Nicholas Matthews asked:


Some people have a hard time falling asleep at night while others have a difficult time falling asleep once they have dropped off. It doesn’t matter which is the case, if you are having a hard time sleeping then you are not going to be as healthy and as happy during the day. At times, however, the slight insomnia turns into chronic sleeplessness, a problem that can affect every area of your life. Not only are you drowsy and less alert during the day but if you are not getting adequate rest then it affects every area of your life, from your normal bodily functions to your resistance to disease, and if you are having a problem with chronic sleeplessness then being sick is the last thing that you want in your life, I’m sure. There are many different reasons why chronic sleeplessness might be a problem for you. For some people it is as simple as the foods that they are eating, or perhaps caffeinated drinks, but for others it stems from things such as stress and anxiety over their lives. I know that I can’t tell you how many times I have woke up in the middle of the night just worrying about anything and everything and not being able to get back to sleep. There are a few things that you can do to help, however, if not cure your chronic sleeplessness.

I found that if I gave myself some time before I went to bed to meditate on relaxing things, read and listen to some relaxing music that I fell and stayed asleep much better. Sometimes I would even soak in a warm tub with some aromatherapy oils, as this often helps put me in a relaxed state. Basically anything that I could do to put myself in the mood to sleep seemed to help. So the next time you are dealing with chronic sleeplessness try winning some of the battles and the war against insomnia can be yours.

sleeping difficulty

Donald Saunders asked:


Despite the fact that there are many natural ways to deal with insomnia, millions of people continue to take a variety of over-the-counter and prescriptions drugs whenever they find that they’re having sleep problems. One such prescription drug is Trazodone.

Trazodone (or Trazodone hydrochloride) is the generic name for the drug Desyrel® which is an anti-depressant which is commonly prescribed for major depressive disorders and is also sometimes used to deal with insomnia. The problem however is that the two have become dissociated and, while it is one thing to choose to prescribe Trazodone for a depressive disorder with associated insomnia, it is quite another to use the drug simply to treat insomnia in isolation.

Trazodone works in part by inhibiting the re-uptake or serotonin, which is a chemical produced naturally by the body and which plays an important role is regulating the sleep cycle. Put in simple terms, Trazodone increases the level of serotonin in the body which acts as the body’s natural sleeping pill.

Now on the surface it would seem perfectly natural to use a drug that increases the body’s own natural sleep aid to cure insomnia.

There is however a problem with using Trazodone and that is the side effects.

Side effects will clearly vary from one individual to the next but, in general, the common side effects of Trazodone are sleepiness (in this case a desired side effect), headache, congestion, stomach upset, constipation, nervousness, muscle pain, sweating, blurred vision and so the list goes on. In addition, in some men it can cause a painful and long-lasting erection, which may require emergency or even surgical treatment, with permanent damage often resulting.

In fairness the list of side effects for most drugs, including communal garden day-to-day drugs, can be frighteningly long and the truth of the matter is that most people don’t suffer any of the side effects, or at least don’t suffer them to any degree that matters. In the case of Trazodone however this is not the case when it is used to treat insomnia.

For most people Trazodone works wonderfully well in the very short-term and will certainly help them to fall asleep and also to stay asleep through the night, enjoying, in particular, a greater degree of deep sleep. It is the following morning however when the side effects tend to set in.

In many cases this means a congested nose, feelings of tiredness and grogginess (often being described as akin to a hangover) and, in some cases, a degree of unsteadiness.

Insomnia is a common problem which affects many millions of people both in the short-term as occasional or transitory insomnia and in the long-term as chronic insomnia. In most cases however drugs will only ever provide a very short-term solution and the longer-term use of drugs will invariably make matters worse, rather than better.

This said, if you do feel the need to turn to drugs in the short-term to help with the symptoms of insomnia, then choose a drug that is designed specifically for sleep problems and not Trazodone which should only ever be used to treat insomnia when that insomnia is part and parcel of a major depressive disorder.

causes of insomnia

S. Vaidya asked:


The very first thing to do before you find a cure for sleeplessness is to find out it’s cause. Causes of this can be many. However the most common are side effects of some medications or the other one might be a psychological reason.

Most people when it comes to cure any disorder do the mistake of curing the symptom rather than the cause. Sleeplessness is not a disease in the first place. That is why it is wrong to try to force you to sleep.

That’s is why the proven and guaranteed way to cure it is to eliminate it’s cause and let your body naturally fall asleep. If the condition is cause by side effects of certain medicine, it will come to normal once to stop consuming the medicine.

But if the particular condition is because of psychological reasons then simply observing your lifestyle can show dramatic results. This is because sleeplessness is not a disease; it’s a habit that can be overcome. Here is a list of some simple habits you can try.

If you do not see any results even after these then you will have to consult a family doctor for better results.

1) Schedule you sleeping and waking up time. Never miss these two timings. Your body must get a habit of these two times so that it can readjust itself to get good quality sleep.

2) Make it a habit of doing simple exercises. I’m not talking about heavy workouts here. Simple jogging, cycling can do the job.

3) Here is magic method that works like a charm. Lie down on your bed on your back. Close your eyes and take a deep breath slowly. Then exhale slowly. While doing this simply observe the air entering and coming out of your nostrils.

sleeping difficulty

Frank D. Miller asked:


Almost all individuals in some phases of their lives have suffered from insomnia. In most cases, insomnia is sporadic in nature that appears and ebbs off without any reason or warning. However, if an individual persists with insomnia symptoms for more than four weeks, it is a case of severe insomnia and needs medical advice. With this topic in mind, let’s take a look at some important facts about this form of chronic insomnia.

