With his newest ‘5 Point Sleep Plan’, Dr. Oz claims to offer the solution to sleep problems, but these ’sleep hygiene’ tips are not effective for someone who has a long-standing insomnia. In fact, anyone who has had sleep problems for a long time has tried all of these suggestions and many more offered by every doctor, friend and website and they still can’t sleep. Hearing these suggestions again from someone who is thought to be an expert is just frustrating and adds insult to injury.

If you are stuggling with insomnia and have had problems falling asleep or staying asleep for a long time, don’t rely on Dr. Oz’s plan. What you really need to know is what is keeping you awake. There are many reasons for insomnia and only a thorough assessment will uncover that reason. Once the reason is known, appropriate measures can be suggested to help you.

If you are experiencing insomnia or other sleep problems, you may have tried many different remedies. In fact, you may have even read that “you have to try many different options before finding the one that works best for you” or “the key is learning about every option available.”

Now imagine if you took your car to the garage and said, “My car is not working well.” Would your mechanic suggest that you learn about all the possible options for fixing your car? Would he immediately offer a variety of solutions that could be tried?

No! Car mechanics are well aware that there are many reasons for why your car may not be working well. They know that the only place to start is with diagnosis – finding out why your car is not working well and what is causing the problem.

Yet if you suggest that you have insomnia or other sleep problem, we immediately jump to offering solutions. “This worked for me.” “You really should try this.”

Even physicians will be quick to offer a solution, usually in the form of a sleeping pill.

This trial and error approach is very frustrating for those with insomnia and doesn’t bring them any closer to a remedy. Why? Because the root cause of the insomnia has not been identified.

Just as with your car, there are many reasons for why you may have sleep problems or insomnia. Saying you have insomnia is really only saying that you can’t fall asleep or stay asleep. These are only symptoms and these symptoms can result from many different causes. If you don’t know the cause and simply try a ’solution’ then you won’t be very successful.

Be aware that having an overnight sleep study in a sleep clinic can be very useful in identifying sleep apnea, a common symptom of which is snoring.  Identifying the causes of insomnia requires not only an in-depth evaluation (sleep history, health history, etc.) but that it be done by someone who can identify the symptoms of other sleep disorders and causes of insomnia.

If you have insomnia or are sleepy and fatigued during the day, don’t just hope for another magic solution. Schedule a sleep assessment that will identify the cause of your insomnia or sleepiness and this will point you to the appropriate solution that will help you sleep better and feel better.

It is not unusual for clients to come to the sleep centre for assessment and admit that they are not sleeping in the same room as their partner. The reason for the separation is the snoring of one or the other of  the partners.  In many cases, the separation has been long-standing and may be having an effect on the relationship. This is tragic, especially because there is no need for this to happen.

If you have ever had to endure the sound of someone snoring while you are trying to sleep, you can understand why someone would resort to choosing a bed in another room. This scenario is so common that some homebuilders are being asked to build homes with separate master suites.

However, before you resort to moving to the guest room or having a new home built to accommodate the needs of both partners, consider calling your doctor or a sleep centre. Since snoring is so common, we tend to think it is just something with which we have to put up. This is not true. Snoring is often associated with a sleep disorder called sleep apnea and it can be easily diagnosed and treated.  Once treated, both partners can get a refreshing night’s sleep while enjoying each other’s company in the same bed.

   © Carolyn Schur, 2010

 1. I will work with, not against, my body’s natural sleep/wake process.

2. I will not assault my natural sleep/wake process with excessive stress and schedule disruptions.

3. When I can’t fall asleep at night and can’t wake in the morning, I will consider that I may be a night owl and adjust my schedule accordingly.

4. When I spend an adequate amount of time in bed, but either don’t sleep well or am still tired, I will seek diagnosis and treatment for potential sleep disorders.

5. When I am faced with too many things to do, I will choose sleep before chores.  

6. When I am tempted to ‘do something’ rather than sleep, I will remember that sleep offers countless physical, mental and emotional benefits.  

7. When someone asks me why I am wearing my pj’s, I will say “this is really my Success Uniform!”

With the coming of the New Year, many will have made resolutions to lose weight, stop smoking or get more exercise. These are all worthy goals.

Here’s another resolution to consider – get more sleep!

For many of us, this may be as unattainable as some of the other resolutions. In fact, in giving time to some of our other resolutions, we may even be increasing our sleep debt.

However, if you make sleep more of a priority, you’ll find that your other goals will be easier to achieve. When you are well-rested, you’ll have more energy for exercise. You’ll be in a better frame of mind to make better food choices. Most importantly, with better sleep, you’ll be better able to manage your wieght because your natural hunger suppression mechanism will work as it should.

Another resolution to consider if you are not sleeping as well as you would want is to finally take that step and seek the advice of a sleep specialsit. The majority of people who have sleep problems never tell their physician because they don’t believe that a ’sleep’ problem is a medical or health problem. As a result, 90% of people with sleep disorders have never been diagnosed.

