We all had nights where we toss and turn and just cannot get to sleep and the following morning we are tired and grumpy. Insomnia is not just the odd sleepless night; it is a constant condition that can damage health and happiness.

We toss and turn all night wishing there was some way you could just relax enough to go to sleep.

We dread going to bed knowing we probably will not be able to sleep.

Stress and anger from our day can stay on our subconscious mind making it hard to relax at night.

If you can find no valid reason for your sleep problems, chances are your problems are stress related. Work on relieving your stress can help you cure insomnia.

Stress is something we can overcome with persistence. There are many ways of coping with stress and again, different things work for different people. Handling anger and stress in a positive way, spending time with other people, exercising, and maintaining a positive outlook, can stop stress and anger from disturbing your sleep.

A sleep diary can be a helpful way to keep track of your sleeplessness. Awareness of your sleep patterns can help you discover the cause of your insomnia with a chance for a good night’s sleep.

Do not worry about dietary food but instead concentrate deeply on the consumption of the food you eat.

Do not eat after 7pm;

Try an herbal tea such as chamomile tea.

Chamomile tea is used to reduce stress, promote relaxation and restful sleep. Chamomile was used thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt, where it was honored for its great curative properties. It was first used in Europe to help with insomnia. Used as a tea, chamomile is known to relax smooth muscle tissue. In this way, it is useful in calming the nervous system and relieving menstrual cramps.

A cup of full milk hot chocolate work for many people. A simply cup of warm milk worked for others

Chamomile tea is a reliable source for many.

Milk is very valuable in insomnia. A glass of milk, sweetened with honey, should be taken every night before going to bed in treating this condition. It acts as a tonic and a tranquillizer

I would say the greatest of the three was milk because there was no brain activity.

Play a soothing tape or CD with soothing nature sounds, and if you cannot sleep, get out of bed. Grab a book. Read for half an hour to an hour, and try again. You may be able to sleep, finally.

Relax your body in a warm tub.

The deep breathing exercises will help you to relax;

Avoid caffeine after dinner.

Caffeine is a drug that is naturally produced in the leaves and seeds of many plants. Caffeine is defined as a drug because it stimulates the central nervous system, causing increased alertness.

Caffeine gives most people a temporary energy boost and elevates mood. Caffeine is in tea, coffee, chocolate, many soft drinks, and pain relievers and other over-the-counter medications.

Many people feel that caffeine increases their mental alertness. Higher doses of caffeine can cause anxiety, dizziness, headaches, and the jitters. Caffeine can also interfere with normal sleep. It can aggravate certain heart problems. It may also interact with some medications or supplements. If you are stressed or anxious, caffeine can make these feelings worse.

The Sleep Research Laboratory at Flinders University is trialing a radical new treatment for this condition.

It takes one to two hours to sleep and then wake up a number of times in the course of a night with very broken sleep. The next day. You feel quite tired, and irritable.

The problem is, few people persevere.

Ever heard the saying count sheep. According to Professor Lushington, when you think of an activity like counting sheep you are distracting yourself. You are able to stop thoughts; – which for some people can be quite productive.

Anything that stimulates your mind should be avoided prior to going to bed

Research indicates that sleeping on your back is the best position for relaxing. It allows for the deepest, restful breathing. Avoid sleeping on your stomach this causes pressure on your lungs and results in shallow breathing. The deeper you breathe, the greater the relaxation.

Author Mary Newton

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

If you have ever found yourself lying awake in the middle of the night, especially if this is not the first night that you have found yourself in this condition, you are probably wondering about insomnia causes and cures. You might be racking your brain trying to figure out why you can’t sleep and the truth is this: by racking your brain you are only causing yourself more stress and keeping yourself from sleeping! Insomnia causes run the gamut from stress at work to complicated physical problems. Here are the major insomnia causes:

Your Environment.

