Contrary to what the sleep aid ads say, are highly addictive. Studies on the long-term effects of sleeping pills are limited, but the research indicates it can impair memory function and may be as deadly in the long run as chronic smoking. Quitting these pills is tough, but you can take some steps in the right direction.
Instructions
1. Identify whether you have a problem or not. Most doctors agree that if you have used for more than two weeks continuously, you need to address the problem and should seek medical help.
2. Determine what is causing your sleeplessness. Could it be a simple environmental factor? Is there too much light in your room, are you drinking too much soda and coffee late at night? These factors can influence your ability to fall and stay asleep.
3. Seek professional help. If you still can't define the problem and fix it with positive results, it could be depression or another serious illness.
4. Don't eat after 8:00 p.m. Not only is this routine bad for your diet, but it may actually contribute to your insomnia.
5. Exercise earlier in the evening. Instead of wearing you out, your late run or workout may actually overstimulate you, keeping you up into the wee hours when you might feel most inclined and desperate enough to turn to a pill.
6. Select a day to quit and stick with it. Preferably, select a weekend or time when you don't work the following day to start your journey to better sleep. You will struggle for awhile, but resist the urge to rely on your old standby. Much of a sleeping pill's power comes from its placebo effect and you can kick this.
7. Develop a support network. Like other forms of addiction, you can't overcome it without facing what's keeping you from sleeping. Environmental factors (caffeine, poor lighting) are easy fixes; the mental hang-ups are hard ones where it's crucial to have a shoulder to lean on.
8. Talk it out. Talk about what's stressing you, which is usually what you think about when you are trying to sleep at night. A professional can help you best wrestle with your thoughts.
9. Get out of bed. If you lay in bed and worry about how you can't fall asleep, it will make things worse. Instead, get up, walk around, read a book or watch television. Then try to sleep again later when you start to doze off.
10. Don't worry if you can't get eight hours of sleep each night. Not everyone needs that much sleep. Some people can function well on four, even though eight is recommended. What is important is the quality of sleep. Sleeping pills impact the quality of sleep and how you function the next day.
Tags: professional help, quality sleep, sleeping pills