The following is the third and [so far] final blog on getting a good night’s sleep. Please refer back to parts one and two of this series.
RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME (RLS) causes an urge to move your legs. Your legs become uncomfortable when you are lying down or sitting. Some people describe it as a creeping crawling, tingling, or burning sensation. Moving makes your legs feel better, but the benefit is temporary. (The diagnosis can involve the arms instead of the legs, or both.) RLS can make it hard to fall asleep, stay asleep, or get restful sleep. RLS can be a cause of chronic fatigue. In most cases, there is no known cause for RLS. In other cases, RLS may be caused by a disease or condition, such as anemia or pregnancy. Some medicines can cause RLS. Caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol may make symptoms worse. Lifestyle changes, such as regular sleep habits, relaxation techniques, and moderate exercise earlier in the day may help. If these do not work, there are medicines that can control this problem. It can also affect the arms.
The diagnosis of Restless Legs Syndrome is frequently missed during overnight sleep studies. A history of weird leg or arm symptoms while awake may identify this problem. I have empirically and successfully treated it with medicines without a specific diagnosis.
Sneezing, coughing, sinus congestion and drainage, and headache are signs of allergy. Any of these symptoms can affect your sleep. You may not actually waken at night, but you will feel less rested in the morning.
For allergic symptoms, make your bedroom as allergen free, dust free, and dust mite free as possible.
Create a dust free bedroom. Enclose pillows, mattress, blankets, and comforters in dust covers. These tightly woven material cases can be purchased at mattress stores and elsewhere. Remove dust collectors – like clothing, stuffed animals, books, papers, upholstered furniture, plants from the bedroom. Or put them in drawers or closed closets.
Remove carpeting if possible. It is not certain that this will help. If removing the carpeting in your bedroom is a great expense, I would hesitate to do that. Do not allow pets in the bedroom, if possible. Wet mop and wet dust the entire bedroom floor to ceiling once a week.
Consider placing an air purifier or negative ion generator in your sleeping room. This removes those floating dust particles you see when sunshine streams through the window.
Put a humidifier in the bedroom to prevent and treat respiratory infections. The best is a hot air humidifier as this just puts water vapor into the air without adding minerals that could come with a cold air machine. The hot water could be risky if children or pets have access to it. The safest method if using a cold air humidifier is to fill it with distilled water only.
Sleep position improves the quality of slumber. Research on this problem has identified an optimal posture. Lie on your side. Then lean back on a body pillow so that your body is lying at a 45-degree angle. Place a pillow crosswise between your knees. Hug another pillow. These help to prevent you from turning. Raise your head up with pillows so that your neck is straight and not bent. If one side is more comfortable, always lie that way. You may want to arrange the pillows so you can easily shift to the other side.
AEROBIC and STRENGTHENING EXERCISES within a few hours of retiring may inhibit sleep. Such activities promote the production of norepinephrine (also known as adrenalin). This is a “fight-or-flight” hormone that acts as stimulant. Although it does bother sleep in many, others find it to not be a problem. STRETCHING exercises before bed helps sleep because tightness adversely affects sleep.
Limit the bedroom to bed activities. Performing waking activities in the bedroom makes your mind associate that room with being awake. When your brain is used to waking activities in the bedroom, that may act as a stimulant. Many people sleep better when the subconscious recognizes the bedroom as a place for sleep and sex ONLY. Avoid exercise, reading, watching TV, doing paperwork like balancing the check book, or any other waking activities in the bedroom.
A REGULAR SLEEPING SCHEDULE is important for good health and renewal. This helps set normal biorhythms, which are important for good overall health. these rhythms help you to sleep more soundly if they are a regular pattern. Try to go to sleep at the same time every night. You can train yourself to always go to bed at the same time.
ROTATE different sleep aids (Many people find that these treatments for sleep lose their effectiveness if taken all the time. But rotating them gives the benefit without this loss.) 5-HTP (5 hydoxytrytophan) (this is the amino acid in turkey that makes you sleepy), dramamine (use the regular formulation) (do NOT use the “non-drowsy” version of this medicine), melatonin (3 to 12 mg. at bedtime), Tylenol PM (this has benadryl – also known as diphenhydramine – in it), Chamomille tea, Valerian root, Lavender
Taking an EPSOM SALT BATH before bed helps assure a good night’s sleep. Many people find that soaking the body in warm water with added magnesium sulfate is relaxing. Find a comfortable temperature for yourself. It can be a meditative experience.
Are all these adjustments necessary for everyone? Probably not. Most people can adopt a single or a few strategies and improve sleep hygiene. Like so many things in life, it’s an experiment to find out what works best for you. As time goes on and you mature, adjustments may be worthwhile.
Good luck.
Health and Spirit by Dr. Jack Zoldan 