Sleep
Subject to insomnia?
In most countries, insomnia affects one out of five adults and severely affects 10% of the population.. (Ref. Prévalence de l’insomnie : actualité épidémiologique Médecine du Sommeil, Volume 7, Issue 4, Pages 139-145 D. Léger, M. Ohayon, F. Beck, M.-F. Vecchierini)..
Along different types, sleep onset insomnia is probably the most frequently met, therefore the most dreaded. The fear of not “finding sleep” (an insomniac’s anxious anticipation) is a key factor. It is a cause of the repeated failures in the desperate quest for the arms of Morpheus.
Resorting to sleeping pills: a controversial medical decision… false good idea?
The benefits/costs balance of (hypnotic) sleeping pills is more and more called into question:
– Risk of addiction (the prescription must only be considered as a short term one),
– Deterioration of the quality of sleep (decreasing of deep sleep phases),
– Pharmacological tolerance (obligation of increasing the doses for maintaining the same effects),
– Sedation (it is paradoxical to take a treatment in order to sleep… risking fatigue the next day because of the medication!),
– Aggravation and/or triggering of sleep apnea.
Most sleeping pills belong to the pharmacological family of benzodiazepines. Their use can induce memory disorders. Even worse, there is now a suspected link between their chronic intake and the risk of developing an Alzheimer’s disease.
Sleeping pills have been known for a very long time to expose elderly users to risks of mental confusion, falls, and swallowing disorders. Placebo use can be particularly salvatory for this vulnerable population.
Placebo is useless… Really ?
Most sleeping pills result in a tolerance phenomenon*. It means that the body gets used to the substance and progressively needs a higher dose to maintain the desired effect. When the user has the good reflex not to give in to this dosage revaluation, it’s very likely that the precious sleeping pill soon has no more effect than a placebo.
It is then to a ritual, to a symbol, about taking their treatment, that the patient becomes tributary… and with so many side effects!
PANACEUM® helps breaking the vicious circle of insomnia. It has no risk of addiction, or side effect.
SLEEP: Good practices
Specialists agree to recommend a bedtime routine. It should start an hour before the person would like to fall asleep. It is then necessary to stop any stressful and/or exciting activity. A filtered environment is recommended. A soothing activity (reading, relaxation techniques, meditation, slow abdominal breathing*) is encouraged.
It is by the end of this transition between vigil and sleep that the intake of 3 granules of PANACEUM® Night will help to fall asleep.
A few principles :
– Bedtime should only be decided when the first drowsiness signs appear: eyes itching, yawning, eyelids closing…
– A fresh atmosphere, complete darkness and as much silence as possible are fundamental elements to foster sleep.
– No coffee in the afternoon.
– No hot shower, or sport within 2 hours before bedtime.
– Never try to sleep earlier to compensate the lack of sleep from the night before! You’d risk to induce insomnia by waiting in your bed the sleep you desire so much, even before your body requests it.
– The bed should never be considered as a stressful place. It’s not either a place to read, to use a tablet PC, or to watch TV. If you absolutely want to use a screen before sleeping, use specific glasses that will filter blue light (insomnia factor!)
– If sleep doesn’t occur after 20 to 30 minutes, don’t hesitate to get up and do something else until the drowsiness signs reappear.
– It doesn’t matter when you fell asleep, you must always keep a fixed time to wake up and avoid compensatory naps.
These recommendations brought together are called stimulus control by specialists.(http://www.bichat-larib.com/source/docs/fiche_patient_controle_stimulus.pdf )