How to Get a Better Sleep without Medication
Insomnia Treatment Tips From the Founder of Clayton Sleep Institute
Feb 21, 2009
If you’re struggling to get a better sleep, you may also be dealing with daytime irritability, fatigue, and trouble concentrating. That’s no way to live! Here are several insomnia treatment tips for good sleepers who are struggling with temporary insomnia, from Dr. Joseph Ojile, M.D., F.C.C.P., D.ABSM – the founder and CEO of Clayton Sleep Institute.
LPK: What is an unusual way to get a better sleep without taking medications?
Dr. Ojile: People who normally sleep well, but are struggling with insomnia, may slip back into their good sleep pattern by making a slight or temporary change to their bedrooms or bedtime routines. For example, sleeping in another room for a couple of nights, adding more pillows or taking some away, or other temporary or modest adjustments that change the routine or the experience of going to sleep are small changes that may help. Temporarily increasing exercise routines will also help diminish un-noticed stress and anxiety, in addition to increasing physical behavior, which will result in a greater desire to rest, relax and even fall asleep.
LPK: How could changing your routine work as an effective insomnia treatment?
Dr. Ojile: Small changes in routine help break the pattern of low anxiety that often become associated with the bedroom, the bedtime routine or with simply going to sleep. Individuals may not even be aware that the anxiety associated with the bedroom or bedtime exists. A change in routine creates a break in the pattern that has become associated with anxiety or counter to good sleep hygiene. Good sleep requires a good routine.
LPK: What’s the best way to make changes in your sleep routine or schedule?
Dr. Ojile: The changes should be “gentle” and temporary—not dramatic! The point is to make an active choice that breaks the pattern of anxiety that is interfering with normal good sleep and to get back to associating the bedroom and bedtime routines with the pleasant and revitalizing experience of good sleep. This is a temporary interruption of a bad pattern to reset positive associations and adaptations with the bedroom.
LPK: Is there anything people struggling with insomnia should know about this sleep tip?
Dr. Ojile: This sleep tip is not appropriate for individuals that have serious snoring or breathing issues, or with persistent insomnia. Snoring, breathing issues, or persistent insomnia may indicate more serious complications and should be addressed with a qualified sleep physician.
Changing your sleeping routine is a gentle technique to recapture a healthy sleep pattern. Often people who are good sleepers can’t understand what has gone wrong and why they can’t sleep. This sleep tip helps many people become mindful of their sleep and to take an action to interrupt what might be an “invisible” negative association with their sleep, bedrooms or bedtime routine. This technique is primarily helpful in avoiding mal-adaptive adjustments to sleep.
If you found How to Get a Better Sleep Without Medication: Insomnia Treatment Tips helpful, try:
- If You Can’t Fall Asleep Fast
- 10 Ways to Cure Insomnia
- Sleep Eating Disorders
- 10 Natural Allergy Treatment Tips
About the Clayton Sleep Institute: Through their diverse practices, Clayton Sleep Institute creates a 360-degree approach to complex physiological, behavioral, emotional and communal aspects of sleep medicine and sleep health. This sleep institute is an independent organization founded, directed and managed by expert medical, research and technology professionals dedicated to all aspects of sleep medicine and healthy sleep. The Clayton Sleep Institute team strives to reach the same goal for each patient, and for all people: Better Sleep. Better Life.
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