Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

2 ways to help your patients get better sleep

Julia Schlam Edelman, MD
Conditions
January 5, 2013
214 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

Are you or your patients sleeping well?  Mine are not, and I wasn’t either.  Do you ask them how they sleep?  I never used to ask, and no one asked me.  When I was in medical school, we had rigorous instruction in taking detailed medical histories.  Sleep quantity and quality were not included.

What changed?  Is it the digital age we live in, or is it the pervasive multi-tasking we undertake?  The definitive study may never be done.  I never anticipated, when I started out in gynecology 28 years ago, that lack of sleep would be one of the first “complaints” my patients would voice.  To clarify, as a menopause specialist, I do evaluate women who have night sweats.  However, the sleep challenges my patients face are not always related to getting hot and sweaty after the lights go off.

As a gynecologist, I don’t consider myself a sleep expert.  My patients often attribute their lack of quality sleep to menopausal changes, and, at times, request that I prescribe hormones to help them sleep.  When menopausal changes do not explain their specific sleep concerns, hormones are not the answer.   Lack of quality sleep has many causes, and some of them respond well to lifestyle changes.  Here are two of my favorite suggestions to help you and your patients get more quality sleep before obtaining prescription sleep medications or consulting a sleep specialist, either of which may be an appropriate in individual cases.

1. Avoid looking at back-lit screens for 60 minutes before bedtime. That means no television, iPad use, laptop use, checking the smartphone, or reading a back-lit e-reader before bed.  Reading a book made from trees is ideal, as is listening to music or having a relaxing conversation, if you remember that vanishing social custom.

2. Taper the amount of caffeine you consume. Even if you finish your coffee in the morning, you will benefit.  It takes six hours to clear half the amount of caffeine you consume.  With super-sized coffee cups, a large cup may contain more than 200 milligrams of caffeine.  Here is the math.  If you drink three large cups of coffee by 11am, you have consumed 600 milligrams of caffeine.  Six hours later, at 5pm, 300mg of caffeine remain in your body.  Six hours after that, at 11pm, 150mg remain.  At 5am the next morning, 75mg of caffeine remain from the previous morning.  This compromises your ability to fall asleep readily, and makes your mind race.  It also prevents deep, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.  If your patient offers to stop “cold turkey,” don’t let her.  A slow taper prevents caffeine-withdrawal headaches.

Both caregivers and patients alike may benefit from trying one or both of the strategies discussed here: avoiding back-lit screen viewing during the hour before bed, and tapering the amount of caffeine.  Sleep medicine has much more to offer if you or your patients still don’t get a good night’s sleep.

Julia Schlam Edelman is an ostetrician-gynecologist and author of Successful Sleep Strategies for Women.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Protect yourself against fraudulent EHR documentation

January 5, 2013 Kevin 9
…
Next

Incremental improvement in medical education is not enough

January 5, 2013 Kevin 1
…

Tagged as: OB/GYN, Psychiatry

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Protect yourself against fraudulent EHR documentation
Next Post >
Incremental improvement in medical education is not enough

More in Conditions

  • Overcoming the lies of depression: Senator John Fetterman’s struggle with mental health

    Harvey Max Chochinov, MD, PhD
  • Proposed USPSTF guideline update: Advocating for earlier breast cancer screening at age 40

    Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian
  • The rising threat of lung cancer in Asian American female nonsmokers

    Alice S. Y. Lee, MD
  • Urgent innovation needed to address growing mental health crisis among children and families

    Monika Roots, MD
  • The importance of listening in health care: a mother’s journey advocating for children with chronic Lyme disease

    Cheryl Lazarus
  • The unjust reality of racial disparities in pediatric kidney transplants

    Lien Morcate
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Is chaos in health care leading us towards socialized medicine? How physician burnout is a catalyst.

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • Boxing legends Tyson and Foreman: powerful lessons for a resilient and evolving health care future

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • A physician’s typical day, as envisioned by a non-clinician health care MBA: a satire

      Jennifer Lycette, MD | Physician
    • Revealing America’s expansion: the dark truth of Native American suffering and unjustified abuses

      Anonymous | Physician
    • The tragic story of Mr. G: a painful journey towards understanding suicide

      William Lynes, MD | Physician
    • Decoding name displays in health care: Privacy, identification, and compliance unveiled

      Deepak Gupta, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
    • Unveiling the hidden damage: the secretive world of medical boards

      Alan Lindemann, MD | Physician
    • An inspiring tribute to an exceptional radiologist who made a lasting impact

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
    • Proactive risk management: a game-changer in preventing physician burnout

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Discover your true north: Navigating life’s confusions and embracing your path to success

      Tyler Jorgensen, MD | Physician
    • A revolution in patient empowerment: Working together to save our medical system [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Revealing America’s expansion: the dark truth of Native American suffering and unjustified abuses

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Unlock financial freedom: The physician’s guide to lucrative multifamily syndications and wealth accumulation

      Pranay Parikh, MD | Finance
    • From Moscow Mule to the opioid crisis: Unveiling the tragic legacy and urgent solutions

      Osmund Agbo, MD | Meds
    • From journalism to medicine: Unveiling the untold stories of patients’ medical conditions

      Veronica Bonales, MD | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 3 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • New Antiviral Option for CMV Prophylaxis After Kidney Transplant
  • Infant RSV Vax Heads to FDA for Review
  • Is Getting Test Results Online Right Away a Good Idea? Yes, Patients Say
  • Residency Application System Cuts Section on Hobbies and Interests
  • Workplace Harassment, Cyber Incivility High for Minority Groups in Academic Medicine

Meeting Coverage

  • Phase II Study: Bispecific Oral Drug Tops Leading JAK Inhibitor for RA
  • Closing the Diversity Gaps in Urologic Oncology Leadership
  • Certain NSCLC Patients May Be Able to Stop Immunotherapy at 2 Years
  • No Survival Benefit With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Rechallenge in Metastatic RCC
  • Happy Sleep, Happy Couple?
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Is chaos in health care leading us towards socialized medicine? How physician burnout is a catalyst.

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • Boxing legends Tyson and Foreman: powerful lessons for a resilient and evolving health care future

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • A physician’s typical day, as envisioned by a non-clinician health care MBA: a satire

      Jennifer Lycette, MD | Physician
    • Revealing America’s expansion: the dark truth of Native American suffering and unjustified abuses

      Anonymous | Physician
    • The tragic story of Mr. G: a painful journey towards understanding suicide

      William Lynes, MD | Physician
    • Decoding name displays in health care: Privacy, identification, and compliance unveiled

      Deepak Gupta, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
    • Unveiling the hidden damage: the secretive world of medical boards

      Alan Lindemann, MD | Physician
    • An inspiring tribute to an exceptional radiologist who made a lasting impact

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
    • Proactive risk management: a game-changer in preventing physician burnout

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Discover your true north: Navigating life’s confusions and embracing your path to success

      Tyler Jorgensen, MD | Physician
    • A revolution in patient empowerment: Working together to save our medical system [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Revealing America’s expansion: the dark truth of Native American suffering and unjustified abuses

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Unlock financial freedom: The physician’s guide to lucrative multifamily syndications and wealth accumulation

      Pranay Parikh, MD | Finance
    • From Moscow Mule to the opioid crisis: Unveiling the tragic legacy and urgent solutions

      Osmund Agbo, MD | Meds
    • From journalism to medicine: Unveiling the untold stories of patients’ medical conditions

      Veronica Bonales, MD | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

2 ways to help your patients get better sleep
3 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...