Over the counter sleeping pills
Are over the counter sleeping pills any good?
Many of the over the counter sleeping pills which you can buy without prescription were originally used to treat other allergies. Then once they were found to cause drowsiness – the drug companies re-developed them and re-packaged them as insomnia cures and medications.
Antihistamines
The most common over the counter sleep remedies are probably the antihistamanes. The two most common forms of this being dipenhydramine and promethazine. They tend not to be as strong as some prescription medications and in some cases have a positive
effect on curing sleep disorders.
They can be useful with helping short term insomnia by kick starting the sufferer back into that sleep routine.
Research has shown that many of the over the counter remedies are no better than herbal remedies – so many people prefer to take something which is more natural than synthesized.
Considerations
There are a few things to consider if you are planning on taking over the counter medication. I’ll list the key ones down:
1. They shouldn’t be taken with alcohol
2. They can cause grogginess the next day if taken too late at night
3. Some are known to give the taker a very dry mouth
4. Other side effects include blurred vision or upset stomachs
Important Note:
Over the counter sleeping pills should not be taken by anyone with angina, glaucoma, prostrate or urinary infections. They should also not be taken with any anti nausea or travel sickness medication.
Tolerance
As with prescription based sleeping pills and insomnia drugs – there is the risk of building up a tolerance. This means you need to keep on increasing the dose to get the same benefits.
Nytol
Probably the best known brand of over the counter sleep remedy is Nytol. This contains the antihistamine Dipenhydramine and is often promoted as a cure for jet lag or temporary sleep disorders caused by stress. But you should not take this medication for longer than 2 weeks without seeing a GP. The other well known product similar to Nytol is Dreemon where the same advice applies.
The other antihistamine mentioned earlier is promethazine and this is the base for the other 2 well known over the counter sleep remedies – Phenergan (which is sometimes given in small doses to help babies sleep through the night and Sominex.
Hope that gives you a bit more insight into the over the counter sleep remedies –and allows you to make the decision on whether this route is right for you in your search for a good nights sleep.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Monday 11 October 2010
Are sleeping pills a long term solution?
Are sleeping pills a long term solution?
Not so long ago sleeping pills were commonly prescribed by doctors for insomnia. But there is a move away from this by the medical profession – as doctors and sleep experts become more aware of their limitations and side effects.
That is not to say sleeping pills both prescribed and over the counter don’t have some use in certain circumstances but it certainly is not a one size fits all cure. The effects may be limited and should not always be seen as a long term cure.
Temporary Reprieve
If you suffer from chronic insomnia or particularly acute sleeping problems – you may need some temporary reprieve. This where sleeping pills can be the biggest help, by helping alleviate the problem for a short period. This can help the sufferer sometimes break the cycle of sleep depravation and get back into a sleep routine.
Doctors now believe that they see far more effective results with curing insomnia by people implementing lifestyle changes. By following various psychological and behavioural approaches noticeable benefits are often found to be greater than sleeping pills and far more long term.
But sleeping pills and over the counter remedies can often give some respite till these lifestyle changes kick in. They can be a useful crutch but they don’t offer a long term solution because they don’t treat the actual cause of the insomnia.
Masking the problem
Sleeping pills mask the problem of insomnia – they do not make it go away. The other problem sleep experts have found is that sleeping pills tend to increase stage 2 Light Sleep, whilst reducing stages 4 and 5 of the sleep process – Deep Sleep and
REM sleep.
Professor Jim Horne stated that “After a few weeks of taking sleeping tablets, most users will gain no more than 20 minutes sleep and will have only fallen asleep 15 minutes earlier” Backing up the fact that sleeping pills are not the be all and end all – they definitely are not the Holy Grail when it comes to curing insomnia.
On that basis the National Health Service in the UK, recommend that GP’s only prescribed short courses of sleeping pills to avoid the insomniac developing a dependency.
So in summary – sleeping pills should only be seen as a short term solution to sleep problems, just to help try and re-establish lost sleep patterns.
There are many behavioural and psychological cures for insomnia depending on the cause and type of insomnia that are far more effective than prescription medication or over the counter supposed cures. Hopefully you can find out more about these in some of my other blogs.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Not so long ago sleeping pills were commonly prescribed by doctors for insomnia. But there is a move away from this by the medical profession – as doctors and sleep experts become more aware of their limitations and side effects.
That is not to say sleeping pills both prescribed and over the counter don’t have some use in certain circumstances but it certainly is not a one size fits all cure. The effects may be limited and should not always be seen as a long term cure.
Temporary Reprieve
If you suffer from chronic insomnia or particularly acute sleeping problems – you may need some temporary reprieve. This where sleeping pills can be the biggest help, by helping alleviate the problem for a short period. This can help the sufferer sometimes break the cycle of sleep depravation and get back into a sleep routine.
Doctors now believe that they see far more effective results with curing insomnia by people implementing lifestyle changes. By following various psychological and behavioural approaches noticeable benefits are often found to be greater than sleeping pills and far more long term.
But sleeping pills and over the counter remedies can often give some respite till these lifestyle changes kick in. They can be a useful crutch but they don’t offer a long term solution because they don’t treat the actual cause of the insomnia.
Masking the problem
Sleeping pills mask the problem of insomnia – they do not make it go away. The other problem sleep experts have found is that sleeping pills tend to increase stage 2 Light Sleep, whilst reducing stages 4 and 5 of the sleep process – Deep Sleep and
REM sleep.
