Helpful Advice for Insomniacs

Changing your sleep schedule is not easy. Recently, my husband's work schedule switched from nights to days. It's been two weeks since the schedule change and I'm still adjusting. I'm very tired and just can't get myself up in the mornings like I planned to. I'm also still staying up as late as I was, even later sometimes. My sleep schedule is completely off balance.

I am not suffering this problem alone. According to Shuteye.com, "insomnia is estimated to affect more than half of the U.S. adult population." Many people have trouble sleeping, whether it's falling asleep, staying asleep, or both. There are many services and medications available to help us sleep. But how do you know what's right for you?

The first step is to talk to your doctor. He or she can help you determine what may be causing your difficulty with sleeping and come up with some solutions.

The best way to help your doctor help you is by keeping a sleep journal for a few weeks to track your problems. You should keep track of when you go to bed, how long it takes you to fall asleep, how often you wake up during the night and what time you wake up in the mornings. Also keep track of what you are eating and drinking before bed and any activities you are performing before bed. This will help your doctor determine what may be causing your sleeping difficulties. Shuteye.com offers a sleep diary you can print out with questions you answer before going to sleep and after waking up.

There are other tools available to you to help you keep track of your sleep patterns and problems. Shuteye.com offers a sleep assessor, a questionnaire that can help your doctor determine what could be causing your sleeping difficulties. He or she can then make suggestions on what you can do to help yourself.

You may be able to help yourself fall asleep faster and stay asleep by following some of these guidelines:

- Avoid exercising within three hours of bedtime

- Avoid smoking in the six hours before bedtime

- Avoid alcohol before bedtime

- Avoid caffeine after noon

- Avoid drinking fluids before bedtime

Try following these guidelines and see if they help your sleep pattern change for the better. If they don't, consider using the sleep diary and taking the sleep survey to help you talk to your doctor about your sleeping difficulties.

Remember, too, that certain medications you may be taking can affect your sleep, such as:

- Alertness medications

- Analgesics

- Antidepressants

- Arthritis medications

- Asthma medications

- Blood pressure medications

- Cold/allergy medications

- Diet pills

Tell your doctor if you are taking any of these medications.

The simplest-sounding solution you can try yourself is to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This can perhaps be the most difficult solution for you. Start slowly. If you can't go to sleep and wake up at the same time everyday, try moving your schedule an hour at a time or a half hour at a time until you are on the same schedule every day. Give yourself plenty of time to set up and adjust to your new schedule.

These are some suggestions and guidelines to help you with your sleep difficulties. Remember that it is always best to consult your doctor about any problems you are having and work with him or her to find solutions. For more information on sleep disorders, visit www.shuteye.com.