Believe it or not, the room you sleep in could be what is keeping those “z’s” away. If the bedroom is too warm or if the air doesn’t circulate well or even if it just gets too much light–these are all things that fall under the list of insomnia causes. Make sure that, wherever you are sleeping, the room is comfortable, that your sleeping surface is comfortable and that the air circulates well. Rooms that are cooler are also easier to sleep in, so you might want to think about opening your bedroom window just a crack to keep the fresh air flowing in.

Are you sick?

As soon as you come down with a cold or the flu people will tell you to get in bed and get some rest. The only problem is that, because of the way illnesses attack our bodies most of us get less rest when we are sick than when we are well. Illness can cause breathing difficulties. Fevers cause us to overheat and stay awake. Over the counter flu remedies usually contain caffeine or some other kind of stimulant to help us function during the day. Make sure that, for insomnia causes, you purchase night time flu medication as well as regular medication for the day time. You should also do everything you can to keep your breathing steady.

Are you under stress?

Have you recently had an emotional upset? Stress and other mental problems are some of the leading insomnia causes to date. Stress will keep your body from functioning in other areas as well as keep you from sleeping. Usually this is because you will devote the majority of your energy to thinking about the cause of your stress and won’t have enough energy left over to make sure that your body and mind are functioning properly. This is especially true when it comes to sleep. If you keep thinking about the problem, your brain can’t tell the rest of your body to relax and be open to sleep.

Fortunately there are plenty of ways to combat the various insomnia causes that might be the reason for your sleeplessness. Everything from opening a window to developing a “bedtime ritual” to behavioral therapy can help you get better sleep. The trick is to identify the specific insomnia causes that are plaguing you and then treat them as best you can whether it is with the help of a mental health professional, a sleep medication or the simple act of opening up your window at night.

I use to lay awake at night wondering how I could induce sleep! Honestly; I did, it was no joke.

In fact I got to the stage where I really didn’t look forward to the end of the day as I knew that that was when the battle would begin.

So I set to and made it my mission to discover ways to help me get some decent shut-eye.

I’ve tried all of the following to varying degrees of success. The last one is the remedy I’ve stayed with as it works the best for me, but we’re all different so try them all & see what works best for you. I hope you discover 1 that does.

1. Instigate a bedtime routine- such as always going to bed at the same time (even if you don’t feel sleepy). Remember it takes 2 weeks for a behaviour pattern to become a habit so don’t give up after a few nights if nothing seems to be happening any differently.

2. Old fashioned, I know, but it can work. Always have a warm milky drink before you go to bed. This is scientifically proven to help induce sleep.

3. Pay attention to where you sleep. Is it too light for you even with curtains drawn? Consider buying curtains or blinds with a ‘blackout’ fabric as a lining. They are easily available, not too expensive and are fantastic to use if you’re a shift worker & have to sleep during the day.

4. Try not to eat anything after 8pm at night. This means that your body won’t be digesting (and therefore working) during the night when you’re trying to sleep. It’s just 1 less thing for your body to cope with.

5. Try & relax. Easier said than done, I know. Try to have some SSS ( silence,solitary,stillness) time to yourself. During anytime of the day would be helpful, but especially at night just before you want to get to sleep.

6. If necessary, decide to sleep in the spare room (if you have one) if you normally sleep with a partner. Sometimes the stress of thinking you’re keeping someone else awake because you can’t sleep acts as a vicious circle and just gets you more stressed out.

7. Try some over the counter herbal/natural remedies. If they don’t work for you at least they won’t have had any unpleasant side effects & you can stop taking them instantly. You don’t have to wean yourself off them. ( Remember to try them for at least 2 weeks though)

8. Try; if possible, to sleep when you feel tired- even if it seems unsociable. At least sleep when you can & then try some of the above ideas once you’re not so fractious.

9. Try holistic treatments such as reflexology, Acupuncture or massage. These work on the mind, body & spirit and may very well get to the root of the problem without needless medication.