Professor Jim Horne stated that “After a few weeks of taking sleeping tablets, most users will gain no more than 20 minutes sleep and will have only fallen asleep 15 minutes earlier” Backing up the fact that sleeping pills are not the be all and end all – they definitely are not the Holy Grail when it comes to curing insomnia.
On that basis the National Health Service in the UK, recommend that GP’s only prescribed short courses of sleeping pills to avoid the insomniac developing a dependency.
So in summary – sleeping pills should only be seen as a short term solution to sleep problems, just to help try and re-establish lost sleep patterns.
There are many behavioural and psychological cures for insomnia depending on the cause and type of insomnia that are far more effective than prescription medication or over the counter supposed cures. Hopefully you can find out more about these in some of my other blogs.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Curb the Caffeine
Curb the Caffeine
Caffeine is a strong stimulant and its effect can last for hours.
Research has shown that just one single mug of coffee before bedtime can lead to severe problems getting to sleep. It can also effect quality of sleep, especially that of deep sleep.
There are different levels of caffeine in different coffee’s – so a cup of instant coffee may contain around 5.4mg of caffeine whereas a cup of proper ground coffee can contain as much as 2.5 times as much caffeine – averaging between 105 and 125mg.
But don’t think tea is the answer – a cup of tea can also contain about 40mg of caffeine – so this can act as a stimulant too!
Our advice - don’t drink tea or coffee too close to bedtime – especially if you have trouble dropping off.
Whilst it is not necessary to give up coffee completely if you have a problem sleeping – its best just not to drink it after 2pm in the afternoon. The other option is to try drinking de-caffeinated tea or coffee – which are both easily available from most supermarkets.
Hope this helps a bit – but basically if you want a good night’s sleep you need to CURB THE COFFEE.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Caffeine is a strong stimulant and its effect can last for hours.
Research has shown that just one single mug of coffee before bedtime can lead to severe problems getting to sleep. It can also effect quality of sleep, especially that of deep sleep.
There are different levels of caffeine in different coffee’s – so a cup of instant coffee may contain around 5.4mg of caffeine whereas a cup of proper ground coffee can contain as much as 2.5 times as much caffeine – averaging between 105 and 125mg.
But don’t think tea is the answer – a cup of tea can also contain about 40mg of caffeine – so this can act as a stimulant too!
Our advice - don’t drink tea or coffee too close to bedtime – especially if you have trouble dropping off.
Whilst it is not necessary to give up coffee completely if you have a problem sleeping – its best just not to drink it after 2pm in the afternoon. The other option is to try drinking de-caffeinated tea or coffee – which are both easily available from most supermarkets.
Hope this helps a bit – but basically if you want a good night’s sleep you need to CURB THE COFFEE.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Caffeine Calculator
Just a quick note for those of you concerned that caffeine intake is effecting your sleep.
If you want to be sure how much caffeine is contained in various drinks or foodstuffs ( a 50g bar of chocolate can contain as much as 50mg of caffeine!) there is a great resource available on The National Sleep Foundation Website which can be found at:
www.sleepfoundation.org
Worth a look...
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
If you want to be sure how much caffeine is contained in various drinks or foodstuffs ( a 50g bar of chocolate can contain as much as 50mg of caffeine!) there is a great resource available on The National Sleep Foundation Website which can be found at:
www.sleepfoundation.org
Worth a look...
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Choosing the right bed to help cure insomnia
Choosing the right bed to help cure insomnia.
This week I helped my friend Dave drag a double mattress up two flights of stairs. It nearly killed me! We had to bend it round corners and use brute force to drag it up the last few steps.
He certainly owe’s me a few beers!
Dave and his wife Lauren had finally decided to get a new bed as Laurens back had been getting increasingly worse and had been really affecting her sleep. The idea was that by treating the cause, that Lauren would start to get a good night’s sleep again.
Let’s hope it works
It got me thinking…
As I’ve made it my mission to help other people get over their sleep problems and insomnia – the fact Dave & Lauren were getting a new bed made me think. And before you say well that’s a first! – I thought I’d spend a bit of time researching the subjects of BEDS.
You might not be thinking of changing your bed, or be able to afford to do it, but the information below may be useful when you do and for the sake of 5 minutes you might find it interesting.
To tell you the truth – I didn’t realise there was so much to the subject!
We spend a third of our lives in bed!
This fact seems obvious, but when you start to think about it, it is a huge proportion. Even though this is the case – few of us pay any attention as to whether they are comfortable, supportive or most importantly – sleep enhancing.
When is it time to get a change a bed?
The Sleep Council suggests it’s probably time to change your bed when:
1. You wake up with aches and pains (which disappear during the day)
2. Your mattress shows signs of wear and tear
3. You are not sleeping as well as you previously did
4. Dips appear where you lie, as you roll into a partners space
The Sleep Council recommend that to help with sleep related problems and as a treatment to avoid insomnia- that generally people should replace their beds every 8 years.
Isn’t a bed just a bed?
There are lots of different types of beds. I’ll try and give you a bit of an outline – on what everything means when choosing the right bed to help cure insomnia:
There are 2 types of bed base –
Bedsteads and Divans
Traditionally divans have been the most popular – but bedsteads have recently enjoyed a bit of a revival over the last 5 years according The Sleep Council.
There are 4 types of divan
1. Spring edged divans – having an open coil or pocket spring base on a frame. They provide even support and shock absorbtion. They are probably the most luxurious and often last the longest. They do give a comfortable night’s sleep and if insomnia is brought about by being uncomfortable instead of a psychological factor they do help with insomnia relief.
