Insomnia

Insomnia is the inability to sleep. Some Causes of Insomnia: irregular sleeping times night work overuse of stimulants or caffeine, especially during the evening hours chronic abuse of drugs affecting the central nervous system, such as tranquilizers, sleeping pills and alcohol daytime naps over stimulation from too much food, loud music, evening sports, competition crisis situations, such as financial problems, an exam, or the eve of a performance, speech, or athletic event anxiety or depression constant and continuing stress

Suggestions:

Ability to fall asleep at night is also directly related to the time you wake up in the morning. When you stay out late some nights, and then go to bed early on other nights, you create your own mini-jet lag, with the adjustment problems which invariably accompany the jet lag experience. Develop some relaxation techniques. The Rutgers University Health Services, college counseling centers and learning resource centers will be glad to help teach you these techniques.

• Exercise regularly or participate in a sport for general release of muscle tension. Relax and have fun.
• Overcome your depression. Talk over your problems with a friend or someone you trust. Counseling centers and peer counselors can help.
• Avoid excessive use of stimulants and caffeine.
• Relieve anger with vigorous physical activity, such as running, tennis, or walking at a moderate pace.
• If you take a nap during the day, go to bed later that night.
• If you have trouble falling asleep, reduce the amount of sleep you get by setting your alarm for an hour earlier every morning.
• Use sleeping pills with caution, and only according to your health care providers instructions. Also, avoid over-the-counter sleep medications.
  These medications are often ineffective, potentially hazardous. Some prescriptive sleeping pills are addictive.
• Although alcohol may cause drowsiness, it may also cause disturbed sleep patterns and you may awaken more often.

Insomnia may be learned behavior that you can change. It may take weeks of effort, but change can happen if you are willing to work at it.

Some Behavior Modification Techniques To Try

Do not worry about falling asleep. The harder you try, the more frustrated and awake you may become.

Drink a glass of warm milk before you go to bed. Milk contains tryptophan, a natural sedative.

Avoid eating or drinking anything during the night.

Take a warm bath before bedtime.

Go to bed and arise at regular times, even on weekends if possible.

Stop reviewing the days events and making plans for the next one before you go to sleep.

Avoid lying in bed awake for more than 30 minutes. If youre really awake, get up and do something boring or repetitive and return to bed only when you feel ready to sleep.

An estimated 20% of people who have serious problems sleeping have a level of anxiety or depression that may require professional attention.

If you feel that your sleepless nights are emotionally related, or if you continue to have problems with insomnia, come to a Rutgers Student Health Center and we can explore the problem together.

Busch/Livingston Health Center *
110 Hospital Road, Livingston Campus
Piscataway, NJ
Clinic Hours: 8:30 am- 5:00 pm, Mon-Fri
732-445-3250

Camden Health Center *
326 Penn Street, Student Center,
Camden, NJ
Clinic Hours: 8:30am-4:30 pm, Mon-Fri
856-225-6005

Hurtado Health Center *
11 Bishop Place, College Avenue Campus
New Brunswick, NJ
Clinic Hours: 8:30am-8pm, Mon-Fri
10am- 4pm, Sat-Sun
732-932-7402 x1

Newark Health Center *
104 Blumenthal Hall, 249 University Avenue
Newark, NJ
Clinic Hours: 8:30am-4:30pm, Mon-Fri
973-353-5231

Willets Health Center *
11 Suydam Street, Douglass/Cook Campus
New Brunswick, NJ
Clinic Hours: 8:30am-5:00 pm, Mon-Fri
732-932-9805

*by appointment only

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