Beacon of HOPE Wellness Committee: Do you have trouble sleeping?

If you do, you’re not alone. Studies show that 30-40% of people will have significant insomnia at some point in their lives. It could be tossing and turning a night or two a week up to chronic insomnia, which is when you have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep at least 3 nights a week for 3 months. We know that sleep is an important part of being healthy and feeling good. Dr. Lawrence Epstein of Harvard Medical School says that those who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to develop diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Insufficient sleep is associated with weight gain. Lack of sleep affects your thinking, reaction time, memory, concentration and your physical functioning. So what is considered a good night’s sleep? In general, it’s between 6 and 9 hours a night. The ultimate guideline for determining how much sleep you need is how rested you feel during the day. Why aren’t you sleeping well? Identify any factors that may be affecting your sleep. Look at your medications. Do you have chronic problems such as sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, B12 deficiency, lung problems, heartburn. See your doctor and discuss these issues. It is a general consensus among specialists that insomnia is best treated without drugs. Sleeping pills should generally be used for only four to six weeks. So what can we do to get a good night’s sleep? 1. Create rituals around sleep. Make a habit of going to bed and getting up at the same time each day. This consistency reinforces your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. If you get enough sleep you shouldn’t need an alarm clock. If you’re tired in the morning, avoid sleeping in. Take a nap of 15-30 minutes in early afternoon instead. Get in the habit of […]

Click here to view full article