2. Solid or platform top divans have a non sprung top panel, usually made from
hardboard. They are firmer and cheaper than a sprung base bed –but are often preferred as an insomnia treatment due to the extra support.
3. Firm edge divans – these have fewer, bigger heavy duty springs with a solid wooden side frame. Again as a firmer bed they often help back related problems and act as an insomnia cure if back problems are the route cause of the problem.
4. Flexible slatted divans – these have flexible soft wood slats that make them slightly springy. These are sometimes preferred by people with anxiety related insomnia as they help people to relax and de-stress with their added softness and flexibility.
Now as well as the divans – the other type of bed I mentioned earlier was the
Bedstead.
Bedsteads are an alternate bedbase and basically have either flexible or rigid wooden slats or rigid wire mesh to support the mattress. They are more often found in rented accommodation and do tend to be slightly less comfortable. They do actually have some advantages over divans which I’ll detail later.
Many insomnia specialist recommend if you are changing your bed to help alleviate insomnia problems and try and gain some extra relief – that divans are the preferred option.
Hopefully you’re still with me and I haven’t sent you to sleep! I’ll wake you up now with a gross fact!
Night sweating
It’s thought that we lose at least half a pint of moisture each night through perspiration (or sweating). Gross thought isn’t it!
Some people, especially if they are overweight or it is particularly hot can lose up to 1 and a half pints of moisture a night! Just picture how wet your bed would be if you tipped a pint of water on your bed?
Temperature change
This sweating can cause a change in temperature which can disturb sleep and cause insomnia. There is a school of thought that wooden slatted bedsteads can help aid sleep and relive insomnia by allowing air to circulate beneath the mattress, helping to disperse body heat and reduce sweating.
Another plus point for bedsteads is they are more hard wearing so that after 8 years you may be able to just change your mattress and not the whole bed.
Does size matter!
A basic rule of thumb is to buy the biggest bed you can afford. If you sleep with a partner – make sure there is enough space so that the other person can sleep if one of you has a fitful nights sleep.
A few bed related top tips…
The Sleep Council offers lots of advice on everything sleep related. Here are a few top tips you might find of interest especially if you have insomnia problems…
Back Pain
To prevent back pain related insomnia – choose a supportive bed. A medium bed with proper cushioning is sometimes better than an orthopaedic or hard base.
Snoring
Sleep with your head raised – to help cure snoring related insomnia. Adjustable base beds are often the best way of achieving this.
Mobility
Raising the head of the bed can often help getting in and out of bed easier for people with mobility problems caused by accident, illness or age.
Circulation
People with poor circulation, who are often woken in the night by pins and needles or cold feet, can often treat their insomnia by sleeping with raised feet. This can be done with an adjustable bed as well – or the cheaper alternative of just positioning an extra pillow beneath your feet!
Well, all this bed talk is making me tired, so I hope the information ultimately helps you in some way.
A new bed may not be the miracle cure for insomnia – as insomnia cures often involve addressing the route cause. But as we spend a third of or life in bed, the more comfortable the environment – the better!
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
This week I helped my friend Dave drag a double mattress up two flights of stairs. It nearly killed me! We had to bend it round corners and use brute force to drag it up the last few steps.
He certainly owe’s me a few beers!
Dave and his wife Lauren had finally decided to get a new bed as Laurens back had been getting increasingly worse and had been really affecting her sleep. The idea was that by treating the cause, that Lauren would start to get a good night’s sleep again.
Let’s hope it works
It got me thinking…
As I’ve made it my mission to help other people get over their sleep problems and insomnia – the fact Dave & Lauren were getting a new bed made me think. And before you say well that’s a first! – I thought I’d spend a bit of time researching the subjects of BEDS.
You might not be thinking of changing your bed, or be able to afford to do it, but the information below may be useful when you do and for the sake of 5 minutes you might find it interesting.
To tell you the truth – I didn’t realise there was so much to the subject!
We spend a third of our lives in bed!
This fact seems obvious, but when you start to think about it, it is a huge proportion. Even though this is the case – few of us pay any attention as to whether they are comfortable, supportive or most importantly – sleep enhancing.
When is it time to get a change a bed?
The Sleep Council suggests it’s probably time to change your bed when:
1. You wake up with aches and pains (which disappear during the day)
2. Your mattress shows signs of wear and tear
3. You are not sleeping as well as you previously did
4. Dips appear where you lie, as you roll into a partners space
The Sleep Council recommend that to help with sleep related problems and as a treatment to avoid insomnia- that generally people should replace their beds every 8 years.
Isn’t a bed just a bed?
There are lots of different types of beds. I’ll try and give you a bit of an outline – on what everything means when choosing the right bed to help cure insomnia:
There are 2 types of bed base –
Bedsteads and Divans
Traditionally divans have been the most popular – but bedsteads have recently enjoyed a bit of a revival over the last 5 years according The Sleep Council.
There are 4 types of divan
1. Spring edged divans – having an open coil or pocket spring base on a frame. They provide even support and shock absorbtion. They are probably the most luxurious and often last the longest. They do give a comfortable night’s sleep and if insomnia is brought about by being uncomfortable instead of a psychological factor they do help with insomnia relief.
2. Solid or platform top divans have a non sprung top panel, usually made from
hardboard. They are firmer and cheaper than a sprung base bed –but are often preferred as an insomnia treatment due to the extra support.
