While everyone experiences insomnia to some degree, those who have chronic insomnia feel there is no cure for them. Before one can cure the condition it’s essential to find the underlying cause. There are many reasons people have insomnia and in varying degrees. Some people have trouble falling asleep while others have trouble staying asleep. The cause of the sleeplessness varies from person to person but before you can begin to treat the condition you must evaluate and analyze the cause. While there are many different things that may contribute to insomnia, the ten must common causes are as follows:

1. Inconsistent sleep patterns. For good sleep it’s important to go to sleep and wake up at approximately the same time every day. Many people have a tendency to stay up extremely late and wake up extremely late on their days off which disrupts their normal sleep patterns.

1. Eating heavy meals too close to bedtime. Your body needs time to complete the digestive process, and if you eat your dinner too close to bedtime you will have trouble falling asleep. While work schedules may sometimes affect this process, especially those who may work both a full-time and part-time job without a break in between, eating late will definitely have a detrimental effect on your ability to fall asleep.

1. Going to bed hungry. This is something many people attempt to do, especially when they are trying to lose weight, and it is one of the worst things you can do for sleep quality. Many people read the advice of stars who say they don’t eat after 6 p.m. and think it is the perfect solution. Instead of trying to go to bed hungry and not be able to sleep, try having a small high energy snack. Serotonin is believed to be a natural sleep aid and is present in many chocolate products—you don’t have to sacrifice your diet but have a small cup of sugar free chocolate pudding or sugar free hot chocolate.

1. Going to bed exhausted. While it seems to make sense to wait until you are tired to go to bed, you don’t wait to wait until you are completely exhausted or you will have trouble going to sleep.

1. Getting too many sleep aids.

1. Smoking

1. Overuse of caffeine

1. Temperature in room too hot or too cold

1. Inability to relax after going to bed

1. Lack of exercise. While you don’t want to do too much close to bedtime, a little bit of light exercise can actual relax you and help you fall asleep. It can be something as mild as just take a ten or fifteen minute walk outside.

While people may have other reasons they have difficulty sleeping, these are the most common reasons and the ones easiest to address. Some people have chronic insomnia that is related to health conditions or medications they must take; it’s difficult to control those causes. However, if you work on some of the other causes you can at least reduce some of the bouts of insomnia that your health conditions and medications cause.

It happens quite often. You’re sound asleep one moment, then suddenly you’re gasping for air. You’re eyes are wide open, you are trying to inhale or exhale, but your throat is clamped shut. While there are quite a few reasons this could be happening, the most commonly known ailment is Obstructive Sleep Apnea, also know as OSA.  This type of ailment is common to approximately 5 % of the world’s population.

OSA occurs when a person who is asleep stops breathing because their airway collapses. It does not stay collapsed but it does restrict airflow for a noticeable amount of time. Symptoms of OSA, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, include snoring and being excessively sleepy during the day. Although being overweight is a risk factor for this type of problem, thin people still get it. Allowing this problem to persist can result in heart disease, high blood pressure and even stroke.

There is treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The easiest type of treatment is positional. The belief is that sleeping on your back can be more harmful to this sort of condition. Try sleeping on your side. Some people have been known to put tennis balls inside a tube sock and pin it to their nightshirt to keep them from rolling onto their back while asleep. Another way to reduce episodes from OSA is to sleep on your back with your chest elevated on a wedge type rest. Make sure it’s not a pillow that forces your chin to your chest. Avoid alcohol and other central nervous system depressants as these tend to me OSA worse by relaxing the muscles to the airway which reduces the respiratory drive and increases the amount of episodes you might have. If weight is an issue, then the simple idea of weight loss will fix the problem. Medical intervention includes the use of a CPAP machine which is worn at night and acts in a splint like manner for the airway using air from the room. The last resort method is surgery to fix the problem. However, surgery is risky in that it could make the OSA better or it could make it worse.

Before jumping into something, consider other things that may cause you to have the feeling of choking in the middle of the night. The temporary conditions of heartburn, post nasal drip and vocal cord spasms can also cause you to feel as if you’re choking. Discuss your symptoms with a doctor in order to determine a correct diagnosis as well as a correct treatment option. Most doctors will recommend an overnight sleep study if they are unsure as to your exact condition.

There are many factors that go into a good night’s sleep. Your sleeping environment is the most essential to sleeping well. The room that you sleep in must be free from noise, free from bright lights, free from clutter and have a comfortable bed. A comfortable bed involves clean sheets, the right type of pillow for you and just the right mattress.

A good mattress is essential to a good night’s sleep. What qualifies as a good mattress? The optimal mattress will offer comfort in the form of proper cushion and recoil, while providing firm enough support for a person’s back, legs and neck. The best mattress will distribute a person’s weight evenly so that you won’t wake up sore. This comes from the firmness of the mattress. While a great deal of people seem to prefer a very firm mattress, scientific research has been inconclusive due to the differences in every person.

