Getting a good night's sleep

Posts Tagged ‘help me sleep’

Question Sleep aids: Could antihistamines help me sleep? Is it OK to use over-the-counter antihistamines to treat insomnia? I’d like to avoid prescription sleep aids. Answer from Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D.

Antihistamines can cause drowsiness, which may help you fall asleep for a few nights — but routine use of antihistamines for insomnia isn’t recommended.

Antihistamines induce drowsiness by working against histamine, a chemical produced by the central nervous system. In fact, most over-the-counter sleep aids contain antihistamines. These products are intended to be used for only two to three nights at a time, however, such as when stress, travel or other disruptions keep you awake. Tolerance to the sedative effects of antihistamines can develop quickly — so the longer you take them, the less likely they are to make you sleepy. Side effects may include daytime drowsiness, dry mouth, dizziness and memory problems.

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OTC sleep aids and supplements: What’s best and safe? Over-the-counter sleep aids or supplements may help when stress, travel or other disruptions keep you awake. But if you have chronic insomnia, the best approach is usually lifestyle changes. By Mayo Clinic staff

You’ve followed all the tips for getting enough sleep — sleeping on a regular schedule, avoiding caffeine and daytime naps, exercising regularly and managing stress. Still, a good night’s rest remains out of reach. You may be thinking about over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aids or other sleep supplements. If your problem has been bothering you for more than a few weeks, make an appointment with your doctor. It’s important to know what’s causing your insomnia.

OTC sleep aids are effective for an occasional sleepless night. But the more often you take them, the less effective they become. And OTC sleep aids may leave you feeling groggy and unwell the next day, particularly if you’re an older adult. If you’re considering sleeping supplements, it’s important to understand that much is unknown about their safety and effectiveness.

Common OTC sleep aids
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Prescription sleeping pills: What’s right for you? Sleeping pills help when stress, travel or other disruptions keep you awake. If you have chronic insomnia, a better approach may be to remove the cause by changing your lifestyle. By Mayo Clinic staff

If you’re regularly having trouble either falling or staying asleep (insomnia), make an appointment with your doctor. Treatment is available — but it depends on what’s causing your insomnia. In many cases an underlying medical or sleep disorder can be diagnosed and treated, a much more effective approach than just treating the symptom of insomnia itself.

Behavior changes are generally the best treatment for persistent insomnia. For occasional sleepless nights, however, prescription sleeping pills may be helpful. Although sleeping pills don’t treat the underlying cause of your sleeping problems, they may help you get some much needed rest.

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Here are 32 of our favorite entries from the @Zeo ‘Send Me to Sleep’ Twitter Contest – we asked you:

What Helps You Sleep At Night?

Of the 1,200+ responses to our first big foray into the Twittersphere, we pulled out some of the responses that stood out – some based on style & others because of their sound advice – then organized them based on two of the categories we use for the 7 Steps to Sleep Fitness along with a bonus ‘For Your Entertainment’ category. So without further delay…

Relaxation / Bedtime Routine

• Visualize colors changing & try not to think of fully formed words at all (@mineola)
• I need the dishes washed. Waking to a sinkfull of dirty bothers me to no end. (@Eva_Marie_)
• the best way to get to sleep is to listen to Bach on headphones in bed (@etak953)
• Taking advantage of the power down hour when I can before bed helps me sleep (@mboylan)
• What helps me sleep is my husband – he bores me talking about repairing cars (shhhhhhhhh) (anon)
• The second Pirates of the Caribbean has me nodding off in no time (@bockle)
• the Histroy Channel always does the trick — 10 Minutes and i am out like a light ☆☠..LOL ツ (@cdmtx65)
• Picturing myself in a bubble with all my thoughts, ideas, & worries bouncing off the edges…seriously. lol (@LAfactor)
• the best way to get to sleep is to listen to Shakespeare’s sonnets read aloud (@etak953)
• I like to write 3-5 highlights of my day in a gratitude journal before I go to sleep (@d48d48)

Bedroom Environment

• Flannel sheets and a blanket warmed in the dryer helps me sleep at night (@LuckyCat7)
• A cool room, clear conscience and white noise help me sleep (@jpq123)
• Rain on the roof at night (@jon14626)
• My pink and purple fuzzy socks help me get to sleep (@tesashel) [Note: bedtime attire is one way to signal your brain to start winding down...]
• What helps me sleep is ear plugs + eye mask + warm socks. Feet cold = I am cold = can not sleep. (@TES283)
• Silence is golden- whipoorwills in the background, is better! (@FLboyzmom)
• Not having wrong number calls at 2am helps me sleep. Note to self: turn off the ringer! (@Eva_Marie_)
• In the winter, I wear a hoodie with the hood up. Keeps my ears warm while I sleep (@judyannemt)
• Warm, humidity level in the comfort zone and some white noise (@sweeper1962)

For Your Entertainment

• What helps me sleep at night? Four words: Dreams where I fly. (@TimboSquad)
• It’s not much, but donating something to help the people of Haiti helps me sleep a little better at night (@TestaverdeTD)
• EXHAUSTION from chasing & cleaning up after my 4 kids ages 8, 7, 4 + 2 helps me sleep at night (@caitlin_melody)
• A couple of purring cats and a babe in arms, that’s what helps me sleep at night (@SWynters)
• Knowing I’ve done my very best at whatever comes my way is what helps me to sleep well at night (@NeboBeads)
• Power shopping and scoring great deals put me to sleep last night (@dddiva)
• Running bare foot outside in the woods. Hugging a tree. Taking my desk outside & working there helps me sleep (@mikeumus)
• Picking another NFL team would likely help me sleep better (@TestaverdeTD)
• Patriots’ victories help me sleep better (@gourdPhD)
• A fun night of Lego Star Wars will help me sleep tonight, but a zeo would help me prove it: (@Gulopine)
• Finishing 2 weeks of redeyes and late nights makes me sleep well (@ehofer)
• A gr8 powder day on slpes puts me 2 sleep every time! (@JxA)
• Taking an ✈ to a ☀ place, nice hotel, ordering room service & turning off the ☎ (@K_Gut)

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Natural Sleep Aids and Remedies

If you’re searching for a natural sleep aid to put an end to your insomnia, here’s something to keep in mind. Some sleep aids and herbal remedies may help induce sleepiness. But natural products and dietary supplements are not regulated by the FDA for quality, dosing, and formulation. That makes it difficult to judge their safety and effectiveness. That’s why it’s important to know as much as you can about sleep herbs before you try a product.

What is melatonin?

Melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland in the center of your brain. Melatonin regulates the body’s circadian rhythms. Those are daily rhythms such as your sleep-wake cycle. The levels of melatonin in the blood are highest prior to bedtime.

Can melatonin help me sleep?
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Curious Cures

Over the thousands of years that humans have been on this planet there are many remedies to try to cure insomnia. Some of these are questionnable, some are effective, some are harmful. But they are all attempts that seem to have been effective to some insomnia sufferers.

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