Do you have a Sleep Disorder?

Many Americans have sleep problems, as a matter of fact according to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders around 2/3 of all Americans have some form of sleep disorders and only 3% are finding help through their physician.

If you are one of the 2/3, you may not believe you need to seek to help from your doctor and try to carry on believing your sleep patterns are normal. If your daytime routine is being compromised for over a month you should seek medical help as stated by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. However, before seeking medical help there are a few things you can try at home. If these measures do not help with your sleep deprivation, then you should by all means talk with your doctor.

The first thing you need to do is create a sleep environment. In order to create a sleep environment, you may have to change some of things you do before going to bed. The bedroom should be dark and cool. This means, you should use dark drapes or ensure light is not coming into the room through the slits in the blinds.

The next thing on the list may be the hardest item on the list for most individuals to do and that is remove such things as televisions and computers from your bedroom. These are distractions that should not be in your sleep environment. If you want to watch television or be on your computer, do so in a different room.

The most important item of all for creating a sleep environment is a white noise machine. A white noise machine will absorb all those sounds at night that might be waking you up without you realizing what the noises might be. It could be the neighbor’s dog, traffic, or even sounds around your home such as the air-conditioner or heater coming on in the middle of the night.

If you are having trouble falling asleep instead of being woken up in the middle of the night, you might want to add a table top water fountain to your bedroom. A water fountain can aid in relaxing you and helping you drift off to sleep.

The good news is - there is help for individuals that are suffering sleep deprivation. Before taking medications it would be best to try the above tips, however, your sleep deprivation could be caused by a more serious condition that needs medical attention. If after using the above method, you are still not receiving enough sleep talk with your physician.