Can Sleeping Pills Help me Sleep?
Modern medicine has done amazing things. It has cured diseases that have plagued humanity for centuries, allowing us to live longer and healthier lives. However, area where modern medicine has struggled is sleep. Scientists have yet to unravel the exact reasons for sleep and are still hazy on many of the other fundamentals of this process. One area where medicine also struggles is helping those with insomnia.
Certainly there are many effective sleeping pills which can help insomniacs to get to sleep but these are not long term solutions. Instead of treating the root cause of the problem, they merely dampen the effects of the symptoms, which as any medical expert will tell you, is only ever a short term fix.
Sleeping pills should only ever be something used when other approaches and actions, means and methods, have been exhausted. There are many healthier and more effective ways of gaining and maintaining healthy sleep habits. If you are struggling with sleep then you should consider alternatives before you resort to sleeping pills.
One of the first things you need to look at if you are struggling to sleep is your diet. The saying ‘you are what you eat’ is fairly accurate. Our diet can have a big impact on our sleeping habits. There are numerous foods and drinks that contain nutrients that help us sleep such as fish, dairy products and almonds. Conversely, there are others such as caffeine and sugar which will inhibit or degrade our sleep. Do an audit of your diet and check it against these known food and drink types.
Another key element in sleeping is routine. Your body and brain both work better if you follow a regular schedule. Going to bed at the same time each night and getting up at the same time in the morning is key to good sleep. Having relaxing night time rituals that help your mind ease into a restful state is beneficial.
Finally, before you look into medication to assist sleep you need to assess your sleeping environment. Your bedroom needs to be quiet, dark and well ventilated. Even the smallest amount of light can disturb your sleep, so turn off all electronic devices on standby and hide your alarm clock. If you cannot make your room totally quiet look into a white noise machine.
If all this fails then you need to go and see a sleep expert who will run tests and ask questions. They will be able to tell you if there is anything else you need and they may prescribe you sleeping pills.
- Medication doesn’t treat the problem, only the symptoms.
- Try to change your diet.
- Develop a regular sleep routine and relaxing night time rituals.
- Make your bedroom as dark, quiet and well ventilated as possible.
- See a sleep expert.
Sleeping pills cannot cure a sleep disorder they merely mask the effects. There are a number more sustainable and healthy ways to deal with sleep problems, so try them first.
