There is a very curious paradox surrounding insomnia. The very factors and conditions that lead to great sleep are exactly the reasons that insomniacs struggle. The bedroom is supposed to be a sanctuary. Think of a beautifully controlled environment that is optimal for sleep. Totally dark, completely silent, perfect temperature do you know what this adds up to? The perfect Petri dish for insomnia. Consider what happens to the brain under two widely divergent conditions. Let's use a busy day at the office on one end of the spectrum. There are people around talking and sharing ideas in a noisy environment. The office is bright with lights and open windows. It's a charged atmosphere and your thoughts are very much focused on your professional duties. Your senses are almost overloaded by things around you. The other end of the spectrum is the bedroom sanctuary previously described. Very little sensory stimulation means that the brain is left on its own. When the brain is not receiving a large number of signals from each of the senses, it can then take off on its own with thoughts! These thoughts are often all consuming meaning that they go round and round in your head. Mind chatter or racing mind means that you may be all consumed with events and ruminations from the past or worries about the future. Translation insomnia.



Insomnia is defined as an inability to fall asleep easily or inability to stay asleep. 80 million Americans have significant problems with this sleep disorder at least occasionally and over 60 million suffer chronically, meaning several times a week, every week. It is stressful; it causes anxiety and discomfort along with rendering those who go through it with extreme daytime fatigue, lack of energy, and depression among other symptoms.

The uniqueness of insomnia is that it would seem obvious that anyone who has it knows about it. This would be similar to a headache or upset stomachif you have it, you know about it.

When diagnosing this condition, it is not always accurate to accept the conclusion of the patient that he/she is afflicted with insomnia. Self-diagnosis can be inaccurate. Someone might suffer small, incidental bouts of insomnia and be so distressed that they report the problem as being much more severe than it really is. It turns out that many people who suffer minor mini-awakenings sporadically throughout the night, will report that they have terrible problems with insomnia. There is a major difference between mini-arousals and continuously lying wide awake in bed. A physician who diagnoses and treats a patient with insomnia must get objective data as opposed to subjective reports from the patient. This objective data can be obtained from a scientifically conducted sleep study.

Accuracy in terms of reporting symptoms and episodes of insomnia is of the utmost importance for successful treatment. There are all kinds of diagnostic questionnaires available to the public via the internet. One such questionnaire that is very well known is called the the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. It asks you to respond to 8 questions concerning your alertness and will give you an objective evaluation of whether or not you are sleeping well.

There can't be an insomnia cure unless insomnia is accurately diagnosed. With that in mind, there have been a variety of questionnaires developed for the purpose of detecting and defining insomnia. Physicians may ask any one of a broad range of questions that would or should include the list below:

*Have you experienced any significant life changes?

*Describe your sleep problem?

*Describe the time period over which you've had a sleep problem?

*How long does it take to fall asleep?

*What is the sleep environment like (Noisy? Not dark enough?)?

*Estimate the number of times per week that it occurs?

*Is your sleep restful and refreshing?

*What stresses or emotional factors may be present?

*Do you have trouble falling asleep or do you wake up too early?

*How does insomnia affect daytime functioning?

*List all herbs, medications and drugs that you regularly take.

*Do you regularly use stimulants such as tobacco, tea or coffee?

*How much alcohol do you use?

One of the most effective ways to deal with insomnia has improved sleep for between 70-80% of those who have tried it. It is called behavioral modification and our web site has a variety of in-depth behavioral modification methods including a five-week program of articles entitled Action Steps for Better Sleep and A Healthier Life. Do not be intimidated by the term behavioral modification. It does not mean you have to change your whole life. Just make minor adjustments with regard to your sleep behaviors.

Listed below are the Behavioral Methods:

*The Control of stimulus

*Cognitive therapy

*Biofeedback

*Replacing bad images with good

*A technique called progressive muscle relaxation

*Restricting sleep

The primary goal for an insomniac to overcome this disorder is to learn to completely relax not unlike what some of the Eastern philosophies teach. Behavioral modification methods are aimed at achieving these goals. If these techniques are mastered they can allow for major steps toward the total elimination of insomnia. A plethora of Board Certified Sleep Physicians rely on colleagues from psychiatry or psychology who specialize in behavioral modification and/or cognitive therapy techniques.