10. Last but not least & my favourite. Use binaural beats to lower your brain frequencies in minutes to instil quick & healthy sleep patterns. Basically they are low delta frequencies; totally harmless, just relaxing and natural (your brain already produces them!) Your brain is directly responsible for sleep & it’s when there’s too much inner chatter and busyness going on that sleep seems unobtainable. We just don’t switch off. Listening to these frequencies has been a life-saver for me & they’ve given me my life back as I can now function again & no longer have to worry about how to induce sleep.

Nobody likes to lie awake at night and wonder why they can’t sleep. Insomnia is something that most people will face at least once in his or her lifetime. Having said that, here are some insomnia tips to help you fight through your sleeplessness and get back to those great dreams that you’ve been missing:

Insomnia Tip #1: Visit your doctor. Often insomnia is actually a symptom of another problem. By visiting your doctor you can rule out any physical causes of your inability to sleep. If the insomnia is being caused by a physical problem, your doctor can help you fix it.

Insomnia Tip #2: Keep a regular bedtime schedule. Some people are able to keep a varied schedule while others are not. If you find that you are doing “insomnia” searches on your computer on a regular basis, you might want to consider scheduling a regular “bedtime” for yourself. In addition to going to bed at the same time every night, develop your own “getting ready for bed ritual” and make sure that you do it at the same time every night.

The ritual can be as easy as washing your face and brushing your teeth, or you can start earlier than that and, say an hour before you want to be asleep, turn on some soothing music while you read for a few minutes and then turn down the bedding, etc. Whatever your ritual, make sure you do it in the same order at the same time every day. Eventually your body memory will take over and you will find yourself getting tired right on time! Even if you don’t feel tired, your body will learn that it needs to relax when you begin the routine each evening.

Insomnia Tip #3: Do not eat or drink too close to your bedtime. While some people advocate the drinking of warm milk or eating a turkey sandwich (both of which contain tryptophan which makes you tired), make sure that you don’t eat or drink anything within about an hour of your bedtime. If you eat or drink closer to your bedtime, you will most likely end up having to get up a few times during the night to use the bathroom. If your biggest problem with insomnia is falling asleep, getting up to use the bathroom could be what keeps you from sleeping for the rest of the night.

One of the most well known tips is this: if nothing else has worked and you find that you still can’t sleep, then get back up. For many people just the thought of getting back out of bed and returning to an activity is enough to make them fall asleep. For others, it is the action of getting back up that tells the body that it needs to relax. Even if getting back up doesn’t make you tired, at least you won’t stress out about wasting time trying to get to sleep!

Remember that not all insomnia tips are created equal and that you might need to try a few before you find the one that works best for you.

Nobody likes to lose sleep. The worst part about losing sleep is not the personality changes or the tiredness you feel the next day. The worst part is that the worry over losing sleep is probably what is keeping you awake! Everybody suffers from insomnia or other sleep disorder at some point and everybody who suffers from it wants to know if there is an insomnia cure. The problem with this thinking is that insomnia itself is not a disease but a symptom. The only real insomnia cure is to figure out why you can’t sleep and then deal with that.

Of course there are some “insomnia cures” you could try in the meantime:

Take a warm bath. The hot water will relax your muscles. It’s easier to fall asleep when your muscles are relaxed. The hot water will also help to easy muscle strains and could help relieve any muscle pain you’ve been having.

Stay away from caffeine, alcohol and tobacco. These are all stimulants and even though you might feel like you’ve built up a tolerance for them, by cutting them out even a few hours before your bedtime, your body will be more susceptible to relaxation. What’s more, smoking restricts the flow of oxygen to your heart and muscles and when your body can’t breathe, you can’t sleep!

Make your bed as comfortable as possible and try to keep it sleep centric. People who use their beds for other activities often find that they have a harder time sleeping. This is because when they climb into bed at the end of the night, there is no real signal to tell the body that it is time to relax. If you use your bed solely for sleeping, eventually your body will learn to relax as soon as it touches the sheets. Believe it or not, our bodies are very easy to train!