This form can be brought on by a number of situations. However, common examples include never ending demands and desires of life, unrealistic expectations, skyline ambitions, anxiety, tensions, failures in life both in personal and professional arenas and traumatic experiences of life such as separation/divorce can trigger severe insomnia or sleeplessness.

Types of Insomnia:

Depending on the severity of the disease and the duration time of symptoms, insomnia is classified into different forms. Here, is a list of some of the major types of insomnia:
Transient or (short term) insomnia: These can lasts from a single night to a few weeks. Intermittent or (on and off) insomnia which can occur from time to time. Idiopathic insomnia is a life long problem that some people have in initiating and maintaining sleep. It can cause serious impairment in daytime functioning. Psycho physiologic insomnia: In this case the bedroom becomes a dreaded place for the patient. The more the patient focuses on the ability to sleep harder it takes to sleep. Paradoxical insomnia: This is a situation where a person feels that he/she is not able to sleep properly. On the contrary, the situation is not real. Another major form of insomnia is chronic or severe insomnia, a complex health condition that causes considerable damage in our life.

Any person suffering with severe insomnia lacks enthusiasm; ability to work diminishes, becomes irritable causing considerable damage in both professional and personal life. Furthermore, the lack of concentration can go to the extent of meeting with accidents or even contemplating with suicidal tendencies. Due to this reason, one should never neglect chronic insomnia symptoms.

Causes of Severe Insomnia:

Severe insomnia results from a combination of factors. One of the most common reasons for chronic insomnia is depression. Even long lasting physical ailments like arthritis, kidney disease, heart failure, Parkinson’s disease, and hyperthyroidism can lead to chronic insomnia.

Treatment of Severe Insomnia:

Severe insomnia creates havoc in our life. A person suffering from severe insomnia becomes desperate to come out of it. Now-a-days, different techniques are used to improve the patients sleeping conditions such as controlling and changing sleeping habits of the patient, drinking warm milk just half an hour before sleeping, taking a warm bath, etc. Avoiding excess coffee, tea, alcohol helps in controlling insomnia. Relaxation techniques such as meditations, yoga and messaging bring us calmness and tranquility which induces sleep. However, all these methods are effective only when they are supported by some proper insomnia medications.

Severe insomnia lasts for longer periods. Hence, treatment of severe insomnia often necessitates the temporary use of tranquilizing drugs and other hypnotic medications such as Benzodiazepine sedatives like Restoril, Dalmane, Halcion, Estazolam, Ativan, Clonazepam and non-benzodiazepine sedatives like Lunesta, Sonata, Ambien, Melatonin and Ramelteon. Medical practitioners even prescribe some antidepressants like Amitriptyline and Trazodone for the treatment of severe insomnia in patients who are also suffering with depression. However, a bit of care is essential while taking in any of these pills. Most importantly, all these medicines cause drug tolerance, thereby becoming ineffective after some time. Also, these drugs must never be taken without proper consultation from the doctor.

By keeping this information in mind, you should begin to have a greater understanding of sever insomnia. We recommend you research the issue further to get an even greater understand to help you or your loved ones get the relief they seek.

insomnia definition

Emma Martin asked:


If you’ve been having trouble sleeping at night and you are looking for natural sleep aids to help with you insomnia, here’s a list of some of the most popular natural sleep remedies. I hope they will help you to get to sleep at night and finally get all the rest that you need.

Melatonin

Melatonin is probably the most well known natural sleep aid. Melatonin is one of your natural hormones and it is produced when your body converts Seratonin into Melatonin and it helps make you drowsy. It is especially helpful for shift workers and other people who have had their regular sleep cycles disturbed due to the unusual hours that they are now keeping. So if you work second or third shift and you find it difficult to get to sleep, you may want to try taking some Melatonin about a half hour before bedtime.

Valerian Root

Valerian Root (Valeriana officinalis) is an herb that flowers near the end of spring. It has a long history of use as a sleep aid and it is available over the counter in many European countries. It is not a sleep aid that will have an immediate effect on most people as it takes time to work. It may take as long as a month of regular use to achieve its full effect. But it is well known for producing a calming and deep sense of relaxation which should be able to help you sleep much more easily. You can take valerian root in a capsule form, or as a tea or tincture. Generally, you should limit your use to no more than three months.

Chamomile

Chamomile (Matricaria camomilla) is another flowering herb. Usually the dried flowers and leaves are used to make a tea which you would drink before bedtime. Unlike Valerian, chamomile has an immediate effect and is usually helpful for occasional insomnia. It is also very easy to find as most supermarkets stock chamomile teas in their tea and coffee aisle. In addition to drinking chamomile tea about a half hour before you are ready to go to bed, you can also try putting some chamomile sachets inside your pillow case or under your pillow.

Calcium & Magnesium

Calcium and Magnesium are two vitamin supplements that taken together should help improve your ability to stay asleep at night, though they may not necessarily help you fall asleep. But if you find yourself frequently waking during the night, then you might want to consider it. Many people don’t have enough of either mineral in their regular diet so a calc-mag supplement is a good idea anyway and usually you can find them in a combined supplement.

Just keep in mind that if you’ve recently been suffering from chronic insomnia symptoms, it may be wise to visit your doctor to make sure there isn’t an underlying cause that needs to be dealt with. Also, natural herbal remedies are as likely to cause side effects and other symptoms as chemically derived pharmaceuticals so it is a good idea to see your doctor in any case before using any herbal remedy on a regular basis.

sleep disorder information