If you are unable to get an adequate amount of sleep, this problem can carry over into other parts of your life. You may be seeking help in the form of many types of solutions, including sleeping pills. However, if your sleeplessness is due to sleep apnea, than you may want to consider other ways to get your zzz’s besides sleep medications.
Sleep apnea is a condition which causes the sufferer to have a pause in their breathing or to take shallow breaths while they sleep. The most common type of sleep apnea is caused by constriction in the air passage and involves a delay in the brain relaying information to the body to breath. The pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes and can occur as often as 5 to 30 times in an hour. This disruption of sleep can cause a person to snort or make a choking sound which can wake them up or cause sleep disruption. [click to continue…]
The transition from day to going to sleep at night is much easier if you develop a nighttime routine and stick to it. A routine is defined as “a prescribed, detailed course of action to be followed regularly; a standard procedure.” If you want to finally find an insomnia treatment that works and improve your ability to have a restful night’s sleep, one well founded technique is to do the same activities every night before going to bed. Establishing a pattern will help to quiet and calm both the body and the mind, preparing you for sleep. Knowing what to expect is very comforting to most people and a routine can be a key part of this.
Preparing for bed should be a time for quiet and calm as you ‘wind down’ the day. Some suggestions for routine activities before bedtime include listening to soothing music, doing light stretches (but not vigorous exercise), taking a bath, practicing deep breathing exercises, meditating or reading a book (but not in bed and something not too suspenseful or arousing).
The same routines that work for you will also work for your children. Your example of a calm, peaceful environment before bedtime will help create the conditions for the entire family to get a good night’s sleep. Children often appreciate routines and predictability, so activities like taking a bath or reading a bedtime story can signal that it is time to stop playing and get ready to go to sleep. [click to continue…]