1. The Nose Knows
According the American Academy of Physicians, sleep apnea is a leading cause of chronic insomnia. The snoring does not always have to be loud and unbearable to cause insomnia. A person who has trouble breathing during sleep can be at risk due to blocked or inhibited breathing passages. If this is a problem that you experience, consult your family physician for a sleep specialist in your area.
2. To Medicate or Not to Medicate
Often people with sleep disorders like chronic insomnia will attempt to medicate the problem away. Pills alone are usually a short-term solution, and some drugs actually impair the sleep they try to restore. Treating the underlying causes of the sleep disorder coupled with pharmacological agents is the most effective approach. All medications carry a certain risk of dependency, so be fully aware of any side effect or addictive quality to prescription or over the counter sleep medication.
3. Lose Weight to Sleep Better
Hitting the gym not only makes you look better in those jeans but it can help you sleep better. When it comes to exercise and sleep, the timing of the exercise plays a major part in its effectiveness. According to a Mayo clinic article a person should put at least four hours between exercise and bedtime. Not only does exercise help you sleep, it has the added benefit of weight loss. The more excess weight you carry the more likely a sleep disorder will strike. So, pump that iron and run those miles and a better more restful sleep will follow.
4. Stimulation Is Not Always a Good Thing
Keep driving straight past that coffee shop and put down those cigarettes. Stimulants like nicotine and caffeine are major culprits of sleep disorders. Eliminating or even reducing the intake of these stimulants will greatly benefit your sleeping patterns.
5. Sorry I Had to Wreck that Honda
Besides major health concerns, chronic insomnia can increase the risk of car accidents and decrease the chances of a promotion at work. Because of the decrease in reaction time and lack of overall awareness, wrecks occur far more often for the sleep-deprived driver, according to an article by the New England Journal of Medicine. Increased absenteeism and poor work productivity cause people with sleep disorders to receive fewer promotions.
