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Can't Get No Sleep?
Can't get no sleep and tried
everything you can think of to get to sleep? You are
not alone. In a recent study it was revealed that one
out of three adults suffer from some form of
insomnia.
Insomnia remains under recognized
and inadequately treated. There are several factors
hindering the appropriate recognition of insomnia and
its appropriate management. They include lack of
physician education about insomnia, and also the
belief that sleep complaints are not important, among
both patients and physicians.
With this in mind the big
pharmaceutical corporations are taking advantage. The
pharmaceutical industry is one of the most profitable
in the world. In 2004 alone, 550 Billion dollars worth
in sales were made. They spend millions a year on and
advertising and promotions.
I’m sure you are familiar with these
adverts– Healthy people smiling and running along the
beach, having the time of their lives. All thanks to
the ‘X’ drug.
A majority of their profits come
from prescription medication. Haven’t you noticed the
consistently reoccurring line from all these adverts?
‘Ask your doctor about…’. This absolutely works, more
and more people are going to their doctors asking them
about the wonders of ‘X’ medication, often knowing
very little about its usage.
We are often blinded from the truth.
We see these fancy adverts and think ‘I want that!’
The emotional attachment to these adverts is exactly
what these big corporations want. They’re not
interested in your health or your well being.
Do they ever tell you about the
possible adverse drug reactions? I doubt it, otherwise
you would probably know about the estimated 100,000
deaths in the US each year from adverse drug
reactions.
Are they really providing cures for
insomnia? Absolutely not, they are selling the idea
though. Ok, so using prescription or over-the-counter
sleep aids aren’t all bad, but they should not be
relied upon especially for the long term sufferer.
You should always consult your
doctor before taking sleep medication. You should also
avoid taking them for more than 2 or 3 nights in a
row, as prolonged use can cause
‘rebound’ insomnia.
We spend an average 3.45 hours
watching TV a day and we are consistently bombarded by
these pharmaceutical adverts selling the dream. In
fact many prescription drugs are becoming household
names because of their successful advertising
campaigns. People automatically assume that authority
types can be trusted. We are essentially being
brainwashed by these corporations.
Although sleeping pills help you
fall asleep they are generally bad news. They will
break down your body’s natural sleep cycle and make
sleep very difficult in the long term. It may also
affect the amount of deep sleep you attain during the
night as most major sleeping pills interfere with
normal brain wave patterns.
You may find that you wake up
feeling groggy, drowsy or tired. Other Side effects
include urinary retention, blurred vision, dizziness
and palpitations. Sleeping pills may help you get to
sleep but with continual use your body will build
tolerance, and you may find that you need to ‘up’ your
dose to attain the same affect.
In a recent survey it indicated that
only 63 percent of medical schools were including
structured sleep medicine sessions in their curricula.
More shockingly in a recent study, only 10 percent of
primary care physicians rated their sleep knowledge as
good. Furthermore there is a common belief among
physicians that treatments are not effective or cause
more problems.
With this constant exposure to
quick-fix solutions it’s hard to see what
alternative
solutions are out there. In fact there are far more
effective non-pharmaceutical solutions if you are
prepared to look.
If you absolutely have to take
something, then consider natural sleep remedies first.
Standardized Valerian extract is a safe and non
addictive sedative which works by calming the mind and
body. Lemon balm and Hops, are also soothing herbs
which can calm and relax the mind and body.
Although natural sleep remedies
contain natural ingredients it may interfere with
prescription medication or may not be suitable for
you. Professional medical advice should be sought when
considering alternative remedies and sleeping pills.
It’s important when dealing with
insomnia, to tackle the cause and not just the
symptoms. This is why many people fail at beating
insomnia.
Therapies and practices such as
hypnotherapy and acupuncture are far more effective
than sleeping pills as they deal with the underlying
cause of insomnia and not just the symptoms.
If you can't get no sleep and want a
complete drug-free solution to conquer your insomnia,
then sign up for my free newsletter.
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