How long does a mattress last or when should I buy a new mattress? The life of the mattress is  reliant on whether  the mattress is used everyday or for guests only, the quality in which the mattress was created, along with the weight and sleep patterns of the user. Taking all of these things into consideration , the average mattress should be replaced every 5-7 years.

When shopping for a mattress, doctors recommend that you purchase a mattress that supports the natural ‘S’ curve of your back while allowing you to completely relax. You should spend anywhere from 15-30 minutes ‘trying out’ a mattress. That’s right. Lie down in the middle of the mattress store and  turn over just like you were sleeping. Now don’t do this quickly. It takes your body 15-30 minutes to relax, so lay down and wait for relaxation to happen.

Keep in mind that there are many types of mattresses. There are traditional coil, air, latex and memory foam. A good mattress is not made up of all the bells and whistles, nor is it the most expensive. It is the one that fits your needs and your body. The one that offers support and evenly distributes your weight. A good mattress allows you a deep, restful sleep so that you can wake in the morning feeling refreshed and rejuvenated not groggy, sore, achy and tired.

Keep in mind, when you’ve eliminated the stress from your bedroom and eliminated any other issues that might be interfering with your sleep patterns, it’s time to look at getting a new mattress. If you’re mattress is over 8 years old don’t try to justify keeping it.  A good mattress equals a good night’s sleep which equals better health.

With age the body experiences some changes in sleep patterns. It is necessary for aged people to alter their lifestyles in order to cope up with sleep problems. It is extremely important to figure out the cause of the problem and search for the appropriate solution.

Some Solutions For Seniors That Can’t Sleep

Senior years are basically meant for relaxation and rest. As all the responsibilities of raising a family get over by this age, we usually think that the sleep problems might recede. But reality often turns out to be very different. Actually sleep problems elevate significantly with the increase in age. More than sixty percent of the senior citizens experience sleep problems. Generally after the age of 65 a person not only sleeps less but also experiences troubled sleep.

Unfortunately seniors that can’t sleep do not seek any treatment for sleep problems. Eventually sleep problems lead to decreased sex drive, poor memory and undue fatigue. Researchers conclude that the factors, which affect sleep patterns in senior citizens, include stress, lack of exercise and pain. Even diseases and illnesses fall among underlying causes as sleep is also affected by the medicines taken by an aged person.

There are some tips, which might work for the seniors that can’t sleep. As the body gets old, the capacity of the body to tolerate chocolates, nicotine or caffeine also decreases, hence the intake of such substances should be limited and especially late in the evening. It is important for the aged to follow a proper and regular schedule, even on weekends. They should get up and go to sleep at the same time everyday. This routine helps the body to understand and regularize sleep patterns. Regular exercise at fixed hours must be included in the daily routine of elder people. Late afternoon is apt but you can also indulge in some light physical activity a few hours before bedtime. These exercise sessions help you to sleep better. Expose your body to natural sunlight during the daytime so that the internal sleep clock can remain well adjusted.

You must not take the help of alcohol to sleep. Not even small amounts should be taken as alcohol makes it difficult to maintain deep sleep during the whole of the night. You may fall asleep quickly by alcohol intake but you are sure to wake up sooner and won’t even feel rested. The general rule is to bring some potential changes to your lifestyle so that you can regulate your sleep patterns. Sleep in a well ventilated bedroom, choose comfortable bedding and avoid any kind of noise and light disturbance. Your bedroom plays a significant role in sleep, hence arrange the room with pastel colored accessories, which are believed to help maintain proper balance levels according to Feng Shui principles.

As you get older you must maintain a balanced diet so that the body can meet the nutrient requirements. Inadequate levels of magnesium and iron also contribute to disturbed sleep. It is advisable not to take heavy meals just prior to going to bed. Your meal should be taken at least a few hours before going to sleep. You can also try some herbal remedies, which are capable of triggering the hormones and neurotransmitters associated with inducing sleep. However it is a must to seek the opinion of a doctor if these remedies do not work for seniors that can’t sleep.

It’s not uncommon for adults to experience sleep loss, but it’s also not impossible to fix the problem. We’ve compiled a few “can’t sleep” tips for drowsy adults.

Can’t sleep again? You’re not alone! Studies show that at least half of the population will experience some form of insomnia during lifetime. While insomnia is slightly more common in children, it tends to last longer in adults. While a single day of stress may result in the loss of a single night’s sleep for a child, adults tend to carry that stress over. And it’s not just stress that causes us to lose sleep. More than any other age group, older adults lose sleep because of medical conditions like obesity or depression.