3. Firm edge divans – these have fewer, bigger heavy duty springs with a solid wooden side frame. Again as a firmer bed they often help back related problems and act as an insomnia cure if back problems are the route cause of the problem.
4. Flexible slatted divans – these have flexible soft wood slats that make them slightly springy. These are sometimes preferred by people with anxiety related insomnia as they help people to relax and de-stress with their added softness and flexibility.
Now as well as the divans – the other type of bed I mentioned earlier was the
Bedstead.
Bedsteads are an alternate bedbase and basically have either flexible or rigid wooden slats or rigid wire mesh to support the mattress. They are more often found in rented accommodation and do tend to be slightly less comfortable. They do actually have some advantages over divans which I’ll detail later.
Many insomnia specialist recommend if you are changing your bed to help alleviate insomnia problems and try and gain some extra relief – that divans are the preferred option.
Hopefully you’re still with me and I haven’t sent you to sleep! I’ll wake you up now with a gross fact!
Night sweating
It’s thought that we lose at least half a pint of moisture each night through perspiration (or sweating). Gross thought isn’t it!
Some people, especially if they are overweight or it is particularly hot can lose up to 1 and a half pints of moisture a night! Just picture how wet your bed would be if you tipped a pint of water on your bed?
Temperature change
This sweating can cause a change in temperature which can disturb sleep and cause insomnia. There is a school of thought that wooden slatted bedsteads can help aid sleep and relive insomnia by allowing air to circulate beneath the mattress, helping to disperse body heat and reduce sweating.
Another plus point for bedsteads is they are more hard wearing so that after 8 years you may be able to just change your mattress and not the whole bed.
Does size matter!
A basic rule of thumb is to buy the biggest bed you can afford. If you sleep with a partner – make sure there is enough space so that the other person can sleep if one of you has a fitful nights sleep.
A few bed related top tips…
The Sleep Council offers lots of advice on everything sleep related. Here are a few top tips you might find of interest especially if you have insomnia problems…
Back Pain
To prevent back pain related insomnia – choose a supportive bed. A medium bed with proper cushioning is sometimes better than an orthopaedic or hard base.
Snoring
Sleep with your head raised – to help cure snoring related insomnia. Adjustable base beds are often the best way of achieving this.
Mobility
Raising the head of the bed can often help getting in and out of bed easier for people with mobility problems caused by accident, illness or age.
Circulation
People with poor circulation, who are often woken in the night by pins and needles or cold feet, can often treat their insomnia by sleeping with raised feet. This can be done with an adjustable bed as well – or the cheaper alternative of just positioning an extra pillow beneath your feet!
Well, all this bed talk is making me tired, so I hope the information ultimately helps you in some way.
A new bed may not be the miracle cure for insomnia – as insomnia cures often involve addressing the route cause. But as we spend a third of or life in bed, the more comfortable the environment – the better!
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Saturday 9 October 2010
Restless Leg syndrome
Restless Leg syndrome
You may have heard about something called restless leg syndrome as being one of the main causes of insomnia.
This is where you have an irresistible urge to move your legs which stops you falling or staying asleep. These sudden movements happen without warning and are often so severe they wake the sufferer up with a jolt in the middle of the night.
A recent study showed that iron deficiency is often the cause of Restless Leg Syndrome.
You can increase iron levels in your diet and therefore aid the symptoms of Restless Leg Syndrome.
Good sources of iron include:
Salmon
Sardines
Tuna
Eggs
Liver
Meat
Chicken
Green vegetables
Dried fruit and nuts
Wholemeal bread
It has been found that the absorbtion of iron by the body can be increased by vitamin C intake. So remember to have lots of fruit juice and fresh fruit with your meals.
Hope this helps you.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
You may have heard about something called restless leg syndrome as being one of the main causes of insomnia.
This is where you have an irresistible urge to move your legs which stops you falling or staying asleep. These sudden movements happen without warning and are often so severe they wake the sufferer up with a jolt in the middle of the night.
A recent study showed that iron deficiency is often the cause of Restless Leg Syndrome.
You can increase iron levels in your diet and therefore aid the symptoms of Restless Leg Syndrome.
Good sources of iron include:
Salmon
Sardines
Tuna
Eggs
Liver
Meat
Chicken
Green vegetables
Dried fruit and nuts
Wholemeal bread
It has been found that the absorbtion of iron by the body can be increased by vitamin C intake. So remember to have lots of fruit juice and fresh fruit with your meals.
Hope this helps you.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Get a Massage To Cure Your Insomnia
Can you massage away your stress and gain a good nights sleep?
This week I’ve been doing some research into the benefits of massage and how they can help as part of a cure for insomnia.
I’ll share with you my findings... `
Massage is one of the oldest and most effective methods of reducing stress. Daily stresses cause tension and lead to pain and stiffness in the muscles.
The Greek Philosopher Hippocrates – known as the father of Modern Medicine recognised the benefits of massage hundreds of years ago and is quoted as saying “massage can loosen a joint that is too rigid”.
Massage involves touch and pressure – both powerful tools which can help ease away pain and tension which leads to aches and ultimately keep a person awake.
So how exactly does it work?
Massage works by helping to release endorphins – the bodies own natural painkillers as well as a natural substance called serotonin which helps aid relaxation. There are a couple of other health benefits with massage as well – it helps decrease the level of stress hormone in the blood as well as helping improve people’s circulation.
FACT Babies sleep much better after massage and there are a number of Baby Massage Groups set up around health care centres – but the same principle applies for adults with massage having great relaxing effects.
