**Full Disclosure: I participated in an Ambassador program on behalf of Influence Central for Pernix Therapeutics. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.
I wouldn’t say I have chronic insomnia. For the most part, when I go to bed I fall asleep the minute my head hits the pillow and I sleep soundly through the night. My husband, on the other hand, has a horrible time going to and staying asleep. I worry about his lack of sleep because getting a full, uninterrupted night’s sleep is so important! It has many benefits that empower us on a daily basis. It’s critical for our immune function, memory and other vital functions that keep our body going.
Did you know that nearly 4 million Americans suffer from insomnia? What’s even more surprising, is that the most common symptom of insomnia is the inability to stay asleep, not difficulty falling asleep. It’s a symptom that more than half of Americans struggle with on a regular basis.
To enlarge the image, see this Insomnia Infographic.
We don’t turn off the TV or put away our phones an hour before bedtime and we don’t eat dairy foods that make us sleepy, so I am sure that doesn’t help my husband’s needs. In order to get the best possible sleep, my husband stays up until he knows he’ll go right to sleep – usually 1 am. Other than that, he doesn’t have a specific plan of action to combat insomnia.
I keep a notebook and pen next to my bed so that if, for some reason, I wake up in the middle of the night, I can write down whatever thought woke me. If that doesn’t work, I get out of bed and quietly clean house. It helps me clear my mind and then I am able to sleep again.
In an effort to change our ways and help my husband’s insomnia, we are going to take part in a 7 day sleep challenge. This means we will be putting away and turning off all electronics by 9 pm. We will take time to do as much as possible for the next day before we head to bed so we have a few extra minutes to sleep. I’d like to say we will let ourselves wake up naturally, but the reality is alarm clocks and kids don’t allow for this.
Even if our challenge doesn’t work for my husband, there is good news! There are effective treatment options available for those suffering with insomnia. If you have trouble sleeping through the night, you should have a conversation with your doctor about your routine, lifestyle and symptoms.
To learn more about the importance of getting a full, uninterrupted night’s sleep visit wanttosleepmore.com.
I am actually a really good sleeper, but the thing that keeps me awake is my husband’s snoring. It’s sooooooo bad. I started taking melatonin before bed and that helps me fall asleep faster and stay asleep more often. Ugh!
I do sometimes. I feel that when my baby nurses at night more I am more likely to stay awake since I know he’ll be up soon anyway. I’ll try to sleep but it doesn’t happen… then he wakes up.
I thought it was nature’s way of telling me to get more work done! Good luck on your challenge. Sleep is so important for everything. I should try it too!
I try to put away my electronics and not read in bed otherwise I”ll be up for hours! I need to try the challenge.
For some reason, EVERY night I wake up around 2 am and cannot go back to sleep until about 4 am. It sucks! Nothing has helped me either 🙁
I think I am one of the lucky few who doesn’t deal with this but I do know a lot of people who do 🙁