I Just Can't Get No Sleep!

Can't get no sleep? Well you are not alone. It is a known fact that more than a third of adults complain of sleep problems, yet insomnia remains under recognized and inadequately treated.

There are several factors hindering the appropriate recognition of insomnia and its appropriate management. They include lack of physician education about insomnia and also the belief that sleep complaints are not important - amongst both patients and physicians.

It was indicated in a recent survey that more than 40% of adults rely on sleep aids to sleep. More shockingly it was revealed that insomnia sufferers would turn to sleep aids first whether over-the -counter or prescribed, before considering drug-free alternatives.

The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most profitable organizations in the world, making more than $550 Billion dollars worth in sales in 2004 alone! A majority of their profits come from prescription medication. What some people don't realize is that these are profit driven businesses and that more money goes into advertising than the research they put into developing drugs.

Their advertising campaigns consist of images of happy, smiling people leading fulfilling and healthy lives. We are often blinded from the truth. We see these fancy adverts and think 'I want that!' The emotional attachment to these adverts is exactly what these big corporations want.

They are not interested in your health or your well being. Do they ever tell you about the possible adverse drug reactions? I doubt it, otherwise you would probably know about the estimated 100,000 deaths in the US each year from adverse drug reactions alone.

Using prescription or over-the-counter sleep aids for the short term can help restore sleep rhythm. However, they should not be relied upon especially for the long term sufferer as excessive use can cause 'rebound' insomnia.

Roughly 3.45 hours a day is spent watching TV for the average American. We are consistently exposed to big corporation advertisements selling the dream of a better healthier life. In fact many prescription drugs are becoming household names because of their successful advertising campaigns.

Prolonged use of prescription medication in the long term will break down your body's natural sleep cycle and make sleep very difficult. It may also affect the amount of deep sleep you attain during the night as most major sleeping pills interfere with normal brain wave patterns and activity.

You may find that you wake up feeling groggy, drowsy or tired. Other Side effects include excessive sweating, headaches, blurred vision, dizziness and palpitations. Sleeping pills may help you get to sleep but with continual use your body will build tolerance, and you may find that you need to increase your dose to attain the same affect.

In a recent survey it indicated that only 63 percent of medical schools were including structured sleep medicine sessions in their curricula. More shockingly in a recent study, only 10 percent of primary care physicians rated their sleep knowledge as good. Furthermore there is a common belief among physicians that treatments are not effective or cause more problems.

If you absolutely have to take something, then consider natural sleep remedies first. Standardized Valerian extract is a safe and non-addictive sedative that works by calming the mind and body. Hops and Lemon balm are also soothing remedies which can help you drift off to sleep.

Although natural sleep remedies contain natural ingredients it may interfere with prescription medication or may not be suitable for you. Professional medical advice should be sought when considering alternative remedies and sleeping aids.

If you can't get no sleep then it is important to tackle the underlying cause and not just the symptoms. This is why many people fail at beating insomnia. If you suffer from insomnia, consider alternative therapies and practices such as hypnotherapy and acupuncture to relieve your insomnia. These often tackle the root cause of insomnia and are more effective and long term solutions.