sleep – Page 4 – watercress words by Dr Aletha

Sleep Practices for Restful Nights

In this post I review options to improve our sleep. Daylight Saving Time can disrupt sleep, akin to jet lag. Chronic insomnia involves difficulty sleeping regularly, potentially linked to medical conditions. Treatment begins with addressing underlying issues and adopting sleep hygiene practices, such as exercise and routine. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is effective for persistent cases.

updated March 7, 2025

If you live somewhere that observes Daylight Saving Time, you may notice a disruption in your sleep for a few days after we “spring forward” in March and when we “fall back” to standard time in November.

Like jet lag from travel, these time changes can interrupt our sleep schedule for a few days. And if you already have trouble sleeping, it’s even more of a problem.

Here’s a review of what sleep professionals recommend to help. But for persistent or severe problems, see your own doctor to get started.

This information is current as of the date of original publication or update but may have changed by the time you read this. Do not use this information for diagnosis or treatment purposes. Before making health decisions, discuss with a qualified healthcare professional.

This content is for your “information and inspiration”, and does not imply my endorsement or recommendation.

person sleeping on a couch — Sometimes getting a good night’s sleep can be a challenge.

(Affiliate links are used in this post. You don’t pay more to shop through these links; this blog may earn a small commission, which funds its existence. )

What is Chronic Insomnia?

Most of us have trouble sleeping occasionally, but if you persistently have difficulty with sleep, you may have a medical condition associated with sleep disturbances. These include

sleep apnea
restless legs syndrome
depression and/or anxiety
post-traumatic stress disorder

Some people have true chronic insomnia, meaning persistent sleep difficulty not due to some other cause. There are various criteria to diagnose chronic insomnia but in general include

difficulty falling or staying asleep
at least 3 nights per week for at least 1-3 months
with impairment of daytime function, such as fatigue/sleepiness, poor concentration, irritability, school or work dysfunction

How can you sleep better with chronic insomnia?

The first step for chronic or occasional insomnia is to identify and treat any underlying medical issues that cause poor sleep. In addition to the ones mentioned above these include

painful conditions
heartburn (gastroesophageal reflux)
congestive heart failure
lung diseases like asthma cause nighttime breathing difficulty
menopausal night sweats

Sleep specialists recommend non-drug management of chronic insomnia and reserve sleep medications for more resistant cases.

Sleep meds were one of the 7 drugs that are overused in my previous post.

a bed with ornate headboard — photo by Dr. Aletha- at the Hemingway house, Key West, Florida

(Read more about Ernest Hemingway’s preserved Florida home at this post)

Hemingway’s study- chaos and creativity

Behaviors for better sleep

Experts recommend sleep hygiene , basically lifestyle changes, as the initial treatment. Some people have developed bad habits in regards to sleep that need to be unlearned and new behaviors put in place.

For optimal sleep, you should

Engage in regular exercise- moderate intensity , tai chi , yoga and low-impact aerobic exercise
Avoid evening large meals
Limit caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol
Use the bedroom only to sleep and for sex
Maintain a regular bedtime-awake schedule
Avoid daytime naps
Avoid distracting stimuli at bedtime-watching television, using electronic devices, talking on the phone
Stay in bed only while sleep

Dim the lights for better sleep

The light from electronic devices- clocks, thermostats, televisions, monitors-can disturb your sleep even after you turn off your phone and tablets. This light can be blocked by stick on light blocking covers than can block out the majority of it.

Light from my clock made it hard for me to fall asleep before I discovered these products. With them I fall asleep easier, and can fall back asleep if I wake up.

Maintaining a regular schedule helps to set or reset your sleep/wake cycle. So go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning.

However, if you can’t sleep, rather than lie in bed awake, you should get up, do a non-stimulating activity, then return to bed when sleepy.

woman typing on a laptop keyboard. — Using a computer, laptop, or tablet before going to bed can impair sleep.

If you have persistent sleep loss, consider more intensive therapy by a professional.

Cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia , CBT-I, significantly improves chronic insomnia and daytime functioning and is recommended as first-line therapy.

Available on Audible on Amazon, 30 day free trial (affiliate link)

CBT-I combines cognitive therapy with sleep restriction, relaxation training, and stimulus control.

Treatment typically requires 5-8 sessions conducted by a health professional trained in its use. Patients need to participate by keeping a sleep diary and writing down daily thoughts in a journal while continuing with the sleep hygiene practices mentioned above.

person writing in a spiral notebook — Writing thoughts in a journal is often encouraged in cognitive behavioral therapy. (photo from the Lightstock.com collection)

SleepPhones

Natural Sleep Aid Created By A Doctor. A family physician created SleepPhones to help patients fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer without resorting to drugs.(affiliate link)

SleepPhone

Manage stress, learn to relax

If you have occasional trouble sleeping due to stress, relaxation techniques can help you. Techniques include meditation, yoga, imagery, abdominal breathing and muscle relaxation techniques. These can reduce tension and anxious thoughts that inhibit sleep onset and maintenance.

exploring the HEART of healthy sleep

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Watercress Words by Dr. Aletha

Dr. Aletha

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non-drug ways to get well and stay well

In a previous post I introduced you to Mind Over Meds by Dr. Andrew Weil . I reviewed 7 classes of medications he teaches we should use less often.

