With so much emphasis on getting our children to sleep, we can forget to look after our own sleeping patterns. There are many different levels and causes of sleep deprivation so let’s take a look at the causes and range of treatments. Insomnia is the perception or complaint of inadequate or poor quality sleep because of one or more of the following:

• Difficulty falling asleep
• Waking frequently during the night
• Waking too early in the morning
• Unrefreshing sleep 

If any of these sound familiar then keep reading!

There are three levels of Insomnia:

• Transient Insomnia - lasts anywhere from one night to a few weeks and is suffered by most people at some stage in their lives. It may be due to jet lag or short term anxiety
• Acute Insomnia - will last for a period of 3 weeks to 6 months
• Chronic Insomnia - is the most serious and will persist almost nightly for at least one month. Insomnia affects approximately 30% of men and 40% of women and the incidence tends to increase with age.  

Signs & Symptoms

• People with insomnia are often unable to close their eyes or rest their mind for more than a few minutes at a time
• The outcome of the poor sleeping habits can result in tiredness, irritability, mood swings, delirium or being accident prone  

What causes Insomnia?

• 50% of Insomnia cases can be attributed to depression and psychological disorders such as anxiety, stress or grief.
• Insomnia can result from a wide variety of other health conditions including arthritis, asthma, breathing problems, hypoglycaemia, hyperthyroidism, indigestion, kidney or heart disease, muscle aches, Parkinson’s disease or any other physical pain
• Drugs or medications such as caffeine, antidepressants, anti-seizure medication, appetite suppressants, beta-blockers, pseudoephedrine and thyroid hormone replacement
• Although alcohol is a sedative, it has an REM suppressing effect and can prevent restful, quality sleep. It may also cause excessive urination during the night and can lead to morning grogginess
• Disrupted sleep cycles such as shift work, change in time zones or afternoon naps can also have an effect
• Low night time blood sugar levels are an important cause of insomnia.  The brain is highly dependant on glucose as an energy source.  A drop in blood glucose levels promotes awakening via the release of glucose regulating hormones.

Medical treatment

• Barbiturate sedatives - increase the activity of GABA (a chemical messenger in the brain) to bring on sleep
• Sedatives, minor tranquiliser & benzodiazepines -promote the inhibition of brain function caused by GABA between nerve cells in the brain.  

The above medications have the potential to cause psychological dependence where you feel as though you won’t be able to sleep without them. You are also likely to have a level of physical dependence experiencing withdrawal symptoms if the drug dose is not carefully lowered.  They also cause morning drowsiness and grogginess.  

A Holistic perspective

Often a disruption in the function of the nervous system, ‘wired but tired’ people overwork themselves mentally during the day and cannot wind down at night when they need to.

Nutritional deficiencies, biochemical imbalances or adrenal exhaustion may all play a role. 

What can you do?

Put some bedtime rituals into place to start winding down and let your mind and body know it’s time to shut off - this can begin as early as two hours before bed and can include....

• A cup of chamomile tea (or other herbs mentioned below) about one hour before you plan to fall asleep 
• Avoid watching TV or reading in bed. Make your bed and bedroom a space that is dedicated to sleep and a place you enjoy going at the end of the day - While some people enjoy reading or watching TV until they fall asleep, if you suffer from insomnia you may benefit from not doing either of these for 30-60 minutes before bedtime to reduce your mental stimulation
• Eliminate caffeine containing drinks or snacks after 3pm (make it after lunch if you are more sensitive to caffeine). This includes coffee, tea, Coca Cola & Pepsi (including diet, zero etc.), energy drinks such as ‘V’ & Red Bull & chocolate (especially dark chocolate). You may even need to avoid Black tea & Green tea if you are very sensitive or choose the decaffeinated varieties
• Avoid Alcohol too close to bed time. Although depressive to the nervous system and often used to 'wind down', excess consumption will prevent a solid and restful night sleep 
• Exercise to exhaust yourself physically helps if you spend your day in a predominantly mental or emotional space. Not only will it use up your physical energy, it’s also a great stress release. Don’t exercise too close to bedtime though as this could get you more worked up
• Relaxation technique – lie in bed flat on your back, start by tightening the muscles in your toes & feet, hold for three and slowly release, then move to your calves (pull your feet toward your head), hold for three and slowly release, repeat at your thighs, buttocks, abdominal muscles, back, hands, arms and face. This is a great way to let go of any tension you might be carrying in any parts of your body, as you slowly release the muscle, feel the weight of your day be released & fade away as your mind and body become more relaxed 
• Meditation - use a guided relaxation CD which is designed for helping you doze off into a relaxed slumber. If meditation is part of your daily routine, some people find it too stimulating or rejuvenating and are better off practising this first thing in the morning rather than at night.  

Sleep Well Naturally

There are many wonderful natural supplements for aiding a good night sleep

• Starting with the two most important minerals for muscle contraction - Calcium and relaxation - Magnesium. A Calcium &/or Magnesium deficiency results in conditions such as Insomnia, muscle cramps & spasms, anxiety & brittle or weak bones to name a few. It is important to take a good quality Calcium supplement as some are not well absorbed so ask your Naturopath or someone at your local health food store before purchasing. It should have a ratio of 2:1 for Calcium & Magnesium.
• Chamomile, Valerian, Passionflower, Hops & Melissa are just some of the herbs that have gentle calming & sedating effects without making you feel drowsy or groggy in the morning. Available in many different forms you often get the best effects from drinking a cup of tea from good quality dried herb. Some herbs will decrease the time it takes to get to sleep (valerian) and others help you stay asleep longer (passionflower) which is handy if you are a shift worker or frequently wake at 3am find it hard to get back to sleep
• Take a Multivitamin with a good dose of B’s to nourish the nervous system. Increasing your energy enabling yourself to think clearer during the day helps with the ability to shut off at night
• Diet can be an important factor as waking in the early hours of the morning is commonly caused by low blood sugar levels. This problem can be addressed by making dietary changes such as increasing proteins (lean meat, chicken, fish & eggs) and decreasing refined carbohydrates and sugars
• There are many over the counter homoeopathic remedies designed to improve sleep. These are gentle (suitable for children & the elderly), effective and can be taken in conjunction with medications 
• Bach Flowers & Australian Bush Flowers (which are homoeopathic remedies) are very effective for specific emotional troubles, for example, White Chestnut (a Bach Flower) is used to calm the chatter in an overactive mind. Rescue Remedy or Emergency Essence are great for anxiety induced insomnia 
• Essential oils such as Bergamot or Lavendar are effective when a few drops are placed on your pillow, pyjama sleeve or hanky
• If you are unsure about how to improve your sleep patterns a complementary health practitioner such as a naturopath, herbalist, acupuncturist or osteopath will have many gentle and effective remedies to recommend after taking a full case history to get to the source of your problem 

For information on getting your baby to sleep read our Rock-A-Bye Baby article