Insomnia and Sleep Problems

We all know the expression “sleeps like a baby”, but it turns out this is an elusive goal, even for babies themselves! People of all ages, from infancy on, may have various types of insomnia, that is, difficulties getting a good night’s sleep, either occasionally or all the time.

Types of problems

There may be difficulties falling asleep, waking up and falling back asleep, waking up too early in the morning, or nightmares. Some people need an hour or more to transition to sleep; children may experience fears before falling asleep, or when they wake up in the middle of the night. Another, less usual sleep problem, is sleeping too deeply and having great difficulty waking up in the morning. Sleepwalking may be a problem. Bed-wetting can be classed as a sleep problem, because the brain is too asleep to manage this function.

A common form of insomnia, for adults and children is difficulty shutting off the mind at night. Many people are victims of a brain that endlessly replays concerns, worries, plans, or trivia. This may be a problem during the day, at work and in intimate situations!Many children stay up late not because they want to but because they have no alternative. This becomes a source of endless family conflicts with exasperated parents who don’t understand that their kid can’t help it.

Causes

There are any number of causes for insomnia. In some cases it can be traced to the lingering effects of trauma, either from childhood, or a more recent physical or emotional trauma. Birth difficulties can lead to recurrent insomnia. In looking for causes, it is always important to make sure the hormones are balanced properly, especially the adrenals. Many cases of insomnia, though, are simply the way the brain is tuned for reasons we don’t entirely understand.

Neurofeedback for Sleep Difficulties

Neurofeedback is by far the most safe and effective non-medical treatment for sleep problems. Medications prescribed for sleep are often highly addictive, and in the long run create more problems than they solve. This is especially true for commonly prescribed benzodiazepines, such as valium and klonopin.

Neurofeedback has no side effects, and once the brain is re-tuned, the results last for a long time, with only occasional tune-ups needed. In most cases of simple sleep disorders, 10-15 sessions are all that is needed to produce significant improvements -although that goal of 8 hours of wonderful sound sleep may remain elusive. For children, improvement in sleep often occurs after the first session. Bed-wetting is usually resolved in 8-10 sessions.

Where there has been trauma, past or present use of addictive sleep medications, the course of treatment is a little more complex and is likely to take longer. In overcoming addictive medications, patience and discipline are required. Supplements are recommended. But success can be achieved.