Chronic insomnia is more common than you might think: causes and solutions

Modern life forces so many of us to live life in the fast lane, mentally and phy
sically. Almost every one of us has more on our plate than can be accomplished i
n a 24-hour day. As a result, we try to offset the lack of available time with l
ess relaxation, less sleep and very little exercise. The rationale is usually th
at, if we get everything on our to-do list accomplished, we'll have less worry,
less stress, be more 'successful' and not have to feel guilty over tasks uncompl
eted. Can you relate to this scenario? Do you also suffer from chronic insomnia?
The unfortunate fact is that this 'always running' strategy has a boomerang effe
ct and is a good recipe for chronic insomnia. First, we'll take a look at some o
f the subsets of patterns that foster chronic insomnia and suggest a variety of
solutions that may help you get out of this vicious circle.
The 'busy mind' syndrome is characterized by worry and anxiety over situations o
r problems that won't let your mind stop rehashing them. You may be sitting in b
ed watching a movie, but your mind keeps drifting, focusing on work, financial p
roblems, issues with your kids or just thinking about what's on your schedule fo
r tomorrow. When you finally lie down and try to go to sleep, you find it imposs
ible. Eventually, you may dose off into a restless sleep, only to waken a few ho
urs later, unaware of what it was that woke you up. Again, it may be hours befor
e you can again fall asleep. When the alarm goes off, you wake up groggy and not
feeling rested, but fatigued.
Another culprit in the chronic insomnia syndrome is eating too much food late at
night. People who have problems sleeping should eat a light meal in the evening
. Irregular sleeping patterns can also contribute to insomnia. If you have diffi
culty sleeping, try to establish a regular 'bedtime', just as most parents impos
e on their kids. This is one method of retraining your body to 'expect' sleep at
a particular hour. Lack of exercise may also be hindering your efforts to get t
o sleep. Try taking a brisk walk after dinner as your regular habit. This can he
lp expend nervous energy and make your body amenable to the idea of sleep.
People who work night shifts often have trouble sleeping during daylight hours.
Natural light triggers your natural circadian rhythms, which tell you it's time
to be awake. Using a sleep mask and window treatments that effectively block nat
ural light can help relieve chronic insomnia.
Remember when Mom or Grandma would fix you a 'nice cup of hot chocolate' before
bedtime? This traditional comfort beverage has a basis in science. It's well kno
wn that calcium helps relax muscles and nerves, signaling your body that it's ti
me to relax and fall asleep.
Vitamin D helps regulate your circadian rhythms. If your typical day doesn't inv
olve much exposure to sunlight, you may suffer a deficiency of vitamin D which c
ontributes to your chronic insomnia. Ask your doctor to test your vitamin D leve
ls. You may need a supplement. Vitamin D3 is the form which your body interprets
as natural sunlight.
Biofeedback therapy is another effective approach to alleviating insomnia. Biofe
edback techniques employ strategies that teach your body to respond to certain s
timuli in a particular way. For example, if you play a tape of ocean sounds, the
sounds tend to induce a state of relaxation. When used repetitively, your body
begins to respond automatically to the sounds you hear.
There's no question that regular exercise helps you get to sleep. However, in th
e here and now, try this trick. When you awaken at 2 am, tossing and turning isn
't going to help much and only serves to increase your frustration. Instead of t
ossing and turning in a futile effort to get back to sleep, get up and clean the
tub. Haul the vacuum out of the closet and get to work. Clean the kitchen count
ers or tackle the oven. Put some elbow grease into these boring tasks. You may q
uickly be delighted to get back in bed and get some sleep!
Suffering from chronic insomnia doesn't have to drive you crazy! Now, get some s
leep!