Effective Sleep Aids

The most effective sleep aids are tools that help our bodies learn to sleep again. Many are natural sleep aids. Other sleep aids include things to avoid in order not to interrupt sleep. The following list of sleep aids will help anyone who suffers from insomnia to dramatically improve his or her sleep.

Maintain a regular schedule. Even though we don’t notice it when we are younger, irregular sleep/wake schedules damage our body clocks, and we pay a heavy price for our youthful late night partying or binges. Get up and go to bed at the same time every day, even on weekends and vacations. You may be surprised that not only your sleep improves, but your ability to accomplish tasks does as well.
Proper diet and exercise. Many foods will keep us up at night without our even knowing it. Food that are high in fats and carbohydrates, for example are better during lunch and not in the evening. Avoiding foods later in the evening and at nighttime are also helpful in promoting sleep, although some people find a light snack with complex carbohydrates helps. Use the mood tracker to see what works best for you. Exercise has also been shown to improve sleep. Many sleep related disorders are the result of weight problems, and even moderate exercise helps the brain recognize and develop a stronger circadian rhythm, helping you feel stronger during the day and sleep better at night.
Use the Mood Tracker. The mood tracker is an excellent tool because it helps you identify on a daily basis whether certain activities, foods, beverages or other substances have a negative impact on your ability to sleep. Conversely, a mood tracker can also tell you the good things that promote sleep. Doctors find mood trackers very helpful in identifying causes for sleep disturbances.
Avoid damaging substances. Several foods, substances and beverages can hurt our ability to sleep. Food allergies may not be immediately apparent, but can cause us to stay up late at night. For example, many people find that shellfish and some other seafood cause insomnia. Although very spicy foods can cause stomachaches, they are not generally known to cause insomnia. The Mood Tracker can help identify which foods you should stay away from. In general, caffeine and tobacco are very destructive to a healthy circadian rhythm and should be avoided. Alcohol should only be used moderately and should be avoided within four hours of bedtime.
Use specialized bright light. Bright light is the most powerful regulator of our sleep/wake cycles, and specialized bright light can help restore these cycles, known as circadian rhythms. Although circadian rhythm disorders account for 25% of all sleep disorders, most other sleep problems also damage circadian rhythms. If you suffer from sleep disorders, it’s a wise idea to incorporate bright light and dawn/dusk simulation.
Take the Circadian Rhythm Assessment Test. The circadian rhythm assessment test will identify whether you have a disorder and the degree of the disorder. The results portion of the test will compare your circadian rhythm to a normal one and identify when you need to receive light to resynchronize your rhythm. The test is used by sleep labs but can be found at https://www.apollolight.com/apps/circ_assess_survey.html
Follow basic sleep tips. In addition to keeping a regular schedule, there are good tips on how to prepare for sleep and what to do if you can’t sleep. Click here to learn more about using sleep tips.
Get off sleeping pills and other damaging medications. Sleeping pills can actually make insomnia worse, not better. Also, since higher mortality rates are associated with chronic sleeping pill use, and since these pills are addictive, don’t take them. Your doctor can help you design a regimen to wean yourself off of them. Other medications can also damage your circadian rhythm and hurt your ability to sleep. These include antidepressants, epilepsy medication, antihistamines and decongestants, asthma medications, some blood pressure medicines, diuretics, etc. It is best to discuss medications with your doctor to see if they may be interfering with your sleep.
Take the right medicines. On the other hand, many physical conditions cause sleeplessness. Taking your medicine for hypertension, stroke, diabetes, etc, can have a positive impact on your sleep.
If you have Restless Leg Syndrome, read the new information on effective treatments. New evidence shows that RLS may be related to Parkinson’s disease, and some medications have been found helpful in relieving RLS symptoms.
Follow the guidelines for stress relief. Stress may be the number one cause of insomnia, and left untreated, it can develop into major depression. Stress also damages the Suprachaismatic Nucleus (SCN or body clock) and can cause circadian rhythm sleep disorders.
Consider using Sleep Deprivation Therapy. If all else fails, a promising new therapy, called Sleep Restriction or Sleep Deprivation Therapy, involves using bright light and limiting when one can sleep. Sleep Deprivation Therapy basically teaches the body clock how to sleep and wake up again.Sleep Deprivation Therapy takes about a month to work, but most people who try sleep restriction find they are sleeping 7 hours on average, much better than before.
Consider going to a sleep lab. Many sleep disorders such as sleep apnea or sleep narcolepsy can be quickly identified and treated.

Antidepressants. MAOI inhibitors and SSRI’s cause increased alertness and awareness, MAOI inhibitors can cause restlessness, agitation and anxiety, and SSRI’s increase the levels of serotonin, an active, mood hormone.

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