Health

Sleep In America

None — WHATS WRONG WITH SLEEP IN AMERICA

FACT SHEET

WHY IS IT SURPRISING THAT PEOPLE ARE USING PROPOFOL TO TREAT INSOMNIA?

Propofol is not a sleep aid. It is used by doctors to induce coma, and it is not intended to induce sleep.

WHAT IS THE PROSECUTION ALLEGING CAUSED MICHAEL JACKSON’S DEATH?

Propofol goes into the bloodstream all at once and travels though the blood to the brain (especially quickly when someone is dehydrated). In the body it causes respiratory and cardiovascular depression (slowing), which is what caused Michael Jackson to very suddenly go into cardiopulmonary arrest.

IS PROPOFOL A DANGEROUS DRUG TO HAVE OUT THERE?

Absolutely not, it’s the safest and best anesthetic drug we have, but it must only be used as an anesthetic – and as with all brain active drugs it should be kept under lock and key.

HOW DOES SOMEONE GET TO THE POINT OF HAVING TO COMBINE THEIR OWN COCKTAIL OF PILLS EACH NIGHT JUST TO FALL ASLEEP?

You build up a tolerance so you need more of it to sleep, and then you can’t sleep without it. Eventually, you try to find other drugs to try to get the same effect.

WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS OF COMBING SLEEP PILLS?

You wake up feeling groggy and tamper with your natural body clock. Sleep medications are designed for 12 hour effectiveness, so you wake in the morning with a groggy feeling after use and it can continue for several hours.

IS THERE ANYTHING WRONG WITH TAKING A NATURAL REMEDY LIKE MELATONIN?

Melatonin is an effective natural remedy but you should not take more than the recommended effective dose of .5 to 1mg. If you exceed the dosage, a major side effect that can occur is nightmares.

3 KEY QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE ASKING THEMSELVES IF THEY THINK THEY MAY HAVE A SLEEP PROBLEM:

1ST QUESTION: WAS YOUR SLEEPING PROBLEM TRIGGERED BY A MAJOR EVENT?

This question is important because when a major event occurs, either positive or negative, a natural reaction can be to lose sleep. But when that stimulus is removed and you realize your body has adapted to the lack of sleep and hasn’t gone back to your normal schedule, you need to see a sleep specialist.

2ND QUESTION: DO YOU NEED TO MIX AND MATCH MEDICATIONS TO FALL ASLEEP?

This a clear sign of a problem because if you are self medicating by creating a cocktail to get to sleep, there is a problem. If one thing isn’t working, you shouldn’t have to supplement it with something else to get the same effect. At least 15% of people use alcohol to help get to sleep and many combine it with other medications.

3RD QUESTION: DO YOU EXCEED THE RECOMMENDED DOSAGE OF A SLEEP MEDICATION?

This is important because the second you are exceeding the dosage of any of sleep medications, whether it be over the counter, prescription, or naturopathic, in order to get more sleep, it’s a sign that you need more intensive treatment. If the proper dosage isn’t working, taking more of the medication will not solve the problem.

IF YOU’VE ANSWERED YES TO ANY OF THESE 3 QUESTIONS, YOU CAN’T IGNORE WHAT’S REALLY GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE:

It is important to remember that sleep is a barometer of our emotional health. You may be able to suppress things during the day but in bed at night is when you can’t hide from your problems. Everyone may think this is something you have to live with, but you don’t. To get more details on what type of treatment options are available log onto doctoroz.com.