» Are You Having Trouble Sleeping?
If you are having trouble with insomnia, there are three things you can do right away to help yourself. No matter what other factors may be effecting your sleep, you can do these three things immediately and have a good chance of helping your sleep.
- Reduce Caffeine - Caffeine has been shown to cause people to take longer to get to sleep, to cause more awakenings, and to lower the quality of sleep. Many types of soda contain caffeine as does chocolate, coffee and many types of teas. One rule of thumb is no caffeine after lunch.
- Limit Alcohol - Using alcohol late in the evening, even as little as one to two drinks produces troubled and fragmented sleep. Sleep is fragmented and shallow and can cause a decrease in delta sleep (deep sleep needed to restore the body) and REM sleep (sleep that helps restore the mind).
- Stop smoking cigarettes - Nicotine can keep you awake. It is a stimulant. Smokers often have more difficulty falling asleep because smoking raises blood pressure, speeds up the heart rate, and stimulates brain-wave activity. Smokers also tend to wake up more in the middle of the night.
There are many causes for sleep difficulties. Listed above are some common ones.
If you are having difficulty sleeping, especially if that sleep problem includes early morning waking, you are encouraged to see a health care professional at:
The Center for Counseling (ext. 5786).