Many people think that sleeping on your back is a good cure because it allows all of your internal organs to rest properly. The truth is this; if you are not comfortable, it is going to be harder to sleep. So, keeping that in mind, find your most comfortable position and keep it while you are trying to fall asleep. If your body is comfortable, it will relax and sleep will come a lot easier.

For people who suffer from chronic insomnia, the only real cure might be medication. Before you go running to your over the counter sleep aids, however, you should schedule an appointment with both your regular doctor and a mental health professional. These doctors can help you determine what exactly is causing your insomnia and then they can help you work on that. Many times, it is usually just a symptom of a larger problem and fixing the larger problem will help you get back to sleep in no time! Also, if medication is needed, your doctor will know which medication is best suited to help you return to a regular sleeping schedule.

If you are having real difficulty in falling asleep at night then you may well find that you are suffering from insomnia. Even if you do fall asleep but find that it’s not a very deep sleep then it still can be insomnia too. Sometimes the problem can last for a short while and then fix itself whilst on other occasions it can be long lasting. When insomnia is just temporary it’s referred to as being transient, whilst for those who are suffering from it on a more persistent level will be known to have permanent insomnia.

Although insomnia affects both men and women, it’s generally more prevalent in women because of hormonal changes. Women obviously have more fluctuations in hormone levels throughout their lives due to pregnancy and menopause. Other reasons for people having insomnia can include certain medical conditions and also an inactive lifestyle. People who are on some types of medication can also develop insomnia and it also tends to happen as people get older.

Normally transient insomnia happens because of travelling into different time zones and because of stress, excess light and noise. Trying to get a proper sleep when there is light coming in through your window or there is a lot of noise outside is very difficult, if not impossible. Also, if you are trying to get to sleep with a bed partner snoring then this also is a very difficult task.

Normally you won’t be given any drugs if the insomnia is transient as normally the problem remedies itself. The reasons behind transient insomnia will need to be examined because once these problems are dealt with, the insomnia may go. It might be that eliminating stress, light and noise is what you need for a good night sleep.

Permanent insomnia is considered to be a much more urgent problem and you will need to look at all the different reasons you might be suffering from this type of insomnia. Having to live without a decent sleep for months on end is not a situation you want to continue forever so seeking medical advice is always a wise choice. Having a one-to-one discussion is probably the best course of action when trying to cure your chronic insomnia.

Whatever type of insomnia you have there are a number of causes such as shift patterns, drugs and caffeine. Sometimes the problem can be related to your mental or physical wellbeing. Conditions that might be looked at include sleep apnea, depression, asthma and restless leg syndrome. As you can see the list is pretty big and there are potentially even more reasons for permanent insomnia.

Insomnia is a sleeping disorder. The vast majority of people will experience some difficulty occasionally with either getting to sleep or staying asleep. Insomnia refers to a regular and persistent inability to enjoy a good night’s sleep.

The causes of insomnia are many and varied. Typically insomnia could be caused by the excessive use of stimulants such as caffeine. Psychoactive drugs, certain herbs and medications, cocaine, ephedrine, and amphetamines can all lead to a sleep disorder.

Other causes for insomnia may be life changes associated with reaching a certain age such as going through the menopause. Then there are lifestyle changes such as changing your job, divorce, death of a relative or friend. Almost any upsetting event could lead to sleep problems.

Anxiety or stress of any kind may result in a sleepless night and if not corrected may become a pattern or regular habit of insomnia.

If you notice that you have a persistent sleep problem, it is vital that you seek the advice of your doctor.

Here are some insomnia help tips that may reduce or eliminate your sleep issues:-

1) Resolve with the cause – if you are constantly worrying about something, do something to relieve or resolve the cause of your worry. If time is required to resolve the worry find some form of help during this time. Even talking about it can help reduce the worry and aid sleep.

