Causes of Menopause Insomnia
November 27th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Menopausal insomnia is unlike most insomnia occurrences. Most of the time insomnia is caused by psychological factors or something that eat or drink that interferes with either your sleep patterns or actually attaining sleep. Things such as caffeine or spicy food can contribute towards insomnia. Menopause insomnia is caused by fluctuations and irregularities of the hormones in a woman’s body.
As we all know, menopause is the phase of a woman’s life where eventually her monthly menstruation slows and stops. This is a function of age and cannot be reversed. When a woman reaches the age of 45 or 50, menopause starts and her ovaries stop producing estrogen. Without estrogen, the reproductive system grinds to a halt.
Insomnia during menopause or menopause insomnia manifests itself as the inability to sleep continuously through the night. Some women often sleep initially but then wake up some time later only to have a hard time falling back to sleep. More often, these episodes are immediately followed by night sweat or a feeling of warmness or hotness. Some times the menopause insomnia might manifest itself as sleep anxiety disorder or a vivid nightmare that disturbs the dreamer’s sleep. At times, the woman just wakes up for no reason at all.
One possibility that researchers have put forward regarding menopause insomnia is the inability of the body to maintain a regular body temperature during menopause. This is due to hormone irregularities. The hot flash is what could be preventing the woman from sleeping although it may not seem so to her at that time. Hot flashes can occur anytime of the day and is an uncomfortable feeling or heat or warmth.
In addition to menopause insomnia, menopause may also trigger anxiety attacks and depression. These can also affect sleeping. Anxieties soon become obsessions and obsessions can prevent women from having a good nights sleep. All these conditions can be blamed on hormonal changes that come with menopause.
There are two ways to deal with menopause, naturally with things like herbal teas or aromatherapy or with medication. Natural cures such as teas and aromatherapy promote better sleeping habits and make falling to sleep much easier. Medication will probably work but it always comes with possible side effects and then there is the whole dependency thing. Natural cures are always preferable to chemicals and their consequences.
Ken
Side effects of Finasteride
November 13th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
If you have ever listened to drug commercials from the big drug companies, you will notice that they usually end the commercial with the associated side effects. One of the side effects sometimes listed is insomnia. One of the products that list that as a side effect is Finasteride or as its brand name of Propecia. Propecia is a male drug that isn’t promoted to women since the slightest ingestion by a woman is known to cause reproductive system problems.
Propecia helps with two different conditions. The first, the one that it was designed for is prostate enlargement. The second was discovered by accident and has nothing to do with internal health. Instead it stops or slows the loss of hair for male pattern baldness or as it is technically known, androgenetic alopecia. It seems that even with small doses of finasteride, insomnia is a potential side effect. Erectile dysfunction is also a know side effect for men. Women may suffer birth defects if they use the drug
It is unfortunate that treating one possible cause of insomnia may trigger another to take its place. Many times when a person is experiencing hair loss they stress over the number of hairs they find on their pillow every morning. This added stress can be a cause of insomnia. By using the hair loss product of finasteride, insomnia may develop.
When people begin to experience insomnia, they often become more stressed during the day as they grow tired. The stress prevents them from getting a good nights sleep and the lack of sleep increases their stress level. Throwing drugs like finasteride into the mix, insomnia will possibly be exacerbated, adding to the cycle of insomnia.
For most insomnia sufferers, a change in lifestyle may be needed such as establishing a constant bed time as well as creating an environment conducive to sleep. Avoiding caffeine and alcohol close to bed time can also help a person fall asleep. Some prescription drugs may also interfere with normal sleep patterns and should be discussed with a doctor for an alternative. In the case of a person using finasteride, insomnia may become worse.
If the drug is being used for prostate problems, the doctor may add a sleep enhancer to help on the occasional nights when sleep is elusive. However, those using it to slow hair loss may be advised to choose between losing their hair and losing sleep. There are alternatives to hair loss products. Some are available over the counter. These over-the-counter drugs can help keep the hair in place and lack the potential side effect of insomnia.
