Have you tried setting your alarm clock and forcing yourself to sleep to catch up on the required hours, but the tighter you close your eyes and will sleep to come and conquer you, the wider awake you are? The feeling is not pleasant, and chances are your alarm will go off five or six hours later and you are still wide awake. As frustrated and irritable as you are, you have no recourse but to get up if you have an early appointment.
Don’t you just envy other individuals that fall instantly asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow? Some even drift off to dreamland even in the most uncomfortable positions, but here you are, on a comfortable bed and surrounded by soft pillows but sleep eludes you.
You know what it feels to be in a trance-like state the whole day like you’re sleepwalking, registering only half or even less of what is happening around you.
Insomnia is the inability to get the amount of sleep you as an individual need to wake up feeling rested.
It is one of the most common sleep complaints in the country. You may experience occasional insomnia for one night, but if lasts for months and even years, it could already be chronic insomnia, a situation that you should not take for granted but seek medical assistance.
The National Center for Sleep Disorders Research at the National Institutes of Health estimates that about 30-40 percent of adults say they have some symptoms of insomnia within a given year, and about 10-15 percent of adults say they have chronic insomnia.
You may experience insomnia if you are stressed, worried, disturbed over incidents such as loss of a loved one, job, marital or relationship problems, or if you are excited of coming events such as vacations, weddings, holidays, shifts in work hours, jetlag and other factors.
Symptoms
• Having a hard time falling asleep
• Waking up frequently during the night
• Having a difficult time going back to sleep
• Waking up very early in the morning
• Drowsiness during the day
• Difficulty in concentrating
• Irritability
• Waking up un-refreshed from sleep
Suggestions
Here are some tips that will help you sleep well into the night:
• Create a sleep environment that promotes sleep — such a dark, cool environment.
• Develop positive thoughts about sleep.
• Follow a regular bedtime routine and regular waking up schedule.
• Avoid eating or drinking too much near your bedtime.
• Practice relaxation techniques before going to bed, such as meditation, yoga and other relaxing exercises.
• Practice good sleep hygiene.
• Block out unnecessary noises in the night.
• Stay away from caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine especially late in the day.
• Don’t take naps in the evening or late afternoon.
• Get help before the problem gets any worse! See a health care professional who can assess your sleep problem and your daily routine.
On Saipan, you can check out the services offered by the Pacific Sleep Center in Gualo Rai Middle Road, or call 323-7720.
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