Recent research conducted on sufferers of something called Fibromyalgia (basically a medical condition leading to stiffness, muscle pain and fatigue) showed that massage had significant benefits when it came to pain relief and this in turn helped the sufferer to sleep for longer.
If you can’t afford to go to a trained masseur there are some simple things you can do with your partner to enjoy the sleep benefits associated with massage.
Firstly you need to create your own massage oil which will help reduce friction when massaging the muscles. Basically ask your chemist for a suitable aromatherapy oil – one which supposedly helps sleep like lavender is a good choice. Combine this with a carrier oil such as almond or grapeseed.
Then loosen your buttons of your shirt and get your partner to start by giving you a head, shoulder and neck massage.
Here are a few basic techniques...
STROKING – guide both hands over the skin in a rhythmic fanning or circular movement.
KNEADING – Using alternate hands, squeeze and release flesh between your fingers and thumbs – like kneading dough!
FRICTION – Use your thumbs to provide even pressure or make small circles on either side of the spine.
HACKING – Use the sides of both hands in a relaxed state to give a short, sharp taps all over.
So hopefully now you have some of the tools for a bit of DIY massage- which should lead to reducing stress and maybe the start of a good nights sleep.
Massage is something that a lot of people have written to me about to say it has worked to some extent for them – so good luck.
With a lot of the advice that I post on my blog it will work for some, but not for others but as I explained if you do it yourself it doesn’t have to break the bank – so you have nothing to lose. Even if it doesn’t help you sleep – it will certainly help you rest and relax.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
This week I’ve been doing some research into the benefits of massage and how they can help as part of a cure for insomnia.
I’ll share with you my findings... `
Massage is one of the oldest and most effective methods of reducing stress. Daily stresses cause tension and lead to pain and stiffness in the muscles.
The Greek Philosopher Hippocrates – known as the father of Modern Medicine recognised the benefits of massage hundreds of years ago and is quoted as saying “massage can loosen a joint that is too rigid”.
Massage involves touch and pressure – both powerful tools which can help ease away pain and tension which leads to aches and ultimately keep a person awake.
So how exactly does it work?
Massage works by helping to release endorphins – the bodies own natural painkillers as well as a natural substance called serotonin which helps aid relaxation. There are a couple of other health benefits with massage as well – it helps decrease the level of stress hormone in the blood as well as helping improve people’s circulation.
FACT Babies sleep much better after massage and there are a number of Baby Massage Groups set up around health care centres – but the same principle applies for adults with massage having great relaxing effects.
Recent research conducted on sufferers of something called Fibromyalgia (basically a medical condition leading to stiffness, muscle pain and fatigue) showed that massage had significant benefits when it came to pain relief and this in turn helped the sufferer to sleep for longer.
If you can’t afford to go to a trained masseur there are some simple things you can do with your partner to enjoy the sleep benefits associated with massage.
Firstly you need to create your own massage oil which will help reduce friction when massaging the muscles. Basically ask your chemist for a suitable aromatherapy oil – one which supposedly helps sleep like lavender is a good choice. Combine this with a carrier oil such as almond or grapeseed.
Then loosen your buttons of your shirt and get your partner to start by giving you a head, shoulder and neck massage.
Here are a few basic techniques...
STROKING – guide both hands over the skin in a rhythmic fanning or circular movement.
KNEADING – Using alternate hands, squeeze and release flesh between your fingers and thumbs – like kneading dough!
FRICTION – Use your thumbs to provide even pressure or make small circles on either side of the spine.
HACKING – Use the sides of both hands in a relaxed state to give a short, sharp taps all over.
So hopefully now you have some of the tools for a bit of DIY massage- which should lead to reducing stress and maybe the start of a good nights sleep.
Massage is something that a lot of people have written to me about to say it has worked to some extent for them – so good luck.
With a lot of the advice that I post on my blog it will work for some, but not for others but as I explained if you do it yourself it doesn’t have to break the bank – so you have nothing to lose. Even if it doesn’t help you sleep – it will certainly help you rest and relax.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Ditch the telly!
Ditch the telly!
Get rid of the television in the bedroom.
This really did help me in my quest for a cure for insomnia...
Stop watching TV in bed late at night. It basically over stimulates the brain making it difficult to switch off.
Taking a lap top or computer to bed has a similar effect – so don’t do it. Bright lights from a TV and computers can also interfere with the production of hormones such as Melatonin that help regulate the sleep/awake cycle and are responsible for helping you get a good nights sleep.
So – keep the telly in the living room, and keep the bedroom for sleeping.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Get rid of the television in the bedroom.
This really did help me in my quest for a cure for insomnia...
Stop watching TV in bed late at night. It basically over stimulates the brain making it difficult to switch off.
Taking a lap top or computer to bed has a similar effect – so don’t do it. Bright lights from a TV and computers can also interfere with the production of hormones such as Melatonin that help regulate the sleep/awake cycle and are responsible for helping you get a good nights sleep.
So – keep the telly in the living room, and keep the bedroom for sleeping.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Blackout!!!
Darkness stimulates your brain to produce the sleep hormone melatonin – light disrupts this problem.
You need to make sure that your sleep environment is as dark as possible. If you live near bright lights – line your curtains with blackout cloth or invest in some blackout blinds. Close bedroom door and shut out the light.
Don’t leave lamps on when you are asleep of have computer screens glowing in the background – you need total darkness.
Also remember to dim the lights in your bedroom as you start to wind down. This will help your body to start relax and your natural body clock to start to realise it is time for sleep.
