Get a Better Night’s Sleep Without Pills
Sleeping pills aren’t for everyone. For some folks, they might interact with medication you’re already taking. For others, sleeping pills can lead to night time falls and daytime dizziness.
So how can you get a good night’s sleep without a prescription? Experts on insomnia in older people say that there are several fundamental tips for those struggling to sleep well without pills. They also point out that the majority of sleeping problems in older people arise from underlying, often treatable conditions like depression, pain from arthritis, restless legs or sleep apnea. Common medications also can interfere with sleep.
Consult a sleep disorders specialist if your sleep problems persist after trying some of these 10 remedies:
1. Exercise - Not only does physical activity promote general health, it helps people sleep. Studies show that if you’re not up to vigorous exercise, even a small increase in daily exertion helps nocturnal sleep. Just don’t climb on the StairMaster within five or six hours of bedtime. Exercise gets the body aroused—and it takes several hours to slow back down.
2. Cut back—or, better, cut out—the daytime napping - “If you must nap, keep it brief and early in the day,” says Donald Bliwise, a professor of neurology at Emory University School of Medicine. If you can’t resist dozing, keep it to 30 minutes or less.
3. Get an hour or two of daily exposure to sunlight - Those who toss and turn, unable to fall asleep at a normal hour, should get sun exposure in the morning. Those who fall asleep too early and want to reset their body clock should get sun exposure late in the afternoon. Natural light synchronizes the inner clock that regulates sleep, nudging the body into wakefulness by day and sleepiness at night. If you live where winter days are short, consider investing in a bright lamp. But remember that no light works as well as Mother Nature, even on an overcast day.
4. Set a sleep schedule, and stick to it - Go to bed at about the same time each night. Set an alarm, and get up at the same time each morning. Experts say it’s essential. “The brain’s sleep center wants a schedule,” says Leah Friedman, a sleep researcher at Stanford University School of Medicine.
5. Ditch the vices late in the day - Big meals close to bedtime can lead to sleep-disturbing heartburn. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants that make it harder to get to sleep. And it’s well established that alcohol leads to wakefulness in the middle of the night. A cocktail at 5 p.m. is a lot more conducive to a good night’s sleep than a nightcap.
6. Take a hot bath one to two hours before bedtime - The medical literature shows that, in addition to relaxing you, the cooling of your core body temperature after you leave the bath promotes sleep. Don’t take your bath too close to the time you turn out the lights, because it takes the body an hour or two to cool down.
7. Drink a glass of warm milk at bedtime - Studies have shown that tryptophan, an amino acid contained in milk and other dairy products, promotes sleep. If this portends too many trips to the toilet in the wee hours, try eating a small snack of cheese or yogurt instead.
8. Use night-lights—not normal room lights—to guide your way to the bathroom - Researchers have found that exposing yourself to regular room light in the middle of the night can shift your internal sleep/wake clock, potentially causing you to start waking regularly before the birds.
9. Consider whether a medication might be causing or contributing to your sleep problem - Common culprits include beta-blockers that fight high blood pressure; anti-depressants including both SSRIs and MAO inhibitors; thyroid hormone; and respiratory medicines like albuterol. If you suspect a medicine is interfering with your sleep, talk to your doctor. Switching drugs, lowering the dosage or changing the time of day you take a pill may help.
10. Don’t accept the once-conventional wisdom that people need less sleep as they age - Scientists have debunked this notion, showing that older people do best on seven to eight hours of sleep a night, just like everybody else. “If you’re having difficulty sleeping, don’t assume it’s because you’ve gotten older. See your doctor about getting it fixed,” says Sonia Ancoli-Israel, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California at San Diego.
Source: Meredith Wadman
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