Desperately Seeking Sleep: Divine Guidance

Dear Lisa,

I have tried everything from sleeping pills to hypnosis and nothing seems to help my insomnia. It started with the birth of my son over a year ago. Even though he is sleeping through the night now, I got into the habit of waking up every two hours and cannot seem to break it. Every night I toss and turn and at most, I get two hours of uninterrupted sleep. When I wake up, I’m exhausted. My irritation and fatigue are at the breaking point, and both my job and relationships are suffering. Please help.—Janice, London, England

A Simple Approach

Perhaps some simple, practical changes could help. When I have insomnia, I increase the amount I exercise early in the day so I relieve physical tension and feel more tired toward the end of the day. I also keep my bedroom uncluttered and white. This soothes me and allows my tired mind to feel rested. I think it’s all about changing your stress level in the day, so that night time can feel more relaxed.—D. Jackson, New Canaan, CT

Empathy and Encouragement

I have been experiencing a similar problem since the birth of my second child. I spend hours in bed trying to fall asleep with no results; things usually get worse the more I try to convince my mind to shut off. Of course, my case is not comparable to what you’re experiencing, but I empathize with you because I was sleep deprived for many months after the birth of my daughter (she was screaming all night), and it nearly destroyed my marriage and my health.

Now, the only recipe that holds my sanity intact is a change of ambience. A visit to my mother’s, where she sleeps with the kids, or an odd weekend away with my husband does wonders, and most of the time I manage a full night of sleep! I hope you find the recipe that works for you. Good luck with parenthood.—Kremena, London, England

Expert View

New research shows that over 70 percent of women experience chronic sleep problems at some point in their lives. The multiple roles we juggle, monthly hormonal flux, and menopause put women at higher risk than men for sleep disorders.