In another previous post I shared 7 drug classes I consider overused, 4 of which he discusses in his book.

In this follow up post I list alternatives to drug therapy. These are also adjuncts to medication- meaning we recommend using them even if you do need medication.

Dr. Weil mentions these in his book, and I’ve pulled from other sources too.

This is a brief overview of several approaches, not a complete list. If you are interested in knowing more, I suggest exploring the reference links. I invite you to send me a message about a topic you would like me to explore in more depth here.

This post uses affiliate links that support this blog and non-affiliate links that don’t.

EAT TO TREAT

I, Dr. Weil and most physicians recommend diet changes to treat and prevent many common medical conditions. Almost any health issue can be improved with better food choices.

bottle of olive oil — Olive oil is an important ingredient in the Mediterranean diet .

The Mediterranean diet, emphasizing fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, and healthy fats like olive oil, seems to protect against heart disease and increase longevity.

The DASH diet is the first choice to lower blood pressure. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension and also emphasizes fresh foods and healthy choices.

The American Diabetes Association offers extensive information on eating to control diabetes.

Food choices are also important in treating high cholesterol, GERD, allergy, heart disease, overweight, gout, kidney stones and other kidney disease, and possibly other conditions.

PLANTS THAT TREAT

Herbal medicines are endorsed by Dr. Weil; he points out that early synthetic drugs were derived from plants. Unfortunately most physicians have not had extensive training in their use. They are also not regulated as stringently as prescription drugs so quality may not be uniform.

Herbal medicines are used to treat a wide variety of conditions and symptoms including headaches, gastric distress, hot flushes, depression, insomnia, pain, allergy among others. Scientific confirmation of their effectiveness is lacking for most, but some patients find them helpful and some physicians endorse, or at best tolerate their use.

The unsupervised use of herbs and other dietary supplements can be dangerous, especially if combined with other drugs.

USING OUR MINDS

Mind-body therapies can be helpful in managing painful conditions such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), migraine, joint pain, and anxiety/depressive disorders. These include

Hyposis
Biofeedback
Meditation
Relaxation techniques

TAKE A DEEP BREATH

Breath work- changing habits of breathing and specific breathing techniques can relieve anxiety, and manage stress. Dr. Weil calls

Breathing: The Master Key to Self Healing and teaches how to do it in this recording.

GET MOVING

Exercise and other forms of physical activity help manage all kinds of musculoskeletal pain, fibromyalgia, lowers blood pressure, aids weight loss,relieves anxiety and depression. They may even have a role in preventing or delaying the onset of dementia. This includes

woman standing on a rock in a forest — Walking, especially outdoors, can relieve feelings of stress and tension as well as improve physical fitness. Photo from Lightstock.com

Yoga
Tai chai
Aerobics
Strength training
Dance
Sports
Walking
Jogging
Bicycling

Dr Aletha in her bicycle helmet — I’m riding my bicycle while my neighbor is walking with his baby. It all counts.

TOUCH

Manual medicine is used to manage back, neck, and other musculoskeletal pain and headaches.

Chiropractic manipulation
Osteopathic manipulation
Acupuncture
TNS-transcutaneous nerve stimulation
Massage
Support with splints, wraps, slings, braces

TRAINING THE MIND

CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) and other forms of psychotherapy should be a part of the treatment of most mental disorders and may be the only treatment needed for mild conditions. The use of therapy animals also fits here.

CHANGING OUR LIVES

Lifestyle evaluation and adjustments can improve any medical condition and is also one of the most important factors in prevention of disease.

a sink with colorful wall decorations — Who knew handwashing could be entertaining?

Hygiene

Hand washing is the most effective way to prevent many infections, especially those that can be transmitted by food and water. Proper food preparation and storage and kitchen clean up also contribute to safety.

a bed in a room — One’s sleep environment affects quality of sleep.

Sleep

Habits that create sleep deprivation or poor sleep contribute to depression,musculoskeletal pain, headaches, fatigue, and even make us more prone to infection. Check out this previous post on how to get a good night’s sleep

Chemicals and pollutants

Avoidance of allergens and toxins should be automatic. For allergy, any known allergens -substances that cause allergy symptoms-can often be eliminated from one’s immediate environment, although I have had patients who insisted on keeping pets that they were allergic to. If the allergens cannot be completely eliminated, you can at least minimize exposure.

It seems we call everything a “toxin” these days, and detox regimens are popular. (although our bodies naturally detox us every day).

Anything in excess can be harmful. But our overall health as a society would improve immensely if more people would avoid the obvious toxins of tobacco, excess alcohol, and illicit drugs.

sign says NO smoking, wilderness area — When walking, wear proper shoes; and don’t smoke.

Review 7 surprising reasons to be smoke free

Stress management

Many of the techniques I’ve mentioned help with stress management. In turn, managing the stressful events and situations in our lives can help us feel more rested, less tense, more relaxed, calmer, and able to manage our other medical problems better.