Introduction
Most people suffer from disturbed sleep at some time. At any one time one in seven adults
does not sleep well. People are concerned about the length and quality of their sleep and also about how they will cope with the next day's activities if they have not slept well.
Drugs such as caffeine in coffee and tea, alcohol and occasionally some prescribed medicines
can all disturb your sleep and are best avoided in the evening. Do not stop any prescribed
medicine without consulting your doctor.
Emotional upsets are a common cause of sleep disturbances but most are only short-lived and do not require anything specific to be done for them. If such an upset is affecting your sleep for a prolonged period you should discuss this with your doctor.
How to improve your sleep
Take into account the above causes of disturbed sleep first of all. Worrying about going to
sleep will only tend to keep you awake, so understanding that short periods of disturbed sleep are common and usually self-limiting is in itself useful in helping yourself. Drugs are only
seldom helpful unless there is a specific cause of poor sleep such as depression.
The "sleeping tablets" that were given more readily a number of years ago are not used greatly today as there is a tendency for people become tolerant to their effects meaning that they stop working. They can also be addictive and can affect people's daytime performance more than it is affected by lack of sleep due to them not wearing off quickly enough.
Developing good "sleep hygiene" is an important way of getting your sleep pattern back to normal. The next page details the ways in which you can do this;
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In the evening;
- Put the day to rest. Tie up loose ends in your mind and plan ahead. If it helps make notes.
- Take some light exercise early in the evening.
- Don't do anything mentally demanding within 90 minutes of bedtime.
- Do not sleep or doze in the chair. Keep sleep for bedtime.
- Do not drink tea or coffee or eat close to bedtime. Alcohol upsets sleep.
- Make sure your bed and bedroom are comfortable. Not too hot or cold.
At bedtime
- Go to bed when sleepy - not before.
- Do not read or watch television in bed.
- Set the alarm for the same time every day, seven days a week at least until sleep is restored to normal.
- Put the light out when you go to bed.
- Let yourself relax. Tell yourself that sleep will come when it is ready. Enjoy relaxing if you don't fall straight to sleep.
- Do not try to fall asleep. If you do you can switch sleep off.
If you have problems
- Don't be surprised or frustrated. Sleep problems are more common and less damaging than you think.
- If you are awake for more than 20 minutes get up and go into another room.
- Do something relaxing for a while. People usually cope well the next day.
- Go back to bed when you feel sleepy. Remember the tips above.
- A good sleep pattern may take weeks to establish. Be confident you will get there by sticking
with the sleep plan.