This New year, resolve to get the sleep you need to be healthy and in so doing, you’ll be better able to achieve your other important goals and resolutions.

While one can suspect that sleepy children and adolescents might be suffering with an undiagnosed sleep disorder, it should not be the only consideration. Children who are sleepy at school may be the victims of night-time sexual or physical abuse or family dysfunction.

David Meece was sleepy in school all the time because his father’s abuse resulted in disrupted nights or saw the family sleeping in the car. (see www.associatedsleepservices.com/events) But his is not the only such story. In his book, hockey player, Theoren Fleury describes the abuse he suffered at the hands of his hockey coach and the impact it had on his sleep.

“(he) insisted that I sleep over at his house at least twice a week ….. I would get absolutely no sleep. None. I was on guard. …… I would drag myself to school the next day and fall asleep in class.”  “I let him do what he needed to do to get it over with so I could get some sleep. I needed to function the next day.”

Shame and fear often prevent these children from telling anyone anything about what is happening to them. It is critical that adults who interact with these sleepy children consider not just sleep disorders, but other situations which may be efffecting the child’s sleep.

If these children are not saved from the abuse or dysfunction, many of them will find that in adulthood they experience an on-going insomnia. They find it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep.  Even though they may have been removed from the abuse for many years, the years of being ‘on-guard’ during the night has effectively programmed to continue being ‘on guard.’  The insomnia can also be associated with unresolved emotions associated with the abuse.

Watch for vulnerable children. They really need an adult who crusades on their behalf. Help them to have a ’safe place to sleep.’

Are you a sleeping beauty?

If you are, you likely know the importance of sleep in making you look beautiful. During sleep, cells are nourished and regenerated. Those who get enough restfull sleep tend to have fewer wrinkles and generally look younger, especially if they don’t smoke.

This effect of sleep on appearance is especially noticeable if one hasn’t slept well for a few days. If this extends to weeks or years, one looks older and less healthy.

Now the beauty industry has jumped on this as a handy marketing ploy. Olay started the trend with its advertisements for a night cream. The copy stated “Put some muscle into your beauty sleep. (Use our night cream.) Wake with firmer, more beautiful skin.”

Though women have for centuries employed night creams for hands, face and body, the beauty industry is now finding many other opportunities to ‘push product’ for night-time use. Though they recognize the advantage of getting the most out of the natural restorative process that is sleep, they have also found another avenue for promotion. Time. When you are very busy with work and family, it may be difficult to find time to get to the salon. No problem. Simply apply these products while you sleep and voila!

There has been an explosion of products for use on the hair at night, while other products for night-time use include teeth whiteners and self-tanners. Beauty sleep has taken on a whole new meaning.

 Whether you get the flu vaccine or not, there is an important measure you absolutely need to consider to stay healthy during the flu season.

 Sleep!

 If you succumb to the seasonal flu or to H1N1, you will be spending a lot of time in bed, sleeping, because this is the way the body does its healing work.

 However, if you wish to prevent getting the flu in the first place, consider getting sufficient sleep during flu season. Sleep supports the body’s immune system and gives us the best chance of dealing with whatever viruses come our way. If you are getting 6 or less hours of sleep on a daily basis, it is important that you start getting between 7 – 8 hours of sleep daily.

 If you are getting vaccinated, remember that sleep on the day of the vaccination, and the day after, are critical for ensuring the effectiveness of the vaccine. This requires that you get sufficient sleep on these days. Without sufficient sleep, the vaccine will not be as effective. You could be wasting time and money if you think that you’ve gotten the vaccination and that’s all you need to do.

Strategies for Health and Well-Being

Get at least 7 – 8 hours of sleep on the day you receive your vaccination.

Avoid overtime that compromises the opportunity for sufficient sleep during flu season.

If you are having a company-wide vaccination day, promote a ‘sleep-in’ for the next day.

What would you do to get a good night’s sleep? If you were Micheal Jackson, Anna Nicole Smith and Heath Ledger, your answer would be “Anything and everything! Addictive! Dangerous! Bring it On!”

Micheal Jackson was like millions of others who experience sleep problems because of the stress and the demands of their work. And like the millions of others, he was desperate to get the sleep that was eluding him.

But unlike others, Micheal’s status and position allowed him to access strategies that go far and above anything that would normally be considered safe. Even Anna Nicole Smith and Heath Ledger didn’t go to the lengths Micheal Jackson did, but they were still consuming multiple drugs in hopes of a good night’s sleep.

Micheal Jackson, Anna Nicole Smith  and heath Ledger may be extreme examples, but they are only three of the millions of people all over the world who are desperate to get a good night’s sleep. Any doctor can attest to the number of daily office visits which centre on  ’sleep’ or ‘insomnia’. Anyone who has ever compiled workplace health data can attest to the high number of respondents indicating that they are tired and would like to sleep better.

Are you desperately seeking sleep? To what lengths would you go to get some sleep?