2) Manage your stress – decide to tackle the cause of your stress or find a way of relaxing more often. You could decide to utilise a self hypnosis cd or mp3 download which can be specifically tailored to help with insomnia.

3) Exercise regularly – whether you have insomnia or not, everyone needs to get some sort of physical workout. Exercise, even walking more often releases the “feel good” hormones called endorphins. These help us to feel better and more relaxed.

4) Bedroom associations – it is crucial to maintain the use of your bedroom for sex and sleep only. Never read a book in bed or watch television. You need to keep a strong association between the bedroom and sleep.

5) Sort it out today – if possible never leave anything unfinished. Decide to do all those jobs that need doing rather than let them hand over you. Although it is impossible to do everything try to prioritise what you do so that the tasks that most worry you are the ones you deal with first.

6) Diarise your sleep – it can informative to make a note of your sleep durations and times. Keeping this information and reflecting back on it may show that the tactics you employ to help you sleep are helping even if it is happening slowly.

7) Eat with awareness – eating a large meal late at night is likely to hinder sleep rather than help it. Have your biggest meal during the day and enjoy a smaller meal at night. If it is practical leave two hours between eating and going to bed.

Avoid analytics games in bed – counting sheep is an old tactic which is supposed give your mind something to think about to help you sleep. Unfortunately “counting” is an analytical process and doesn’t help the mind to relax. A better tactic is to imagine or remember any time you were relaxed such as a holiday.

There are many ways you can help yourself to overcome your sleep disturbance. These help tips for insomnia may do enough to help you recover your ability to go to sleep easily. There is no cure for insomnia that works for everyone and so it is important to discover what works for you through trial and error.

If it helps remember you are not the only who has suffered from insomnia. People do have periods of broken sleep, insomnia or a particular sleep disorder. The solution is tackle the problem as soon as you realise you have difficulty in getting to sleep.

Sleeping is meant for the body and mind to rest. A properly rested body and mind can give you optimum performance for the activities of the following day.

The correct posture while standing is to keep your spine straight as comfortable as you can. Don’t overdo it as it will put some stress in your spinal column and skeletal muscles. Your weight should be evenly distributed to your two legs.Your shoulders should be relaxed.

Lying down however does not only involve the relaxation of your muscles. The bed or whatever you are lying on to is a big factor in giving your body the rest it needs when sleeping.

Suppose you are lying on the floor or any hard surface like wood. When you are lying on your back the pressure points are on your buttocks, shoulders, head and your legs. Some parts of your back are subject to minute pressure like the small of your back and neck. Different parts of your back is subject to uneven pressure which means that those receiving less pressure will have the tendency to sag to the floor putting stress to your spine and skeletal muscles.The same is true when you are lying on your side.

A bed with a mattress can correct this situation but not all mattresses can give your body all the comfort it needs for a restful sleep. If the mattress is too soft, it will give way to the weight of your body. Since our weight is not evenly distributed to all parts of our body when lying down, some parts of your body will be lower than the other parts putting strain to your spinal column and skeletal muscles.

On the other hand if the mattress is too firm, it would near make it only a little better than a hard surface.

With the availability of materials and technology, mattress manufacturers have come up with the right mix of firmness and softness.

When choosing a mattress for your bed, choose the one which is firm enough and soft enough to support your weight. For example when your are lying on your back, the mattress should give way to the heavier parts of your body like the hip area.

Another good product to consider are the air mattress beds. They are designed to keep your body with an even pressure on different parts of your body as much as possible. They are inflatable using an electric air pump and the air pressure can be adjusted to your body weight and comfort.

Brands like Comfortaire and AeroBed are good to consider because the make quality air bed mattresses. Comfortaire products are designed for indoor use and as a replacement for your regular bed while AeroBed products are designed for both indoor and outdoor. They employ different technologies but they both give your body a nice comfortable and restful sleep.

