medications rather than prescription based options. These are generally anti-histamines. Although they will produce a drowsy feeling they will not give a rewarding sleep in which the body and mind can fully rest.
Whatever kind of anti-insomnia medications are taken it is of great importance not to combine them with other drugs or alcohol.
Chronic Insomnia Remedies
When discussing chronic insomnia and what to do about it, we must remember that {cures} and {rememdies} are two separate discussions. Since insomnia is not a disease or originating condition, but a symptom of something else, an insomnia remedy is anything that helps you sleep, even if it doesn’t “cure” the insomnia. Cures are part of another discussion about the causes of insomnia. Here we will discuss whatever it takes to help you sleep. Because while it can take months or even years to just find the cause of chronic insomnia, that doesn’t mean that it has to take long to find a way to overcome the sleeplessness. And once you begin to get some sleep and the hope of a normal day returns, everything else becomes easier.
The key to finding chronic insomnia remedies is to keep your mind open. Get any ten insomniacs in a room discussing what helps them sleep, and it’s likely you’ll get ten different insomnia remedies. The point is, just because you’ve tried one……or two dozen remedies that somebody else used and they didn’t work, doesn’t mean a solution is not available. It just means you haven’t found it yet. And this section assumes that you’re willing to deal with some of the basics of life style before moving into other remedies.
None of the chronic insomnia remedies here are medicinal. They are all activities that you can undertake without medication. A discussion of treatments and medications comes in another article. These are just things that help many people step over the sleep “edge” to get to sleep initially. These are generally not for people who wake in the middle of the night or have some other sleep issue.
As with any change in behavior or lifestyle, be sure to check with your doctor if you suspect you have any significant underlying cause for your sleeplessness, before engaging in any of the activity below.
Exercise: In addition to the benefits of exercise to our heart, lungs, muscles, general appearance and many other aspects of life, it’s a great sleep aid. But not just before you go to bed. Sometime in the late afternoon, or early evening, undertaking light to moderate exercise can be that missing factor that puts you into a nice restful sleep quickly. If you have chronic insomnia, do not undertake vigorous, high intensity exercise unless it is early in the day and you can recover from the effects of it.
A light snack: “Light” is the key word here. Not a meal. Warm milk, a banana, small carton of yogurt, a couple of cookies, small bowl of cereal with milk, or a small muffin among other light snacks will work. While the digestive process can keep us awake if we eat large quantities of food shortly before bed time, small snacks can stave off hunger which can also disrupt sleep. Remember, something small, easy to digest and carbohydrate rich can do wonders in helping you drop off to sleep.
A warm bath: A warm bath is a natural muscle relaxer. Two things to keep in mind. The bath should not be over-heated. Just warm enough to relax the muscles. And it should not be directly prior to getting into bed. Take the bath, dry off and relax for 30-45 minutes before turning in. As insomnia remedies go, this is one of the most pleasant.
Deep breathing relaxation exercise: This can have a remarkable temporary relaxing effect whether you need to sleep, relax during the day, or calm yourself before something stressful. I have put myself sound asleep using this natural technique and all it requires is air. Take a maximum deep breath to the count of four. When fully inhaled, hold it for seven seconds. Then let it out with closed mouth, through the teeth, to a count of eight. Repeat four times. Sounds simple, but when you’re already tired or stressed it can seem monumental. But if you’ll get past the feelings and just do it, the effect will amaze you. If the four breaths are not enough, do it eight times. It’s a God given way, using just the air around you to relax.
Music: Not hard rock, rap, or heavy metal. Not even music you necessarily like. But listening to …..well….easy listening or soft classical music can have a relaxing effect that can put some people right to sleep. There is actually insomnia music that is designed for people with chronic sleeplessness. It is sold as a sleep aid and reportedly works very well for people who appreciate music.
Steady noise: Such as the sound of rain, a running stream or flowing water of some kind. And where do you get such sounds made to order in the city? From a “Sleep Mate” or some other similar devise. I have used one on and off for years and the effects of it for me are irreplaceable. I always sleep with a fan, Sleep Mate, or in a pinch I’ll turn a tv to an off station and let the white noise lull me to sleep. I know it sounds bizarre, but if you experience chronic insomnia, you know that anything that works is on the table to try. Works for me. This just requires a little noise.
Reading or not reading: Reading at bed time has always had an effect on me that puts me out like a light. Some people are stimulated by it and it has the opposite effect. The only way to find out is to try it. Even great reads put me to sleep. Some people will stay up half the night from reading a stimulating story. That’s the reason it’s important to try things until you find what works, because with chronic insomnia, it’s truly different strokes for different folks.
Another absolute I’ve heard mentioned is to never watch tv while in bed trying to go to sleep. But like everything else, it will have a different effect on different people. If you’re not able to go to sleep with the tv playing, turn it off. If you can’t go to sleep with the tv off, try turning it on and relaxing while watching a show. It puts some people right to sleep. Just the fact that a tv show might get an insomniac’s mind off trying to go to sleep helps them do exactly that….sleep.
There are many more “remedies” but these are the most common and most often useful for the majority of people. Trying one or more of these techniques alone or in combination with other insomnia helps may just be the key to your good night’s rest.