Insomnia......Some answers

Good quality sleep is a vital factor in maintaining good health. In certain circles it is believed that what we now know as Insomnia (erosion in our physical performance in relation to getting older) could be caused by disturbed sleep. Almost one quarter of the population have difficulty sleeping and it’s the senior citizens that seem to suffer with insomnia more than their younger counterparts. At 65+ almost 30% of men and approaching 40% of women are affected. There was a study in the US in 2003 which suggests that illness is not an age issue but is a lack of sleep issue.

Some stats

Every year in England alone, over ten million prescriptions for sleeping pills are written for insomnia and consumer health groups are increasingly concerned about this statistic. There are well known side-effects of sleeping pills include memory or concentration problems as well as being over sedated, which can lead to accidents and falls. The Consumers’ Association Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin says:

“Elderly people are particularly likely to experience such problems and in general are best off avoiding sleeping tablets altogether. Yet 80% of sleeping-pill prescriptions are for older people, many of whom stay on such medication for months or even years.”

The typical sleeping pill should not be considered as a long-term solution. Its use often leads to dependency. The Mental Health Foundation estimates that chronic usage is more pronounced among older adults and women of all ages. The editor of The Consumers’ Association Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin, Dr Ike Iheanacho, comments:

“Long-term use of hypnotic drugs is common even though it can cause a range of troublesome unwanted effects and there is little evidence to show it is helpful.”

What else is there?

Stress and other emotional problems as well as unhelpful lifestyle and dietary habits are some of the many possible causes of insomnia. Thankfully there are ways of dealing with insomnia without having to resort to ultimately harmful drugs.

It is always worth considering counselling & hypnotherapy for insomnia as well as herbal remedies and relaxation techniques. Simple lifestyle changes can also help. A study at Loughborough University showed that a reduction in physical activity generally develops into insomnia. Of course, as we age, we exercise less and so the circle continues.

We need less sleep when we're older!

It is perceived that we need less sleep as we get older but researchers believe this may well be a myth. It seems that a little ‘catch up’ of daytime sleep makes up for the reduction in quality sleep that older people seem to suffer from.

This reduction may be explained in part by the fact that as we age, we produce less of a hormone known as melatonin. Melatonin production is stimulated by darkness such as night-time however light can drastically reduce its production. If you read in bed try not to use a bright light.

In the opposite way, being exposed to morning and day light creates melatonin production. While scientists recommend at least two hours of bright light a day, research suggests that older adults average less than one hour.

In the UK a supplements of melatonin (known to be a powerful antioxidant and free-radical scavenger) is only available on prescription even that is believed to be a key anti-ageing factor

In America, melatonin is a popular alternative to tranquillisers and is readily available but thankfully there are effective herbal alternatives for the UK. Some of these, such as Valerian have been used for thousands of years to promote restful sleep.

Valerian is a traditional sleep remedy that has been validated by modern research. Valerian   has been used in studies involving literally thousands of people. It assists people to get to sleep and to sleep well. Another benefit is that does not cause morning-after drowsiness.

Sometimes, after a lack of good sleep we feel lethargic and a product that contains seratonin is considered to be extremely effective in its ability to increase energy, endurance, support memory function & concentration as well as promoting a healthy immune system


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My Health Articles.co.uk

 Author: Peter Charalambos

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Peter Charalambos is a contributing writer for health information sites, sports health sites and a general news and information site. He has written about all aspects of vitamins, minerals and health supplements and  constantly strives to uncover biased research which tries to undermine natural products in favour of drugs.

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