A restful sleep is important for our body. Consider choosing a mattress that can give you the proper body support. A truly rested body can mean a productive life the next day.

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder that occurs when people stop breathing while they sleep.

Snoring is the first symptom and a good sign that you are vulnerable to this sleeping disorder. You can tell if you have apnea or close to the point of have apnea if your snoring occurs in multiple positions for example snoring your back, or on your sides are significant signs of sleep apnea.

Snoring is the noise made when the air that is breathing in and out is passing through a partially obstructed airway. Obstruction can occur either within the airway itself or blockage from the opening of the airway or from pressure form around the airway that is closing it off.

Obstruction of the airway is mainly caused by the muscle at the back of throat being so loose and flabby that is falls and blocks the airway.

During sleep every muscle in the entire body is in a relaxed state. With the muscle at the back of the throat being loose and flabby when it relaxes it falls and blocks the airway, sometimes partially which cause snoring or totally blockage which will cause apnea.

Sleep apnea can happen between one and one hundred times during the night. Remember apnea is when you stop breathing now imagine this happen almost one hundred times during the night while your sleep. Think of how this will affect you. It will make you not have a restful night sleep during the night, because each time you wake you stop breathing, no oxygen goes to your brain and other vital organs in your body so you wake up tossing around, most likely in a panic. Because of the lack of oxygen to the brain you don’t remember of it in the morning, but you think although you have had a whole night sleep yet you wake up tired.

After failing to sleep for a few nights, you may become anxious and worry that you won’t sleep again, which can prevent the onset of natural sleep – this is termed Fear Insomnia. A major step towards fear or anxiety insomnia treatment can be to accept that you can cope with its effects, thus reducing the fear of not sleeping. You would then build upon this with behavioral therapy.

Normal foods or behaviours can act as obstacles to sleep: Caffeine and other chemical stimulants. Stress and anxiety from work, watching exciting TV programs (horror films for instance), reading really exiting novels in bed can all hinder sleep. You should look at removing any obstacles to sleep.

For instance you should not consume a caffeinated drink such as coffee after about 1pm – try drinking decaffeinated coffee instead, at least after lunch. You should not consume alcohol within two hours of going to bed, as although it may make you drowsy initially it can inhibit sleep when you wake up in the middle of the night.

There are three main areas where you can encourage sleep:

• Sleep Environment – ensure your bed is comfortable and the bedroom is quiet, dark and not too hot or cold for comfortable sleeping
• Sleep Discipline – only using your bed for sleeping (and sex), not for watching TV, studying, playing video games etc.
• Sleep Conditioning – creating a routine, going to bed and getting up at the same time

You cannot force sleep and two things which often cause problems are worry that you won’t get to sleep, or won’t get enough sleep and your mind being too active. You need to be relaxed before sleep comes, and that cannot be forced either. Hot drinks, warm baths and other relaxation techniques can help with relaxation.

The results of behavioral therapy may take effect slowly but are long term – the creation of good habits which make you less prone to insomnia.

Insomnia and Sleeping pills

Drugs may seem to provide amazing insomnia relief compared to behavioral therapies, but their results are short term and they often have other side effects.

Relaxation

Regular exercise can help control stress as well as breaking up the day after work to distance you from work problems. If done in the evening it helps relax the body in preparation for later sleep… Note that you should not exercise just before going to bed, as it may energise you immediately afterwards!

A warm drink, dairy and soy products, eggs, rice and grains as well as foods high in carbohydrate such as bread or crackers can all aid relaxation before bed.

If you are finding difficulty relaxing a warm bath can help – but don’t stay there too long, or have the water too hot!

For mental and physical stress or tension, try relaxation or meditation techniques. Once a good sleep rhythm is established, then you may no longer need them, though with continuous practice they become more effective. If you are skeptical then just treat them as fun – something to do while you are lying awake anyway.

