With High-Profile Death, Focus on High-Risk Drug
Sleep remains a mystery since before Freud's Interpretation of Dreams in 1900. Sadly in today's world even the need for sleep seems to have fallen on the instant gratification list. Forget materialistic desires such as money, fame, and sex partners, the realm of sleep and its restorative properties has also become lost in the lives of many Americans including Michael Jackson.
To sleep better at night, the recipe is simple. Rely on good daytime habits, diet and exercise.
- Our internal body clocks run on sunlight. When you get up, open the shades or go outside to get some sunlight. We'll talk more about a bright environment and melatonin more in the future on how to avoid the winter blues.
- Twenty to thirty minutes of activity (a brisk walk, or relaxing yoga) has been proven to help. Doing this in the day time rather than closer to bedtime, avoids overstimulating the body.
- An afternoon siesta might help in overall alertness, but limit the daytime napping as it does interfere with sleep. A regular bedtime routine (a light snack with chamomile tea, brushing teeth, and light reading) helps in easing into sleep at a regular hour.
- Know that alcohol, caffeine, cigarette smoking all reduce the overall quality of sleep and promote restlessness. So everything in moderation is the key.
- Stay away from Benadryl if you are elderly (more than 65yrs old) as it has many adverse effects including confusion in this age range.
Benadryl or it's generic "diphenhydramine" can help with occasional sleep disturbances. As a money saving tip, don't ever purchase Benadryl. The store brand of diphenhydramine (25mg) works just as well, and will cost you $4.99 (USD) per 100 tabs (brand name drugs will double the cost). Also, some of the leading sleep aids such as Unisom, and Sominex are just diphenhydramine in a shiny advertised box. Check the active ingredient listing. Avoid using Tylenol PM (combination of 500mg acetaminophen and 25mg diphenhydramine) just to sleep -- you risk liver failure with the toxic doses of acetaminophen. Acetaminophen overdose is responsible for more ER visits than any other medicine on the market!
