Here is some food for thought from NYTimes.com Sleeping is a serious problem for millions of people. The National Sleep Foundation (which receives financial support from pharmaceutical companies) estimates that 20 percent of Americans, up from 13 percent eight years ago, sleep fewer than six hours a night. The lucky few who sleep a full eight hours or more dropped to 28 percent, from 38 percent, the foundation said.
If the problem is pure insomnia — rather than sleep apnea or another medical issue — there are smart and affordable options. Here are some of the most cost-effective ways to get the sleep you need, and a few things you should avoid altogether.
PATIENT MONEY You have probably heard these sleep dos and don’ts before, but they bear repeating. If you have been tossing and turning, do not drink caffeine after, say, 2 p.m. And avoid downing more than a glass of wine or the equivalent amount of other alcohol in the evening.
FIND A SLEEP SPECIALIST If you have mild insomnia, see your primary care physician. But if you have been having trouble sleeping for months and feel tired most days, you'd better a board-certified sleep doctor.
TRY A GENERIC DRUG Your doctor may prescribe a so-called hypnotic drug to help you sleep through the night. Ask for a generic option— such as zolpidem, the generic version of Ambien — which will be much cheaper than brand-name medications like Ambien CR or Lunesta, which can cost $2 to $3 a pill.
CONSIDER A NONDRUG OPTION When your insomnia is chronic, meaning it has been going on for months, your doctor might also recommend cognitive behavioral therapy, or C.B.T.
C.B.T. for insomnia is meant to help patients change the behaviors and thoughts that can get in the way of a good night’s sleep. Proponents say that it is remarkably effective and that once you learn it you may never have to spend a dime on medications again.
STICK WITH IT “The most wasteful thing is not doing anything” “The cost of living with insomnia can be far more than the cost of treating it.”
so, do u often have insomnia?
how do u struggle with it?
what do u think about these reccomendations?
how can insomnia influence our life?