The Insomnia sleep disorder is also known as Wakefulness or Dysomnia and is an inability to sleep, or to sleep for long enough to get a proper night’s rest. The main effect of insomnia is that you feel constantly tired, irritable, and may have poor concentration and coordination. Sleep is necessary to repair the body and provide mental and physical rest – to recharge your batteries.

The amount of sleep needed by people varies: Babies need about 17 hours sleep a day, a child nine to ten hours per night, and an adult seven to eight hours each night, though that typically decreases as you get older. If you don’t need much sleep, get up early to do things – don’t spend too long in bed as this can help trigger insomnia. A typical sleep cycle has five stages: drowsiness, light sleep, two deep sleep stages followed by REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, where most dreams occur. This first five stage cycle usually lasts about 90 minutes. The REM stage for subsequent cycles may be longer. You may have five of these cycles in a typical night’s sleep.

Child Insomnia
Chronic insomnia in children can have even more serious effects than with adults. Getting enough sleep is much more important for young children than for fully grown adults, as a childhood growth demands a healthy sleep cycle. You should not send a child to bed as a punishment as this may lead to insomnia due to a fear of being sent to bed. You should consider using a bedroom only for sleep, instead of also for play.

Infants typically wake frequently during sleep periods until about six months old when they will probably start to sleep through the night, though they will also sleep two or three hours during the day. Babies may have some other causes than adults for insomnia, such as wanting to be noticed or comforted, being hungry, having colic or pain from growing teeth. Constant attention when a baby cries on waking can be counter-productive, it may be better to let the baby stop crying on its own. Holding a child in your arms to get them to sleep, or reading stories at bed time can mean that without these triggers they will have difficulty sleeping – so weaning them off these habits should be considered at some point.

Do not give a child sleeping medicines unless advised to do so by a doctor.

Facts About Insomnia
Primary Insomnia – where there is no underlying medical cause for the difficulty in sleeping.

• Secondary Insomnia – where there is an underlying medical cause disturbing sleep.
• Secondary Insomnia has an underlying medical cause whereas Primary Insomnia does not.

Secondary insomnia can be caused by any condition causing pain or discomfort, or directly causing anxiety or other mental disturbance, or specific conditions such as Sleep Apnea or Seasonal Affective Disorder. If you suspect an underlying medical or mental condition you should seek medical advice as soon as possible.

Statistics about insomnia: Insomnia causes

• Psychological …………………………. 50%
• Behavioural: sleep environment ……. 30%
• Behavioural: stimulants or medication 10%
• Physical ……………………………….. 10%

There is a graph on insomnia showing the approximate percentages for general causes of insomnia on my blog (see end of article) if you prefer a visual representation of the figures.

• 30-40% of people report insomnia each year
• 10-15% of people reporting insomnia say they have chronic insomnia

Duration of a period of insomnia can vary from transient (a few nights) to short term (up to 3 weeks) to chronic, long term insomnia (over 3 weeks)

By duration:

• transient ——-> short term ————-> long term (chronic)
• few nights —–> up to 3 weeks ——–> more than 3 weeks

Short term or Transient insomnia can be caused by

• traumatic events such as acute illness, injury or surgery, bereavement, job loss
• less serious events such as trouble at work, an exam, traveling (including jet lag), extreme weather change

Although psychological causes of insomnia may need to be addressed by a professional psychologist or psychiatrist, behavioral causes can be addressed by yourself, and in either case encouraging sleep should help with the symptoms of insomnia.

As we all know different sleeping positions can equal different types of snoring patterns and symptoms.

For most snorers, snoring occurs while sleeping on their back. Some may only snore while on their backs while other may snore while sleeping in any position. Though sleeping on their back is the more typical case. Some may snore while laying on their side, this is less common. Then there are the people that snore in any an every position, it doesn’t matter what direction you turn them they just keep on snoring.

Some studies show that sleep positions are relevant to the cause of the snoring and can have a greater effect to the body in certain positions, which can lead to sleep apnoea. A person that snores on their sides have a higher chance of developing sleep apnoea.

