In 2007, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that approximately 64 million Americans suffer from insomnia. This report concluded that women were almost one and a half times more likely to suffer from sleepless nights than men. But regardless of gender, it’s clear that a large part of our population is tossing and turning instead of sleeping.
I’ve experienced brief bouts with insomnia when traveling to a distant land, or returning home from an extended stay in another place. This is a form of “transient” insomnia, one of the three recognized degrees of this sleeping disorder.
A change in sleep environment, the timing of sleep or simple stress can be responsible for this lesser degree of insomnia and most often it only lasts for a few days, at the most. Once your routine has been re-established, the symptoms tend to disappear.
“Acute” insomnia is generally considered to be the inability to sleep well for longer durations of time, about three weeks up to about six months. Many people find that the pain of a broken arm, the loss of a job, divorce or the death of a loved one can bring on this type of insomnia.
Unlike transient insomnia, an acute case will take a bit more effort to resolve and getting back to ‘dreamland’ can be a long journey for some. However, none of us suffer quite like those that experience “chronic” insomnia which is often longer than six months in duration and often times, lasts many years.
While the majority of chronic insomniacs find that their problems stem from an underlying psychiatric or physiologic (medical) condition, these cases are rather rare and generally require long term, extensive treatment programs. For those that are dealing with the more common “restless nights” of a much shorter duration, there are a number of less drastic options.
For starters, it’s important to recognize that the main focus for treating insomnia must be directed toward finding the cause. Once you discover the reason you are not sleeping it is much easier to manage the problem and eliminate those sleepless nights once and for all. Simply treating the symptoms is rarely a lasting solution.
There are many alternative approaches that relieve or eliminate the headaches of insomnia and some of the more traditional and anecdotal remedies include avoiding caffeine late in the day, drinking warm milk or slipping into a warm bath just before bedtime. It’s also wise to consider avoiding large meals late in the day and activities that are mentally stimulating late in the evening.
Perhaps it’s most important to realize that one of the most widely recognized culprits of a sleepless night is just common stress! That’s right, clearing your mind of clutter and allowing your body to completely relax may be the best technique available to remedy most cases of insomnia.
Finally, be certain to create an environment that is conducive to sleep. Remember that insuring darkness while adding relaxing music and a comfortable temperature may just be the soothing effects you need to guarantee that full nights of sleep that your body is craving!
Many of my High Blood Pressure customers have reported great improvement with their sleep after working my Natural High Blood Pressure Program. I’m currently working on a new program based on that program and other brekthrough discoveries - so if you suffer insomnia stay tuned to this blog.
Warm regards,
Christian Goodman