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Question 18: Both my son J. and I
suffer from insomnia--I'm probably worse than him but he may get worse
as he enters his teens. The only thing I have found that helps is
making sure I'm really calm (no stimulation) before I go to sleep
and I also take low dose (10-20 mg.) of Elavil every evening. I recently
started a new job and have found my insomnia has intensified greatly.
I just can't stop my mind from racing with all the things I need to
get done at work and elsewhere. I just tried self-hypnosis with no
success. Do you have any jewels of wisdom in regards to insomnia.
K.M., ON, Canada.
Hi
K.M.:
Have
you and/or your son ever consulted a sleep clinic, or gone to a psychologist
who deals in sleep disorders? There are a number of good behavioural
techniques that can work in lieu of or in combination with meds -- having
a regular sleep schedule (even on weekends) using the bed only for sleep,
not eating right before bed, etc. etc.
A technique
on top of these I have found VERY useful for myself, because I too have
the problem of getting my head to shut up long enough to lose consciousness,
is a technique that many professionals out there condemn..................that
is, to fall asleep reading or watching TV! I find that, in the case
of a disinhibition disorder, when I focus on the TV or book this distracts
my head from its many wanderings and itches long enough to allow myself
to be lulled and drift off.
Basically
I run with my alpha waves too.........if I'm on the couch and sleepiness
overcomes me I don't think, "Oh! Time to go to bed" and rush
upstairs and go through my rituals (do my teeth, etc.) because by then
I've missed my wave and am no longer tired. I just allow myself to fall
asleep on the couch (since I use the TVtechnique so much, I eventually
put a TV into my room so that more often than not my 'waves' wash over
me while in bed).
Finally,
there's nothing like physical exertion to help too -- I usually work
out in the evenings so that I am physically tired by the time my bedtime
rolls around.......
