Cure Your Insomnia
We've all pulled all-nighters, and you know how bad you feel after cramming for that final exam. But imagine how you'd feel if your entire life consisted of one all-nighter after another . . . forever. If you feel like a rock instead of sleep like one, you may be among the 40 to 50 percent of Americans who complain of occasional bouts with insomnia. In fact, , as many as 10 million Americans consult a physician for help with their sleep disorders. True, Leonardo da Vinci, Winston Churchill and Florence Nightingale only slept four hours a night, but they were obviously freaks of nature. While the required amount of sleep varies from person to person, most of us mere mortals need between seven and nine hours a night.
Insomnia can have serious repercussions, including:
Making us feel lousy and listless
Making us moody
Lowering our thinking speed and productivity
Weakening the immune system, making us more susceptible to viruses
Being a major factor in 200,000 auto accidents every year; costing the economy billions of dollars for workplace absenteeism; playing a role in industrial disasters such as the Exxon Valdez and the Three Mile Island nuclear-plant accident.
It's important to take steps to prevent insomnia. Fortunately, some very simple lifestyle changes can help you get better rest.accident.
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Instructions
Classify Your Problem
"Insomnia" describes any episode of unrefreshing sleep, difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings, or waking up too early in the morning. Women and the elderly are the most frequent victims.
To overcome your insomnia, your first move is to classify the type you are battling, because each type presents unique challenges and calls for different treatment.
Transient insomnia is a disturbance in sleeping patterns that lasts only for a few nights. In such a case, you have a brief run-in with jet lag, excitement, stress, illness or a change in sleep schedule.
Here is the good news: Those with transient insomnia soon return to normal, and sleeping pills ease the course of the problem. While not conducive to long-term use, in the short term, sleeping pills provide relief without fear of dependence or a gradual loss of their effectiveness.
Short-term insomnia is slightly more serious, because it persists for about two to three weeks. Contributing factors include a job change, divorce, serious illness, financial problems or the death of a close friend or relative.
Chronic insomnia is the rarest and most serious type, with episodes lasting longer than a few weeks. In spite of this, 10 to 15 percent of the U.S. population suffers from it.
To combat chronic insomnia, you must first rule out the possibility that it is a symptom of some other underlying health problem. See a doctor to ensure that such conditions as heart disease, diabetes, epilepsy, pregnancy, menopause or arthritis are not responsible for the sleep loss. In addition, medications prescribed for certain health conditions, such as high blood pressure or asthma, may adversely affect sleep.
Also identify any psychological factors standing in the way of your beauty rest. If you feel sad, worthless or suicidal, you may be depressed. In fact, one of the premier symptoms of depression is the inability to go back to sleep after waking up too early. By treating mental conditions, you can often alleviate the sleeping problem that is just a manifestation of a larger issue.
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