Ken
Insomnia Tips
November 5th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Have you ever counted sheep to go to sleep? How about having a warm glass of milk before you retire? You could try to empty your mind to forget all your worries and cares. All these insomia tips are very valid means of trying to go to sleep. Next time you are rolling around in bed not sleeping, think about all the insomnia tips you have heard in the past. Amazingly enough, just thinking about insomnia tips may put your brain at ease enough that you will fall asleep.
Two of the most common deterrents to getting started sleeping are your pillow and your mattress. If they are making you uncomfortable then you will probably have a hard time to fall asleep right away. The pillow can be too hard or too soft. Too much pilliow and it seems like you are lying uphill, too little pillow can make it seem like you are lying downhill. Mattresses can also be too hard or too soft. These conditions alone could disallow you to fall asleep in a normal and timely manner. Amongst the many insomnia tips that we have learned over our lifetimes, the ability to be comfortable and be physically relaxed are two of the most important factors in falling asleep
By going to bed at about the same time every night, your body will develop a natural rhythm as it begins to understand it is bedtime. Every person has an internal clock that runs the body’s circadian rhythm that tells your body when its daylight you get up and when it’s dark, it’s time for bed. While many insomnia tips revolve around people with normal work schedules, the rhythm can be upset by working strange shifts but the rhythm can be re-established if you are on the same shift for an extended period of time.
Many doctors are reluctant to prescribe sleep medication unless it becomes absolutely necessary, which may be the case of those suffering injury accompanied by pain. Other physicians may offer a short-term solution as insomnia tips, but will seek to find the underlying cause of the sleeplessness and treat the cause instead of the symptom.
Avoid foods and drink that contain caffeine, often used for its ability to keep you alert during the day. If possible do not eat a large meal before bedtime. Many contend they have trouble sleeping if they go to bed hungry, but research shows that large meals before going to bed usually cause indigestion and additional sleeping problems.
If you have a routine that enables you to relax totally, both mind and body, then you will probably fall asleep easier and more restfully. Physicians will tell you to find something that relaxes you, be it aromatherapy, a cup of tea, warm milk or whatever lets you rid your mind of stress. A clear mind will reduce stress as well as insomnia. So whatever puts you at ease should be one of the first things you try when you are considering insomnia tips.
Looking for the Best Insomnia Cure
October 29th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
These days more people are suffering from insomnia than at any other time in the past. This is probably due to the many factors that are a by-product of our fast paced get-it-done new lifestyles. Pressure to keep up, job commitments, family commitments and lots of other stressful situations lend themselves well to insomnia and other sleep disorders. All this added pressure increases the searches for the best insomnia cure. There are numerous ideas about what is the best insomnia cures. Most of them are miles apart from each other as to how to get more sleep.
It would be difficult to claim that one cure or treatment would be the best insomnia cure of all; after all, not all people have the same reaction to the cures. Many medical doctors claim that drugs and medicines are by far the most effective treatment for insomnia. This may be true because they tend to cover a lot of aspects of insomnia and other sleeping disorders but they are definitely the best insomnia cure. The drugs that most doctors prescribe to insomnia sufferers do have varying side effects that could ultimately lead to other illnesses.
Several Effective Insomnia Treatments
The best insomnia cure should be one that does not have any adverse effect on people and have no capacity to harm us. Although drugs and sleeping pills can make us sleep, they are highly addictive and on occasion cause death if the individual takes more than what is prescribed. Usually, individuals who suffer from intense insomnia may have impaired thinking and can not reasonably ascertain what is best for them.
Self-help and professional help could be the best insomnia cure available for people. Since most insomnia cases have psychological foundations, it is best to tackle them by delving into our psyche. Some insomnia cases are temporary and they usually disappear when the factors that contribute to it are resolved.
Many cases of self-help have rendered people insomnia free but this may take some time. The possible best insomnia cure lies inside our heads. We are the ones that hold the key to the best insomnia cure. Most insomnia cases revolve around disorders that stem from anxiety or problems. Only a few insomnia cases are from medications or other disorders. Medication can be changed according to the recommendation of your doctor while other disorders can also be consulted to other doctors.
It takes a high level of concentration to beat insomnia. The best insomnia cure may be in our heads but sometimes alternative medicines or therapy are needed to get over the hump and cure insomnia.
