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Sleep Fact Sheet
BB Fact Sheets – Health – Sleep
Managing your health and sleep
Insomnia is a condition that effects up to 20% of adult patients and it can reduce quality of life in sufferers.
Insomnia can occur because of psychological (stress, anxiety), physiological (pain, medical conditions) or psychosocial and environmental factors (over work, home environment)
If you are having difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep during the night or wake too early in the morning which makes you feel tried during the day, this may indicate insomnia.
Baby Boomers and Insomnia
As a nation, we sleep an hour less today than we did twenty five years ago because of increased work and social pressures including the ability to work and play 24 hours a day and the rapid rise in technology use in the home.
As we get older, our sleep also gets lighter – we don’t sleep as deeply.
We now know that the most successful treatment programs for long term benefit is psychological therapy. Medications can have short term benefits but are counter-indicated for long term use.
What can I do?
Try to reduce the amount of stress in your life, learn and use relaxation exercises when trying to get to sleep
Set aside time prior to bed to organise your next day and organise your thoughts in an effort to clear your mind of worry
Fill out the Sleep Hygiene Questionnaire (attached). If you answer “Yes” to any question that may be one thing that is stopping you from sleeping well and that you can change.
Consider seeking advice from your doctor, or sleep psychologist or your local hospital sleep unit.
Remember that chronic insomnia is not a normal part of life and CAN be treated
Sleep Hygiene Questionnaire
Question
1. Do you have a bedroom clock that you check often when you wake at night ? Yes No Don’t know
2. Do you often work at night right up to the time you go to bed? Yes No Don’t know
3. Are you often active right up to sleep time? Yes No Don’t know
4. Do you use your computer or do other work on bed? Yes No Don’t know
5. Do you watch television in bed? Yes No Don’t know
6. Do you speak on the phone while in bed? Yes No Don’t know
7. Do you sleep poorly in your bedroom but better elsewhere? Yes No Don’t know
8. Do you eat or drink in bed? Yes No Don’t know
9. Does your bedtime change a lot over the week and weekend? Yes No Don’t know
10. Do you have/do any of the following less than three hours before your bedtime?
a. Coffee/tea Yes No Don’t know
If so, how often?
b. Caffeinated drinks i.e. Coke, Red Bull Yes No Don’t know
If so, how often?
c. Physical exercise (apart from sex) Yes No Don’t know
If so, how often?
d. Recreational drugs Yes No Don’t know
If so, how often?
e. Smoke cigarettes Yes No Don’t know
If so, how often?
13. Are any of the following factors and issue for you when you sleep?
a. light Yes No Don’t know
If so please explain
b. fresh air Yes No Don’t know
If so please explain
c. temperature Yes No Don’t know
If so please explain
d. noise Yes No Don’t know
If so please explain
e. the bed Yes No Don’t know
If so please explain
14. Do you have a regular ‘getting up time’? Yes No Don’t know
For more information on Insomnia try some of the links below.
Australia - www.sleepeducation.net.au (Austalian Centre for Education in Sleep)
National Sleep Foundation - www.sleepeducation.com (USA website)
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Disclaimer: The information contained in this section should not be used for individual medical advice. Please see your doctor if you have concerns or specific questions relating to your health.
This article was created by Dr Sarah Blunden for babyboomers.com.au - Australia's website for Baby Boomers. Babyboomers.com.au is an online resource to help people find information and services on health, money, travel and recreation
Copyright 2009 Babyboomers Pty Ltd. All rights Reserved.
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