We have all had times when sleep eludes us, but for some people getting a good night’s sleep can be a major problem.

Sleeping less is not necessarily a cause for concern. As we get older, we tend to sleep for fewer hours each night, and to have a lighter and more broken sleep.

Sometimes, sleeping difficulties are due to an underlying problem, such as depression, emotional worries, stress, illness, pain, breathing and snoring problems, restless legs syndrome and some medications. In these cases, dealing with the underlying problem usually solves the sleeping difficulties.

Sleeping tablets

Sleeping tablets are sometimes prescribed for short term or occasional use. However, using sleeping tablets for more than a few days at a time can cause problems, particularly in older people.

When taken for more than 10–14 days, our bodies get used to sleeping tablets, so they don’t work as well.

 

As a result, you need larger and larger doses to get the same sleep effect. Your body can also become dependent on them, making it difficult to sleep without them or to stop using them.

Sleeping tablets may give you a less deep and less relaxed sleep than normal sleep, and you may feel less refreshed the next day.

Sleeping tablets can also have serious side effects, including memory loss, confusion, drowsiness and unsteadiness, that make you more likely to have accidents and falls during the day.

If you have been using sleeping tablets for some time, your doctor may advise you to stop using them. However, coming off sleeping tablets is not always easy, as some people experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking them. Common withdrawal symptoms include poorer sleep, sweating, feeling ill, dizziness, blurred vision, irritability, poor concentration, feeling anxious, and feeling depressed. The withdrawal symptoms are temporary, and can be minimised by slowly reducing the amount of sleeping tablets you take over a period of 6–8 weeks or more.

Using sleeping tablets for more than a

few days at a time can cause problems.

 Talk to your doctor about the best way to come off your sleeping tablets, and other ways of tackling your sleep problems. 

Sleeping without tablets

Using non-drug methods to help you get a good night’s sleep is much better for your health and well-being than resorting to sleeping tablets.

However, working out which methods work for you may take time. Here are a few methods that might help:

• Wake and get up at the same time each morning, even if you’ve had a bad night’s sleep.
• Avoid napping during the day, especially in the afternoon.
• Regular exercise and sunshine help you sleep better, so be active and spend time outside during the day.
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine-containing drinks (tea, coffee, cocoa and cola) in the evening: have a bedtime cup of warm milk or a carbohydrate snack instead.
• Get your body into ‘going to sleep’ mode by winding down with quiet activities and a regular ‘going to bed’ routine in the hour or so before bedtime.
• Don’t read or watch TV in bed.
• Learn and practice some relaxation techniques, and use them when you can’t get to sleep.
• If you can’t get to sleep, get up and do something until you feel sleepy.