If you work shifts and have to sleep during the day, or if you live in a particularly light area with a street light just outside your bedroom window – it’s worth considering an eye mask to help recreate the sensation of darkness/night.
These eye masks are easily available and can be found in pharmacists and travel/luggage shops.
Remember – when trying to sleep – Black is good!
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
You need to make sure that your sleep environment is as dark as possible. If you live near bright lights – line your curtains with blackout cloth or invest in some blackout blinds. Close bedroom door and shut out the light.
Don’t leave lamps on when you are asleep of have computer screens glowing in the background – you need total darkness.
Also remember to dim the lights in your bedroom as you start to wind down. This will help your body to start relax and your natural body clock to start to realise it is time for sleep.
If you work shifts and have to sleep during the day, or if you live in a particularly light area with a street light just outside your bedroom window – it’s worth considering an eye mask to help recreate the sensation of darkness/night.
These eye masks are easily available and can be found in pharmacists and travel/luggage shops.
Remember – when trying to sleep – Black is good!
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Can yoga help you to relax to overcome sleep problems and cure insomnia?
Can yoga help you to relax to overcome sleep problems and cure insomnia?
This isn’t for everyone, but even for someone like me who isn’t exactly subtle or flexible it did seem to help when it came to getting a good nights sleep.
What’s it all about then?
Yoga is a gentle form of exercise that aids relaxation by taking your mind off your
worries. On this basis it is ideal for doing early in the evening to help you wind down before bedtime.
Yoga has also proven benefits in increasing peoples flexibility and strengthening the body.
So where does it all come?
The word yoga stems from the Sanskrit word Yuji which means “Union”. So yoga postures and breathing exercises work to unite the mind, body and soul into a union.
Stick with me – that’s enough of the history!
Research into the benefits of Yoga at The Edinburgh Sleep Centre have shown that Yoga can help alleviate the symptoms of insomnia.
So how does this work?
Yoga can help promote sleep by:
a. Calming the mind
b. Relieving stress and tension
c. Relaxing muscles
d. Easing aches and pains
There are many techniques and types of yoga which I’ll send you more information about in the future, but there are a couple of processes I can share with you now.
1. Corpse Pose – This method involves lying on your back and tensing and relaxing muscles step by step. It is a variation of Muscle Relaxation Therapy which I’ve talked to you about before.
2. Shoulder stand – This method is where you form an upside down pose, then hold this pose for a minute then relax.
As I mentioned, it would take too long to talk to you about all the techniques now. But if you are interested about finding more about the positive effects of yoga further this is a good website to get started on
www.abc-of -yoga.com
The site offers advice on various positions and gives you an animated step by step guide which was great for me when I started trying out things at home.
Give it a try – you never know – it may help you relax and get a good nights sleep. As much as I felt a bit self conscious when I first started – it really did seem to help me wind down and chill out after a hard days work and I did feel real benefits when it came to sleeping.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
This isn’t for everyone, but even for someone like me who isn’t exactly subtle or flexible it did seem to help when it came to getting a good nights sleep.
What’s it all about then?
Yoga is a gentle form of exercise that aids relaxation by taking your mind off your
worries. On this basis it is ideal for doing early in the evening to help you wind down before bedtime.
Yoga has also proven benefits in increasing peoples flexibility and strengthening the body.
So where does it all come?
The word yoga stems from the Sanskrit word Yuji which means “Union”. So yoga postures and breathing exercises work to unite the mind, body and soul into a union.
Stick with me – that’s enough of the history!
Research into the benefits of Yoga at The Edinburgh Sleep Centre have shown that Yoga can help alleviate the symptoms of insomnia.
So how does this work?
Yoga can help promote sleep by:
a. Calming the mind
b. Relieving stress and tension
c. Relaxing muscles
d. Easing aches and pains
There are many techniques and types of yoga which I’ll send you more information about in the future, but there are a couple of processes I can share with you now.
1. Corpse Pose – This method involves lying on your back and tensing and relaxing muscles step by step. It is a variation of Muscle Relaxation Therapy which I’ve talked to you about before.
2. Shoulder stand – This method is where you form an upside down pose, then hold this pose for a minute then relax.
As I mentioned, it would take too long to talk to you about all the techniques now. But if you are interested about finding more about the positive effects of yoga further this is a good website to get started on
www.abc-of -yoga.com
The site offers advice on various positions and gives you an animated step by step guide which was great for me when I started trying out things at home.
Give it a try – you never know – it may help you relax and get a good nights sleep. As much as I felt a bit self conscious when I first started – it really did seem to help me wind down and chill out after a hard days work and I did feel real benefits when it came to sleeping.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Can increasing levels of calcium in your body help cure insomnia?
Can increasing levels of calcium in your body help cure insomnia?
Many experts believe that diet plays a big part in curing insomnia.
One key finding relates to the effects of calcium on sleep, particularly how increasing levels can lead to improved sleep. Nutritionalist Margaret Lumsden warns “Calcium deficiency can often show itself as insomnia”.
So how does she recommend that we get over any deficiency and increase levels in our diet?
Well, she explains that one of the richest sources of calcium is dairy products – especially low fat milk, cheese, cream and yoghurt. These are all easily available at the supermarket and not that expensive to add into your shopping basket.
There are other good sources of calcium.
They may not be everyone’s favourite thing but tinned sardines are great – especially if you eat the bones!
