Sleepless? Part 1

My patient said, "Doc, I'm having trouble sleeping."

I almost always begin with saying, "First of all, it is true, insomnia may improve if we adopt sleep hygiene strategies."  i.e., practices that help the mind be ready for sleep such as:

• Do the same things every night before bed. Develop a routine. 
• Don't exercise too late in the day.
• Keep the computer off in the late evening.  
• Less stimulation aids relaxation. 
• Keep the room completely dark. Things like that.
• For more see this link: http://bit.ly/1gcjxI3

I've found that people with insomnia are quite often aware of these ideas.  Maybe they are up at night surfing the web, looking for help.  

 

So I'm not surprised when my patients seem unimpressed by sleep hygiene.  I get the feeling that folks want more than tips and techniques when they feel exasperated, and discouraged about the fact that everybody else in the world is probably sleeping fine while they are lying there awake.  It's a lonely feeling. 

And patients don't always want medications for sleep because they feel they will be taking them forever once they start.  The conversation often goes toward how to revoke the power of worrying.  What if people could tap into some sort of Peace, some sort of being Okay, maybe even because of their faith that God is near.  

 

Change is Like Playing Hopscotch

In the clinic, I do so much preventive care, meaning trying to help people make effective life style change to regain their health.  Understandably, I find myself saying the same sort of things over and over again.  And you know, different patients respond differently.  How about that?!

This week, I found several appropriate spots to say the following, "Lifestyle change is sort of like playing hop-scotch."  And to puzzled looks I'd clarify with, "You throw your chalk into the next square, and take a leap.  You get your balance again, pick up the chalk, and write on that square all you have learned.  Then when you are ready, you take another leap. Eventually you get to the end."

One gal said, "Yeah, and you don't ever get to go back to Start!"

Another said, "Balance is a nice word, but I don't ever really feel that.  No, not so much."

One fellow said, "So what's at the end?  The End?"