Sleepless, A Problem For Many

Tired? Can’t sleep? Up all night? Sleep deprived?

Too many people suffer with lack of sleep and I was one of them. After a sleepless night, as many of you know, it is extremely difficult to make it through the next day. Not sleeping is like drinking too much alcohol. You tend to make bad decisions and feel hung over all day. Not only that, but lack of sleep can cause you to eat more and your arteries to age faster.

Many folks rely on a sleep aid night after night. I personally did not want to go down that road again. I say again, because many years ago I was hooked on a prescription drug, Ativan that my doctor prescribed for me.  It does not take long to become addicted to Ativan. I could not go to sleep without this pill. It required many sleepless nights for me to kick the habit. Thankfully I did!

I have learned a great deal about what you can do to improve your sleep habits and some of the changes you can make in your lifestyle, rather than depend upon any type of sleep aid. Feeling like a zombie the next day after taking a sleep aid pill is definitely not an option for me. I hated that drugged feeling. I need to feel wide eyed and bushy tailed to function normally.

I knew that it made sense to go to bed at night and arise the next morning at the same time every day. Sticking to a schedule and routine before bedtime, I feel, is a very critical change to make in your sleep habits. The next major change I made was cutting back on my morning 2-3 cups of coffee. If I do have coffee in the morning I limit myself to one cup. This has made a big difference for me in getting a good night’s sleep. Another change, I know I should make, is to remove the TV from my bedroom. I must admit I still have a problem not watching a little TV from my bed before I fall asleep. I do see a difference in my sleep if I turn the TV off in the living room and go to sleep without turning the TV on in my bedroom. Sleep alludes me in a warm bedroom. There are a lot of warm-hot nights here in Vegas, so my air conditioning is at a comfortable cool setting at night. If the weather permits I open a window.

If you don’t follow an exercise program, I definitely recommend it. Workouts have always been a very big part of my life since I was 16 years old.  I know without my three workouts a week my sleep problem would be much worse. Exercise is known to improve your chances of falling asleep quickly and sleeping deeply. It is also good for your overall health.

As we grow older sleep needs do not change even though our bodies do change. All adults need between seven and eight hours of sleep each night. As we age, it just gets more difficult to get the rest we need. We tend to sleep less. These bodily changes affect both the quality and length of our sleep. We may wake up three or four times during the night or our sleep is interrupted by frequent bathroom visits. At age 77 my body secretes less and less of two very important sleep hormones: melatonin and human growth hormone. Changes in the level of melatonin controls our sleep cycle. Hence we may feel sleepy in the early evening and wake too early in the morning. It may also cause us trouble falling asleep at night.  Sunlight helps you produce melatonin so try to get at least two hours of bright sunlight everyday. Growth Hormone helps you sleep deeply, like children. When growth hormone levels are low deep sleep becomes more difficult. For sleep support I take melatonin with theanine just before bedtime. Warm milk is also great before bed.

There are many other reasons older individuals have sleep problems. Health conditions can get in the way of a good night’s sleep. I have shoulder arthritis that causes severe pain and my enlarged prostrate causes me numerous trips to the bathroom. Medications can also interfere with a good night’s sleep. Menopause in women can cause night sweats and other symptoms that interfere with sleep.  Stress and worry will  make it difficult to fall asleep, so relax. Napping can also interfere with your sleep cycle. I try not to nap during the day and early evening. I try to hit the sack tired and sleepy. Cutting back on  alcohol, caffeine and nicotine are good habits to get into before bedtime.  A good mattress and pillow will also contribute to you getting a good night’s rest. When you just cannot get to sleep try reading something pleasant or listening to some soft music. It will help you relax.  Try all or some of these changes in your sleep and lifestyle habits to keep you from tossing and turning.  Be sure to get professional help if your sleeplessness starts to interfere with your ability to function normally.

SLEEP TIGHT! and SWEET DREAMS!

CHUCK

A Joke for you: Sleep Better

An elderly woman went into the doctor’s office. When the doctor asked why she was there, she replied, “I’d like to have some birth control pills.” Taken aback, the doctor thought for a minute and then said, “Excuse me, Mrs. Smith, but you’re 75 years old. What possible use could you have for birth control pills?” The woman responded, “They help me sleep better.” The doctor thought some more and continued, “How in the world do birth control pills help you to sleep?” The woman said, “I put them in my granddaughter’s orange juice and I sleep better at night!”