In my clinical practice I see many patients whose primary complaint is fatigue. Recent surveys in North America show that a large proportion of the population are chronically tired.
Though there are some medical reasons for this fatigue such as hypothyroidism and anemia, but the main problem in our society seems to be lack of sleep. We are getting up earlier and earlier and going to bed later and later. We seem to working more hours and playing less.
Many of us work on shifts which can be quite disruptive to our sleep. Even when we are not working we lead frenetic personal lives. Late night television is another reason for our tiredness. The general increase in light and noise pollution also contribute to our lack of sleep. Lack of sleep can be life threatening. A good number of traffic accidents are due to the lack of alertness of drivers. Sleep apnea another cause of fatigue can lead to fatal heart attacks. There are many things you can do to get more and better rest:
1. Reduce your caffeine consumption. Coffee ,tea and colas all contain caffeine as do many other products. Caffeine is a stimulant and it makes it harder to sleep. Try and only drink these beverages early in the day and in moderation.
2.Make a routine for bedtime. We do it for our kids, but it will help us sleep as well. Try and relax and clear your mind of the day before you go to bed. One way to do this is to run through your day in your mind an hour before bed and then clear your mind of the day.
3. Milk ( not necesaarily warm) contains amino acids that will help you fall asleep.
4. Avoid heavy meals and excercise immediately before bed.
5. Allow yourself at least 6-8 hours of sleep time. We need less sleep as we age, but we still need to sleep.
6. Make sure where you sleep is quiet and dark.
7. Excercise during the day or early evening can help you sleep.
8. If your mate complains of loud snoring you may have sleep apne. This is a condition that causes you to actually stop breathing intermitently while you sleep. Your doctor has ways to help you fix this problem. It is worsened by alcohol and obesity. The way this condition is diagnosed is through a sleep study. You are monitered while you sleep and they can record these pause where you do not breathe.
A brief word on sleep aids. You should always consult your personal physician before you use any medication, even if it is over the counter medication or so called natural products. Most over the counter non prescription sleep aids contain antihistamines that make you drowsy. They work for some people.
They are generally not addictive, Benzodiazepines such as lorazepam and diazepam can help with sleep. They can be addictive and some people experience hangovers with them.
They can also lose their effect over time as the body becomes tolerant of them. Try and only use these medications sparingly and only on the advice of your doctor. The last thing I am going to discuss is melatonin. This is availible over the counter in the USA, but not availible in Canada.
It is a hormone and can aid in sleep and in people who work on shifts. It seems to be released by the body when we are getting to sleep. As I have said before consult your physician before taking this or any other health product Sweet dreams.
