How did you sleep last night? Sleep can be affected by factors outside of your control, but with patience and perseverance you’ll be back to great sleep habits in no time! Always speak to a licensed physician if you are struggling with insomnia or depression. I am ready to assist you in make your rest the best in can possibly be. Thank you for these fantastic questions!
Q: I have chronic insomnia, I have had it since a baby (My Mum says I was once up for 48 hrs at around 6 months). I have been to three sleep specialists, done two sleep studies, taken OTC medications, Sonata and Ambien. They also tried SSRIs to see if it would calm my mind. I have the same routine every night, I don’t watch TV in bed and I read for two hours in bed before sleep. I use a meditation app every night to relax me and I also go through my times tables in my head to distract my mind. Any other ideas would be appreciated.
A: Great work towards your goal, everything you said is great advice and a wonderful process! I advise ensuring that your sleep environment is as dark and cold as possible (ideally 63-68 degrees F) and cutting off caffeine or sugary foods at 2PM. I’ve stated this in other responses, but it is sound advice. No TV in bed and 2 hours of reading – Great pre-sleep ritual! Another bit of advice I have would be to write down any worries or concerns you have on a notepad before going to sleep and put that notepad in a drawer to close off those worries or concerns before going to sleep. As a chronic insomniac myself, have had success using Ro-Azepam as a sleep medication after many different failed medicines attempted prior to that. Great job working hard every day towards getting more restorative, restful sleep — You rock!
Q: I’ve suffered from depression for the last couple of years, and with that depression I find myself dealing with bouts of extreme over sleeping. How can I make sleeping more satisfying so I’m not taking multiple naps in a day?
A: My first advice, although it sounds kind of crazy, is to try to spend as much time as possible outside in the sun. Natural sunlight touching your skin will provide Vitamin D which helps to make the body naturally produce serotonin. Serotonin plays an important role in your body waking up; therefore exposure to sunlight will make you feel (A) more happy and also (B) more alert and awake. I’m sorry to hear about the depression you have been suffering and commend you for working hard to take the best care of yourself possible. Keep up the hard work!
Q: What would you not recommend eating right before bed?
A: Please try to avoid: alcohol, caffeine, spicy food, dairy products, meats high in protein, processed food or MSG, and garlic. Foods that are good right before bed include: Fiber and whole grains, crackers, sparkling water, hummus (with vegetables), bananas, apples, dried fruit/nuts, cashews, cereals with oats. Thanks for asking!!
Your daytime activities do have an effect on the way you sleep at night. Keep in mind that for some people exercise and caffeine in the smallest dose can cause sleep disruptions. A great way to see which factors may be affecting your sleep is to use a sleep diary!
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