If you are vegetarian, don’t fear – there are many none animal sources of calcium. Green leafy vegetables are good sources – stuff like kale, broccoli, watercress, cabbage, leeks, spinach and sprouts. Other vegetarian options include parsnips, figs, dates and dried apricots. You can also get good levels of calcium from eating lentils, oats, beans, brazil nuts, almonds , seeds and tofu.
So there are a few pointers as to how you can up your calcium levels in your diet to aid sleep.
But as well as diet is there anything else that can help raise your calcium levels?...As part of Margaret’s work as a nutritionalist – she has been doing some research recently on how to increase the absorbtion of calcium - so your body benefits more from the things that you are eating.
On simple thing that she has found is that by drinking a tablespoon of cider vinegar and honey in warm water, two or three times a day, dramatically increases calcium absorbtion. There are other things that you can do which are meant to increase calcium absorbtion – “good bacteria” being one. You can find these in most foodstores as probiotic drinks and foods.
Probiotics such as Lacto bacillus can be found in natural yoghurt – which is often cheaper than the pro biotic drinks on sale.
Finally, if you live in hard water areas – don’t forget there is more calcium in the water – so remember this is a cheap source of calcium straight from the tap!
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Many experts believe that diet plays a big part in curing insomnia.
One key finding relates to the effects of calcium on sleep, particularly how increasing levels can lead to improved sleep. Nutritionalist Margaret Lumsden warns “Calcium deficiency can often show itself as insomnia”.
So how does she recommend that we get over any deficiency and increase levels in our diet?
Well, she explains that one of the richest sources of calcium is dairy products – especially low fat milk, cheese, cream and yoghurt. These are all easily available at the supermarket and not that expensive to add into your shopping basket.
There are other good sources of calcium.
They may not be everyone’s favourite thing but tinned sardines are great – especially if you eat the bones!
If you are vegetarian, don’t fear – there are many none animal sources of calcium. Green leafy vegetables are good sources – stuff like kale, broccoli, watercress, cabbage, leeks, spinach and sprouts. Other vegetarian options include parsnips, figs, dates and dried apricots. You can also get good levels of calcium from eating lentils, oats, beans, brazil nuts, almonds , seeds and tofu.
So there are a few pointers as to how you can up your calcium levels in your diet to aid sleep.
But as well as diet is there anything else that can help raise your calcium levels?...As part of Margaret’s work as a nutritionalist – she has been doing some research recently on how to increase the absorbtion of calcium - so your body benefits more from the things that you are eating.
On simple thing that she has found is that by drinking a tablespoon of cider vinegar and honey in warm water, two or three times a day, dramatically increases calcium absorbtion. There are other things that you can do which are meant to increase calcium absorbtion – “good bacteria” being one. You can find these in most foodstores as probiotic drinks and foods.
Probiotics such as Lacto bacillus can be found in natural yoghurt – which is often cheaper than the pro biotic drinks on sale.
Finally, if you live in hard water areas – don’t forget there is more calcium in the water – so remember this is a cheap source of calcium straight from the tap!
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Wednesday 6 October 2010
Insomnia Jargon Buster R-So
Hi there
Jargon Busting – R-So!
Here’s are a few more explanations of definitions that you’ll probably come across if you’re trying to understand your insomnia. Hope it sheds a bit of light on the subject.
RAPID EYE MOVEMENT (REM) – This is the type of sleep which occurs during sleep stage 5 when the brain is really active. This is seen by many experts as the best type of sleep and usually involves the eyes moving around quickly when the eyelids are closed. Now you know where the band got their name from!!
RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME (RLS) – This is where the sufferer is constantly woken up during sleep by involuntary movements of the limbs – usually causing a sudden jolt and disrupting sleep.
SERATONIN – This a substance that the body makes which then helps make the sleep hormone MELATONIN. You’ll sometimes find it referred to as 5HT.
SHORT TERM INSOMNIA – These are bouts of insomnia which can still be severe which last up to one month.
SOMNAMBULISM – This is just another term for Sleepwalking, where people get up and move around during the night without being properly awake.
I’ll stop with definitions for the time being, but there are a load of definitions all starting with the word SLEEP, which I’ll try and explain the actual meaning of shortly.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Jargon Busting – R-So!
Here’s are a few more explanations of definitions that you’ll probably come across if you’re trying to understand your insomnia. Hope it sheds a bit of light on the subject.
RAPID EYE MOVEMENT (REM) – This is the type of sleep which occurs during sleep stage 5 when the brain is really active. This is seen by many experts as the best type of sleep and usually involves the eyes moving around quickly when the eyelids are closed. Now you know where the band got their name from!!
RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME (RLS) – This is where the sufferer is constantly woken up during sleep by involuntary movements of the limbs – usually causing a sudden jolt and disrupting sleep.
SERATONIN – This a substance that the body makes which then helps make the sleep hormone MELATONIN. You’ll sometimes find it referred to as 5HT.
SHORT TERM INSOMNIA – These are bouts of insomnia which can still be severe which last up to one month.
SOMNAMBULISM – This is just another term for Sleepwalking, where people get up and move around during the night without being properly awake.
I’ll stop with definitions for the time being, but there are a load of definitions all starting with the word SLEEP, which I’ll try and explain the actual meaning of shortly.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
7 top tips on avoiding jet lad triggered insomnia
My wife has just returned from a long haul trip to the States with work. After a couple of weeks with her struggling to sleep and waking me up in the middle of the night to look at paint samples I thought I’d better start looking at how I can stop this from happening again!
