1806 Insomnia

I don’t have it, but like a lot of people my age, I certainly don’t enjoy a night’s rest like I did when I was younger. As many as 40% of people over 60 have sleep problems from mildly irritating like mine to severe, causing health and life-style problems. This may be the most common complaint I hear from friends and relatives.

My problems began in 1991 when I started getting up around 2 or 3 a.m. to check CNN on the Gulf War. Once my body had adjusted to that bad habit I moved on to watching Charlie Rose who had a talk show in the middle of the night on one of the networks. Now if I wake up at that time, I go to the living room couch, turn on Nick-at-Night and watch reruns from the 80s and 90s that I missed the first time around, or loved back then like Murphy Brown or Bill Cosby which I used to watch with my kids. If it’s a really good show I don’t want to miss, I fall right to sleep--if it’s one of those awful Roseanne things, I’m wide awake.

What you do if you wake up is important because you’re conditioning your body to expect it (it's called a habit). I sleep fine in the guest room, in a motel, at my relatives or on board a ship on the Danube River. My brain knows I can’t get up and turn on the TV. So if I wake up, I just go back to sleep.

Sleep hygiene is what you do during the time you’re not asleep. And it’s very important. Here’s a list from www.medscape.com. I don’t think the one about reading is such a good idea--if you are a reader, you may look forward to it and your body will suggest “book break” when it should be preparing for work. To this list, I'd add "don't nap," but I admit, I love little quick naps.

Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine;

Increase exposure to bright light during the day;

Perform regular exercise (preferably in the morning or early afternoon);

Avoid exposure to bright light during the night;

Avoid heavy meals within 2-3 hours of bedtime;

Avoid large amounts of fluids 2-3 hours before bedtime;

Allow for a comfortable sleep environment;

Minimize excessive noise, temperature, and light in the bedroom;

Allow time for social and physical stimulation during the day; and

Reduce time spent awake in bed, and if unable to initiate sleep, leave the bedroom and engage in relaxation activities, such as reading.

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