Suggest Remedy For Insomnia In A 60 Year Old

Brief Answer:
try sleep hygiene

Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX

Thanks for writing to us. I can understand your concern.

Insomnia (sleep disturbance) is of two types:

1. Primary: There is problem of only sleep disturbance and no other physical or psychological problem is there. In this case treatment for sleep problem is needed.

2. Secondary: There is some underlying physical or psychological problem which is responsible for sleep disturbance. In this main treatment is done for underlying problem.

First of all try to follow some measures called 'sleep hygiene' which would help in sleep. You can find the same in below link.

sleepfoundation.org/ask-the-expert/sleep-hygiene

Drinking a cup of warm milk before going to bed helps in 30-40% of patients and they do not need medicines as per my clinical experience.

Let me know more so I can guide you further.

- Is there difficulty in sleep onset, fragmentation of sleep or early morning awakening?

- What was the schedule (timing) and duration of sleep before the problem started? How much reduction in sleep from previous?

- Do you have any stress in life (it can be social, economical, relationship, study/work or emotional)?

- Do you have any physical illness?

- Any day time sleepiness is there?


As such drugs from benzodiazepine group and Z group sedatives are used in sleep disturbance. Zolpidem (stilnoct) is really a good drug but it is prescription drug and I am sorry that online prescription is not valid and I cannot help for the same. Anti-histaminic and melatonin are also used sometime when sleep problem is not severe. You can try one of them.

Hope I have answered your query, I will be happy to help further.
Regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki.

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