So I’ve decided to pull together some facts on the causes of jetlag and some tips on things that you can do to avoid it. Even if you’ve not got a long flights across timezones coming up soon – hopefully you can remember the tips and they will come in handy in the future.
So what is jet lag exactly?
Well, one of the downsides of long distance travel across different timezones is that it confuses your body clock – this can lead to throwing peoples sleep patterns.
The syptoms manifest themselves as severe tiredness and fatigue as well as minor disorientation.
7 Top Tips on avoiding jetlag
The tips below have been proven to help with minimising the effects of jetlag.
1. Your watch
Change your watch to your destination time as soon as you board the plane. It’s a small thing but it really helps you mentally adjust to arriving at your destination.
2. Eating
Eat after you land, rather than just on the plane. This will help your body clock adjust. It will also help you feel dozy as long as you keep to a light meal. A salad is often good as lettuce has been found to actually help people sleep.
3. Bedtime
When you arrive at your destination – force yourself to stay awake. It’s best not to sleep until it is bedtime in that timezone.
4. Routine
If it is bedtime when you arrive, follow your normal bedtime routine. This will encourage sleep.
5. Dehydration
This makes jetlag worse. It is important to try and avoid too much alcohol on your flight and instead drink lots of water.
6. Light
If you have arrived in daylight when it should be dark in the time zone you’ve come from – try and avoid light as much as you can the first day or so.
7. Active
Finally, be as active as you can during daylight hours. This will help you naturally feel tired at night time in the new timezone. Fatigue can be a great way of getting back into a sleep routine.
Hope these tips come in use at some point in the future
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
So I’ve decided to pull together some facts on the causes of jetlag and some tips on things that you can do to avoid it. Even if you’ve not got a long flights across timezones coming up soon – hopefully you can remember the tips and they will come in handy in the future.
So what is jet lag exactly?
Well, one of the downsides of long distance travel across different timezones is that it confuses your body clock – this can lead to throwing peoples sleep patterns.
The syptoms manifest themselves as severe tiredness and fatigue as well as minor disorientation.
7 Top Tips on avoiding jetlag
The tips below have been proven to help with minimising the effects of jetlag.
1. Your watch
Change your watch to your destination time as soon as you board the plane. It’s a small thing but it really helps you mentally adjust to arriving at your destination.
2. Eating
Eat after you land, rather than just on the plane. This will help your body clock adjust. It will also help you feel dozy as long as you keep to a light meal. A salad is often good as lettuce has been found to actually help people sleep.
3. Bedtime
When you arrive at your destination – force yourself to stay awake. It’s best not to sleep until it is bedtime in that timezone.
4. Routine
If it is bedtime when you arrive, follow your normal bedtime routine. This will encourage sleep.
5. Dehydration
This makes jetlag worse. It is important to try and avoid too much alcohol on your flight and instead drink lots of water.
6. Light
If you have arrived in daylight when it should be dark in the time zone you’ve come from – try and avoid light as much as you can the first day or so.
7. Active
Finally, be as active as you can during daylight hours. This will help you naturally feel tired at night time in the new timezone. Fatigue can be a great way of getting back into a sleep routine.
Hope these tips come in use at some point in the future
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Sleep restriction
Really interesting YouTube clip on Sleep restriction as a cure for insomnia
There was a really interesting documentary on BBC television I caught the end of, about people with sleep disorders. The bit that really caught my attention was about a TV presenter called Dominic Diamond – who I had met about twenty years earlier at a comedy club when he was plying his trade as a budding stand up comic.
To be honest he wasn’t much good – so I can see why he’s ended up as a TV presenter as opposed to the next Chris Rock or Ricky Jervais!
In the documentary, Dominic admits to sometimes going 72 hours without sleep and they interview him and his family about how this effects their life. It really brought back memories of my sleepless night and how it effected my marriage when I was at the height of my insomnia.
His sleep depravation was really making his life a misery and he would be classed as a particularly chronic insomniac – having suffered from long bouts of sleeplessness since his teenage years.
I think you’ll find it interesting and it may help you see that you are not alone with this condition.
Edinburgh Sleep Centre
I won’t spoil it for you – but there is an amazing simple technique offered up by Colin Epsie one of the Directors at The Edinburgh Sleep Centre. Called Sleep restriction – it appeared to show some stunning results. I’ll let you make your own mind up…
Check out the clip yourself…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrsCl_hnaWc
Hope you find it interesting and of some help.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
There was a really interesting documentary on BBC television I caught the end of, about people with sleep disorders. The bit that really caught my attention was about a TV presenter called Dominic Diamond – who I had met about twenty years earlier at a comedy club when he was plying his trade as a budding stand up comic.
To be honest he wasn’t much good – so I can see why he’s ended up as a TV presenter as opposed to the next Chris Rock or Ricky Jervais!
In the documentary, Dominic admits to sometimes going 72 hours without sleep and they interview him and his family about how this effects their life. It really brought back memories of my sleepless night and how it effected my marriage when I was at the height of my insomnia.
His sleep depravation was really making his life a misery and he would be classed as a particularly chronic insomniac – having suffered from long bouts of sleeplessness since his teenage years.
I think you’ll find it interesting and it may help you see that you are not alone with this condition.
Edinburgh Sleep Centre
I won’t spoil it for you – but there is an amazing simple technique offered up by Colin Epsie one of the Directors at The Edinburgh Sleep Centre. Called Sleep restriction – it appeared to show some stunning results. I’ll let you make your own mind up…
Check out the clip yourself…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrsCl_hnaWc
Hope you find it interesting and of some help.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
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