Insomnia Treatment and Health Care

Posts Tagged ‘Depression’

Sertraline-naltrexone combination therapy reduced the incidence of depression, and increasing time of abstinence and alcohol-free period in patients who suffer from depression and alcohol dependence. Conclusion This is the result of research of dr. Helen M. Pettinati and colleagues from the Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, USA.

Until now, no empirical evidence that is strong enough to support the provision of antidepressants as a treatment for patients who suffer from depression and alcohol dependence. Although many studies show that antidepressants reduce depression symptoms in patients who suffer from depression and alcohol dependence, in general, antidepressant drug treatment does not seem beneficial in reducing alcohol drinking habits in these depressed patients.

A double-blind study, placebo-controlled trial conducted to examine the effectiveness of combination therapy of depression (sertraline) and alcohol dependence (naltrexone) in patients suffering from depression and alcohol dependence. This study involved 170 patients with depression, alcohol dependence were randomly divided into 4 groups: group I (n = 40) treated with sertraline 200 mg daily; group II were treated with naltrexone 100 mg daily (n = 49); group III were treated with a combination of sertraline -naltrexone 200/100 mg (n = 42), and group IV were treated with double placebo (n = 39). Therapy lasted for 14 weeks and during the therapy progresses, patients also were given cognitive and behavioral therapy (cognitive-behavioral therapy).

People with insomnia do not feel rested after night. They may have trouble falling asleep and often tossing and turning in bed for hours. Or, they can fall asleep easily but wake up very early in the morning without being able to go back to sleep or taking after a restless sleep and unsatisfactory.

This is usually common in the elderly and people with depression. In other cases, the individual has difficulty staying awake during the day. Sleep at night is capricious and often interrupted.

A person can have the following insomnia symptoms:

* Tiredness and irritability during the day
* Trouble concentrating at work
* Drowsiness or falling asleep during the day

Questionnaire to determine if you have insomnia

Do you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, or you wake too early or get up with the feeling of not having enough sleep?

In the case of a child: You refuse to go to sleep or sleeping alone?

Does this problem occurs even if you have the opportunity to have normal sleep?

Do you have at least one of the following?

* Low energy
* Lack of motivation
* Problems with attention, concentration or memory
* Poor performance at work or school
* Extreme mood swings
* Daytime Sleep
* Errors at work or while driving
* Headaches or stomach
* Frustration or worry about your sleep

There are over 100 sleep disorders have been identified and insomnia is without doubt one of the most common problems.

The episodes of insomnia can be short or long term (chronic) and the participation of difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep and waking up very early. Some reasons why you suffer with insomnia are anxiety, stress, depression, caffeine, alcohol, drugs and medicines, disease, naps during the day, and about the influences (too much noise or light).

Some sleep disorders are:

* Insomnia due to dependency or cessation of stimulants
* Delayed sleep phase syndrome (the person believes s / he sleeps better from morning to afternoon
* Insomnia due to cessation or the construction of tolerance to sleep medications, known as Hypnotic dependent sleep disorder and
* Pyschophysiological insomnia, known as learned insomnia

Anxiety is a state of apprehension or fear. The cause of this uneasiness is not always known or recognized, which can increase the distress you feel.
Normally, the cause of anxiety, stress often comes from that although it is a normal part of life of all individuals and at low levels is good, and motivating and can help people be more productive. However, excessive stress or a strong response to stress is harmful. This may predispose us to have a poor general health, like physical and psychological illnesses such as depression or anxiety. The persistent stress often this leads to anxiety and unhealthy behaviors like overeating, consuming alcohol or drugs or lead to a state of waking dream in which will lead to insomnia.

To determine whether our lack of sleep, is caused by anxiety, other symptoms can be observed, such as:

• Frequent headaches.
• Dizziness and irregular heartbeat.
• Sweating and dry mouth.
• Tiredness and irritability.
• Lack of concentration.
• Sexual problems.

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To try to sleep, let’s put into practice a relaxation technique called Savasana or the corpse posture. This position can be practiced after a yoga session or anytime we need it, for example before going to sleep. What first thing we do is release all buttons, zippers, belt or bra, we can press, we lie on the floor or directly on the bed and cover with a blanket so not cool. The correct position is on your back and as symmetrically as possible, the shoulders at the same height, head centered, straight legs and with a clearance of 50 cm. Arms slightly away from the body, palms facing up, close our eyes and we began: in this position lift your right leg to put all your muscles tense, endured a moment and let it fall to the ground completely dead, we repeat the same with the other leg, arms, hips and shoulders. Turn it round his head several times on both sides and let it focus.

In this position we started to think of our body, we begin with the toes, thinking about bone structure, muscles, skin, nails … and we’re sending commands to relax, continue through the soles of the feet and repeat the same operation, always very focused on trying to go the party. So we will travel throughout our bodies without forgetting the internal organs like the heart, stomach, kidneys, and finally to the forehead and scalp hair.

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• Alcohol : alcohol, contrary to what most people think – does not help you sleep well. Quite the contrary. Taking too much alcohol at night, not just sleep worse but runs the risk of mixing with fatigue hangover the next day.

• Nightmare : the fear of recurring nightmares may prevent sleep achieved.

• Depression : people who suffer depression or other psychological disorders such as anxiety, panic attacks etc.. may experience greater difficulty sleeping at night.

• Family reasons : some babies do not sleep at night and therefore their parents either. And once that has managed to calm a crying baby at night, parents often have difficulty returning to sleep.

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