5. CONSIDER MEDICAL TREATMENTS AND BEHAVIORAL TECHNIQUES

While some of us may prefer the naturalistic suggestions given above, there is a sizeable portion of insomniacs who cry out "Just drug me! Give me some pills and knock me out!" Please don't yell. Here are some interventions that you can use to help bring the onset of sleep:

Sleeping pills
Melatonin
Herbs
Behavioral techniques

Sleeping pills

As we stated before, those with transient insomnia get the greatest benefit from sleeping pills. As a general rule, you should take them for the shortest time and in the lowest doses as possible. You must be EXTREMELY careful with sleeping pills; they only remain effective for 2-3 weeks, at which point you may develop a tolerance for (or addiction to) them.

The most commonly prescribed pills come from the benzodiazephine family; however, they do tend to have side effects, including a "hangover" feeling, motor coordination problems, memory loss, and low levels of alertness. Many Americans, nevertheless, seem to believe that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks - as many as 5-8% of the adult population in Western countries uses sleeping pills more than once a week.

Melatonin

Some regard melatonin as a more attractive alternative to sleeping pills because your pineal gland naturally secretes melatonin in the dark (thank you, evolution). Taking melatonin supplements became popular in the early '90s when doctors found it instrumental to the onset of sleep.

As little as .1 milligrams can enhance sleep, so taking 1-3 milligrams an hour or so before bed will surely do the trick. Supposedly, melatonin supplements will not interfere with sleep quality, memory, or next day performance the way that pills do. Furthermore, it does not lose its effectiveness in the long run. You can pick up some tablets in any health food store, but remember that scientists are still testing the effects of the stuff. Melatonin is a hormone, and any teenager can tell you that hormones can get complicated.

Herbs

The next suggestion is the herb valerian. Quite popular in Europe and available in health stores, valerian improves sleep quality without causing a hangover effect. Just steep about 300-400 mg of the root in hot water for tea 30 minutes before bedtime. Other popular herbs include skullcap, passion flower, California poppy, and lemon balm.

Behavioral Techniques

We're not saying that you're bonkers or anything, but perhaps the problem is purely mental. If that's the case, here are some options:

  • Experiment with relaxation and meditation techniques at bedtime to reduce body tension and relieve the muscles. Talk a partner/spouse into giving you a slow massage as treatment for your insomnia. Who could resist your plea? Also, some people find sex prior to bed relaxing. (Try a new pick up line: "Hey hun, wanna help me cure my insomnia?" Its worth a shot.)

  • Some more drastic/extreme techniques include sleep restriction or light therapy. For sleep restriction, limit yourself to only a few hours of sleep a night and gradually increase the time you allot. Basically, exhaust yourself until you can sleep normally. On the other hand, light therapy works under the premise that your internal clock is out of whack and just needs to be reset to reflect the actual time of day. For example, if you wake up too early, you should expose yourself to bright light in the evening thereby convincing your body to get tired later that night and sleep later the next morning. If you go to sleep too late, light exposure in the morning serves the same purpose.

  • Cognitive therapy is another option. Many people have dysfunctional attitudes about sleep that can lead to a vicious spiral. If you're nervous about sleep, you cannot relax long enough to get it. In this case, a therapist can talk through your concerns with you, bring your harmful attitudes to the surface, and give you a new sense of control.

So off to the Land of Nod with you! With any luck, you will soon be worrying more about what that weird dream meant. Just remember: sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.