There's nothing worse than waking up at 3 in the morning, knowing you are not going to get back to sleep. There you are, lying in pitch darkness, frustrated the day has already begun for you. Now, let's be straightforward about this. Insomnia has been around for centuries. It's nothing new. What has changed are the pressures of life. In the good old days, most people went to bed when it got dark and woke with the dawn. This was a simple routine and most closely matched the behavior locked into our genes. When we were based in caves, sending out hunters and gatherers, we were daylight creatures. As farmers, nothing changed. It's all the fault of the people who invented cities. They started staying up during the night to eat, drink and have fun. Once you combine artificial light with entertainment, there's a whole new world tempting people to explore. This breaks the habits of generations and puts pressure on people to fit in work, play and sleep. For those who are supposed to rise and go to work in the morning, staying up late at night causes problems. As babies, our parents put us to bed in the early evening. The same routine continues for children for as long as possible - until all the temptations and distractions prove too much. That's when the good sleep habits are lost, and the catnapping fit-in-what-you-can-when-you-can mentality gets started.
It's true there are some excellent drugs on the market that can knock you out and keep you asleep during the night. But becoming dependent on a pill bottle is not a good long-term solution, particularly when some people suffer adverse side effects from these drugs. The best solution lies in relearning the sleep habits of children. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) teaches strategies to overcome sleep problems. It begins by capturing real information about your current sleep patterns. Never assume everyone can or should sleep eight hours a night. Some people continue to function well even though only sleeping six or seven hours. This involves you removing any unnecessary anxiety you have - the more anxious you become, the harder it is to fall asleep. CBT teaches relaxation techniques to calm your worries, reduce stress and take a more positive view of your lifestyle. There is also a full audit of your home to ensure the sleeping environment encourages sleep. This involves addressing problems of noise, light from outside, temperature control, and so on. The idea is to maximize comfort.
The remainder of the four-to-eight week courses teach you how to fall asleep more quickly and how to react when you reawaken. CBT is not a quick fix. It takes time to relearn old habits. It can also be expensive. Not all private health plans cover this type of therapy. As a final thought, neither the drugs nor CBT will prevail if there is an underlying cause like an overactive thyroid or depression. Always see your doctor to find out which treatment is going to work best for you. The simple short-term fix comes from ambien, the world's leading brand of drug to help you sleep. Used wisely over short periods of time, ambien can allow you to catch up on your sleep and restore your lifestyle. Buy ambien for effective treatment. Use CBT for the best long-term cure.
|