The good news is that the majority of adults that can’t sleep are experiencing acute or short-term insomnia. These bouts of sleeplessness are not only temporary but are also highly treatable. Here is just a short list of our “can’t sleep” tips for adults:

Avoid any foods or drinks that affect your body chemistry. This includes caffeine, alcohol, processed sugars, and even nicotine. Each of these substances affects your body’s ability to regulate sleep. While alcohol may help you to fall asleep initially, your ability to maintain deep sleep could be compromised, or you could oversleep which in many cases is just as harmful as sleep deprivation and which can also encourage depression. If you have to have your caffeine fix, then have it during the day. Try to choose a more sleep-friendly alternative at night like caffeine-free tea or a glass of warm milk.

Prep your bedroom. Use blinds or dark curtains on your windows, burn candles of a soothing scent, make sure the room temperature is comfortable… Do whatever it takes to make your bedroom a temple of relaxation.

Keep your bed sleep-specific. For many adults their bed remains a comfort zone, but if you talk in your bed, read in your bed, watch TV in your bed, work in your bed, etc you stop associating it specifically with sleep which may make it hard for you to relax when you climb under the covers at the end of the night. Put a desk or chair in your room if it helps, but from now on the only thing you should be doing in your bed is sleeping.

Cut back on naps. We know that for some adults it’s hard to get all the sleep you need in one go, but napping during the day can make it hard to maintain deep sleep at night. Instead of napping for an hour during the day, use that extra hour to get everything done quicker and then go to bed early.

Know when you need more. If you find yourself spacing out during work, church, or school and if you find yourself dozing off during downtime then you’re definitely not getting enough sleep! Too many adults have bought into the myth that they can get by on six hours or less when in truth most adults still need at least seven to ten hours of sleep.

While small bouts of sleep loss are common, you need to know when to see a doctor. If you are experiencing long-term sleep loss, are not reaching the deep sleep stage, or are having trouble sleeping for more than an hour or two at a time, then it’s time to call your doctor. Also, if you feel so tired that it is affecting your ability to think or function then you may have an underlying medical condition that deserves immediate attention.

Summary

Sleep deprivation in babies or infants is not very different from sleep deprivation in adults. A number of adults find it difficult to sleep each night and similarly infants also have problems while trying to sleep. The only difference is that the causes of sleeping problems in babies are entirely different from the causes of sleep problems in adults.

In adults sleep problems are usually blamed on the factors like stress, jetlag, depression, work, etc. but what have these factors to do with the babies that can’t sleep ? In fact every child or baby has varying sleep patterns and different sleeping habits. Even the time, when they go to sleep also varies from one infant to other. Usually during the first few months from their birth, babies on an average, sleep for about 16-18 hours per day. The baby may wake up once or twice during this sleeping period but normally falls back asleep on his own.

Babies experiencing sleeping problems usually:

• Find it very difficult to go to sleep

• Wake up quite early in the morning

• Wake up a number of times during the night and have a difficult time in getting back to sleep

Sleeping problems in babies are often due to one or some of the following reasons:

• Babies or young children may want to grab the attention of their parents at all the times.

• The baby may be suffering from some digestive problems like colic.

• The most common reason is that the baby might be hungry and not getting proper feed.

• Sleepless nights are very common the infants start their teething process.

• The baby may be having some serious health ailment.

Some tips to handle babies that can’t sleep:

• If the baby starts crying in the middle of the night, there is absolutely no need to rush there immediately. Most of the times babies stop crying on their own and fall back asleep themselves. Your attention or intervention at each and every cry will provide the baby with a reason to remain awake.

• Make sure that the outside noises are not disturbing your baby’s sleep. If you think that such noises are preventing your baby from sound sleep then you can try to cover up these noises by playing some soft music.

• Do not encourage the baby’s habit of going to sleep in your arms. Try and cultivate the ritual of his falling asleep in the crib. Make sure to select a comfortable crib and provide the baby with soft pillows that can mould perfectly according to the shape of the baby’s head.

• Unless the doctor prescribes, you should never use any infant medication on your own, to make your child fall asleep.

• The market is replete with baby products that help in promoting sleep. These devices are called sleep machines and produce white noise. These machines allow the child to have a restful sleep.

As a responsible parent it is important for you to know when to go to a doctor regarding your baby’s sleeping problems. Despite of all your efforts, if the number of consecutive sleepless nights of your baby keeps on increasing then you must head to a physician for a thorough check-up of your baby.

The above video is about 30 minutes long and goes over many different sleeping disorders. It has some great information on types of sleep, the need for sleep, the different types of medications and how they can effect you etc. I included it on my blog because it covers a lot of what we talk about on the cant sleep forums.

This next video talks about sleep apnea and the equipment used if you go the Cpap route. I am posting this video on the blog because it goes over some very interesting points about sleep apnea in children. A topic that very little is known about at this time.