There are a few ways to cure snoring. It is highly recommended for the millions of people that snore on their backs wear a simple nose strip. For others that snore on their sides there is a CPAP mask (CPAP machine). For 2 different positions there are 2 different solutions. But what about the rest of the people that snore in each and every position they lie in, will they need to use both? I think not! There is one simple safe solution that does not require you to wear any annoying devices on your face. Simple exercises to strengthen the muscles to not only prevent snoring but to totally cure it. With curing your snoring there will be no need to worry about what positions you what to sleep in to prevent your snoring, or have to buy expensive machines to prevent it or possibly run the risk of developing sleep apnoea. It will be gone.

In Chinese medicine, insomnia is a result of excessive conditions and elements in the body. Food stagnation, liver fire, and heart fire are the common underlying causes of insomnia. Insomnia may also be a symptom of other bodily deficiencies such as the qi deficiency, heart yin deficiency, and blood deficiency.

To treat insomnia through Chinese medicines, it is important that the heat is cleared. A good concoction would be the Emperor’s Tea. This tea is a combination of several sedating and nourishing herbs that removes heat from the body, leading to total relaxation. Relaxation, as everybody knows, is conducive to sleeping properly. Other than the Emperor’s Tea, other effective Chinese medicines used for insomnia are An Shen Bu Xin and Mien Pien.

Acupuncture is also a good Chinese remedy for insomnia. The application of acupuncture needles on the corresponding points could sedate the person enough to make him feel sleepy. These points are found on the ear, between the eyebrows, and the wrists. It is best that the patient request for acupuncture treatment late in the afternoon. That’s the ideal time for this treatment in order for them to enjoy a peaceful and refreshing sleep throughout the night.

For people who regard the idea of being pricked with needles as not really enticing, they could go for the equivalent treatment procedure called acupressure. The elements and the modes of treatment between these two methods are the same. The only difference is that with acupressure, the points in the body is not punctured but are just pressed with a relative amount of force.

Traditional Chinese medicine is governed by the five elements: earth, fire, water, metal, and wood. The whole concept of the Chinese treatment procedures revolves around the positive flow of energy throughout the meridians of the body. The correct interaction of the body organs is also essential in achieving one’s perfect health.

The common Chinese herbal remedies used to treat insomnia include lemon balm, lavender, passionflower, and chamomile. Teas made out of these herbs are the perfect home remedies for insomnia. And because these treatments are naturally occurring, they are regarded as natural cures for insomnia.

Cure Insomnia With An Shen Bu Xin Wan

This formula has the ability of treating a person’s sleep disorder fast and easy. Mother of pearl shells is the chief ingredient of this formula as it can settle the heart and calm the spirit. Take An Shen Bu Xin Wan pills three times a day for you to have enough sleep every time you want to relax. You can discontinue taking the pill if stomach irritation or indigestion occurs.

Emperor’s Tea remedies For Insomnia

Emperor’s tea can remove the toxins in the heart blood and the yin. It can also clear out heat deficiencies. The emperor’s tea contains an ingredient called schizandra berries that is capable of increasing your body’s resistance to diseases. It also improves the body’s capacity in handling stress.

Emperor’s tea should be taken for as long as one month to have long-last effect. Take 8 pills 3 times a day.

An Mien Pien For Insomnia Treatment

This Chinese medicinal pill contains two chief ingredients – the ziziphus seed and the polygala root. These two ingredients have a sedative, hypnotic, and nourishing effect to the body, while calming the heart. It can help address anxiety, restlessness and insomnia. Take 4 tablets three times a day.

But more than these effective Chinese medicines, a change in one’s lifestyle would also help lot in correcting the problem. Don’t take caffeine or sweets a few hours before bedtime. You should also avoid stimulations during the night. This means there should be no computer or television in the bedroom that could otherwise disturb your sleep or prevent you from sleeping at all.