Ken
The Link between Birth Control Pills and Insomnia
October 24th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Okay you have insomnia. You understand what insomnia is and recognize when you are suffering from it. But do you understand the root of it? While insomnia is a rather curious condition, the root cause of it is what needs to be cured. Without knowing the root cause, a person can’t get rid of insomnia properly and if you can’t find the root cause, you can’t deal effectively with it.
For example, if one is exercising late at night or is eating a diet high in sugar content or drinking liquids that have a higher caffeine content the elimination of these items will reduce the insomnia. In fact, they may very well eliminate the insomnia altogether. One such link between a product and insomnia exists between birth control pills and insomnia.
Examining Birth Control Pills and Insomnia
The link between birth control pills and insomnia is somewhat unique. Like any other medication, birth control pills may have unexpected side effects. One such side effect can be the aforementioned condition of insomnia. Of course, that leads to the obvious point: if birth control pills can cause insomnia then what can an individual do to avoid the problems of insomnia if the person is regularly taking birth control pills.
Probably the ‘easiest’ way of dealing with problems associated with birth control pills and insomnia would be to simply switch to a different form of birth control. It would go without saying that if you eliminate the root cause of the insomnia, the insomnia will go away. Then again, there are those individuals who would prefer not to eliminate their primary method of birth control. And, in honesty, it may not even be necessary.
If a problem does exist where birth control pills and insomnia are seemingly going hand in hand, it would be best to immediately discuss the problem with your primary care physician. Far too often, when people undergo problems with a prescription or medication they may be taking, they will neglect to inform their doctor of the problem. In some cases, this is because people sometimes do not make the connection between a pill they may be taking and its resulting side effects.
If you are alert to what you body is telling you and take proper action, you can beat insomnia resulting from birth control pills. You first have to determine if it is indeed the side effects from the pill. Regardless of insomnia, you should inform your doctor of any noticeable side effects from birth control pills. You need the professional opinion because you may not believe that the condition is a result of the pill, and you may be right but better to be sure.
Ken
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Utilizing Cognitive Therapy for Insomnia
October 18th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
As with many illnesses, both mental and physical, the solution lies with chemicals. You must admit that pills are the “solution” to many illnesses. This is no different with insomnia, a condition that many millions of people suffer from. Some suffer from it briefly, while for others it is chronic. Insomnia must be dealt with regardless of the severity or duration of the problem. Very often the solution to insomnia, either brief or chronic, revolves around prescription pills,
The popularity of such a treatment is evidenced by the prevalence of Ambien (a prescription medication that provides restful sleep) commercials on the airwaves. Unfortunately, many people believe that prescription pills are the only way to effectively treat insomnia and this is a truly limited approach to dealing with the problem. In fact, one of the better methods of treatment can be found in cognitive therapy for insomnia.
Cognitive Therapy for Insomnia as an Alternative Treatment
This is not to say that prescription pill therapy in completely negative. There have been many great strides made in the pharmaceutical industry and many diseases and conditions have been cured and eradicated by the presence of quality medicine.
However, what must be understood is that not every person prefers to take prescription pills to deal with a medical issue and also what must be understood that they may be alternative means of dealing with a medical condition that are equally effective. Now, the key here is the word effective.
Alternative means of therapy that are not based in any real value will not help a person cure whatever affliction they have. Cognitive therapy for insomnia does not fall into that category. In fact, cognitive therapy for insomnia has long since been established as an effective means of alleviating the condition of insomnia and the multitude of problems that derive from it.
Making Cognitive Therapy for Insomnia Work
If there was any one element that is required for making cognitive therapy for insomnia work, it would be consistency. That is to say, one must seriously invest the time required to making the required therapy sessions. If one decides to be inconsistent with the requisite therapy sessions, then the ability to arrive at a positive outcome will be greatly limited.
Don’t fall into the trap that a lot of patients fall into; that of having a casual perspective about approaching their treatments. This is sad because the actual therapy isn’t what failed. It was the fact that the therapy was actually undermined by the patient. Too have the results that the patient seeks would mean that the patient would have to do their own part.
Ken
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