Mengenal Insomnia

Tidur adalah salah satu kebutuhan manusia agar dapat mengistirahatkan bagian-bagian tubuh yang sudah seharian bekerja. Namun, tidak semua orang dapat menikmati waktu tidurnya. Banyak orang yang tidak dapat memejamkan matanya dan mengistirahatkan tubuhnya. Orang seperti itu biasanya menderita penyakit sulit tidur atau sering di sebut dengan
penyakit insomnia. Mengapa insomnia bisa terjadi dan bagaimana cara menanggulanginya ? sulit tidur. Umumnya, setiap orang pernah mengalami insomnia atau kesulitan tidur. Tetapi biasanya bersifat sementara.

Gangguan ini menjadi masalah besar bila terjadi setiap malam. Setiap orang mempunyai kebutuhan waktu tidur yang berbeda. Sebagian orang cukup dengan hanya tidur selama 4-5 jam setiap malam sedang yang lain perlu paling tidak 8 jam. Insomnia bukan berarti berapa lama waktu tidur tetapi lebih mengarah pada kualitas tidur: seberapa jauh dapat
beristirahat dengan tidur tsb.

* Gejala-gejala *

1. Sebagian orang sukar untuk mulai tidur dan sampai lama tidak bisa
tidur lagi.
2. Beberapa orang sering terbangun di malam hari dan karena itu
menjadi ngantuk di siang hari.

* Penyebab umum *

1. Stres di rumah, di tempat kerja, atau di sekolah.
2. Perubahan pola hidup seperti pindah ke rumah baru.
3. Lingkungan yang ramai dan tidak nyaman untuk tidur.
4. Penyakit yang menyebabkan nyeri, sesak nafas atau sering buang air
kecil.
5. Pertambahan usia.
6. Cemas dan depresi.

* Apa yang harus dilakukan ? *

1. Kembalilah pada kebiasaan tidur yang baik.
2. Jam tidur yang tidak rutin-usahakan untuk pergi tidur pada waktu
yang sama setiap malam.
3. Pastikan tempat tidur nyaman dan suhu ruangan sesuai yang
dikehendaki.
4. Jangan memikirkan masalah dan kegiatan sehari-hari.
5. Latihan ringan pada sore hari mungkin bisa membantu. Jangan
melakukan latihan sebelum tidur.
6. Berdoa sebelum tidur

* Bila ternyata tidak bisa tidur *

1. Jangan hanya berbaring dan mencemaskannya.
2. Bangun dan baca buku atau dengarkan musik yang lembut atau minum
susu hangat.
3. Kemudian kembali berbaring ditempat tidur.

* Hal yang sebaiknya dihindari *

1. Makan terlalu banyak sebelum tidur.
2. Terlalu banyak minum kopi, rokok, alcohol pada jam tidur.
3. Kebiasaan tidur siang.

* Konsultasi ke dokter *

# Sebaiknya segera konsultasikan kedokter bila insomnia :

1. Berlangsung terus tiap malam.
2. Mulai mengganggu kerja atau aktifitas harian.

Dokter bisa membantu menemukan penyebab insomnia dan akan mengobati seperlunya. Jangan minum obat tidur tanpa nasihat dari dokter. Obat tersebut mungkin akan mengurangi sedikit keluhan tetapi penggunaan yang rutin dan jangan lama bisa menyebabkan ketagihan.

Source: http://www.e-smartschool.com/PNU/003/PNU0030021.asp

10 tips for better sleep

If you're having trouble sleeping, change your sleep habits for a better night's rest.

Feeling crabby lately? It could be you aren't getting enough sleep. Work, household responsibilities and child care can make sleep difficult to come by. Factor in other unexpected challenges such as financial worries, layoffs, relationship issues or an illness, and quality

sleep may be even more elusive.

You may not be able to control or eliminate all of the factors that interfere with your sleep, but you can create an environment and adopt habits that encourage a more restful night. Try these suggestions if you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep:

• Go to bed and get up at about the same time every day, even on the weekends. Sticking to a schedule helps reinforce your body's sleep-wake cycle and can help you fall asleep better at night.
• Don't eat or drink large amounts before bedtime. Eat a light dinner about two hours before sleeping. If you're prone to heartburn, avoid spicy or fatty foods, which can make your heartburn flare and prevent a restful sleep. Also, limit how much you drink before bed. Too much liquid can cause you to wake up repeatedly during the night for trips to the bathroom.
• Avoid nicotine, caffeine and alcohol in the evening. These are stimulants that can keep you awake. Smokers often experience withdrawal symptoms at night, and smoking in bed is dangerous. Avoid caffeine for eight hours before your planned bedtime. Your body doesn't store caffeine, but it takes many hours to eliminate the stimulant and its effects. And although often believed to be a sedative, alcohol actually disrupts sleep.
• Exercise regularly. Regular physical activity, especially aerobic exercise, can help you fall asleep faster and make your sleep more restful. Don't exercise within three hours of your bedtime, however. Exercising right before bed may make getting to sleep more difficult.
• Make your bedroom cool, dark, quiet and comfortable. Create a room that's ideal for sleeping. Adjust the lighting, temperature, humidity and noise level to your preferences. Use blackout curtains, eye covers, earplugs, extra blankets, a fan, a humidifier or other devices to create an environment that suits your needs.
• Sleep primarily at night. Daytime naps may steal hours from nighttime slumber. Limit daytime sleep to about a half-hour and make it during midafternoon. If you work nights, keep your window coverings closed so that sunlight, which adjusts the body's internal clock, doesn't interrupt your sleep. If you have a day job and sleep at night, but still have trouble waking up, leave the window coverings open and let the sunlight help wake you up.
• Choose a comfortable mattress and pillow. Features of a good bed are subjective and differ for each person. But make sure you have a bed that's comfortable. If you share your bed, make sure there's enough room for two. Children and pets are often disruptive, so you may need to set limits on how often they sleep in bed with you.
• Start a relaxing bedtime routine. Do the same things each night to tell your body it's time to wind down. This may include taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book, or listening to soothing music. Relaxing activities done with lowered lights can help ease the transition between wakefulness and sleepiness.
• Go to bed when you're tired and turn out the lights. If you don't fall asleep within 15 to 20 minutes, get up and do something else. Go back to bed when you're tired. Don't agonize over falling asleep. The stress will only prevent sleep.
• Use sleeping pills only as a last resort. Check with your doctor before taking any sleep medications. He or she can make sure the pills won't interact with your other medications or with an existing medical condition. Your doctor can also help you determine the best dosage. If you do take a sleep medication, reduce the dosage gradually when you want to quit, and never mix alcohol and sleeping pills. If you feel sleepy or dizzy during the day, talk to your doctor about changing the dosage or discontinuing the pills.

If you're having problems sleeping more than three times a week for a month's time, see your doctor. You could have a sleep disorder, such as obstructive sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome. Identifying and treating the cause of your sleep disturbance can help get you back on the road to a good night's sleep.

SSource from www.mayoclinic.com