Insomnia & Sleep Strategies

Here are some tips that we hope will help improve your sleep patterns:

• Medications: If you are having intense symptoms at night, are using the restroom throughout the night and/or are just trying to ignore the sensation of "needing to go," please discuss this with your physician. There may be some medications (such as Elavil) that you can take to make your sleep more comfortable and possible. Ask about your options.

• Heat or Cold: Some patients find heating pads very helpful when they first lie down. A microwavable heating pad should retain heat and can be placed comfortably in your bed. An electric heating pad can also be helpful. Just remember to turn it off right before you fall asleep.

• Sleep positions: Finding a comfortable sleep position is often a challenge. Some patients like sleeping on their bellies because it seems to rotate their hips and take some pressure of the bladder. Others prefer laying on their sides or back. Experiment and see what is most comfortable for you.

• Exercise: Get some exercise every day, even just walking twenty minutes or so. For IC patients, gentle walking or swimming may be ideal for you. Try getting out of the house for a while, into the sunshine and fresh hour. Stretch your legs and walk around your neighborhood.

• Establish a regular sleep routine: Try to go to bed and get up on a regular schedule. Try to go to bed only when you are sleepy AND avoid staying in bed too long in the morning.

• Create a comfortable sleeping environment: Try playing some soft background noise or, perhaps, an audiotape guided relaxation tape. A comfortable temperature (not too warm or cold) may help. If you've got a noisy snorer next to you, consider ear plugs or perhaps trying to sleep in a seperate room temporarily. (We recommend the tapes offered by Potentials Unlimited (Barry Konicov), currently available through Amazon.com!)

• Avoid Caffeine: Coffee, tea, cola's, chocolate all contain caffeine and will keep you awake! Cut back immediately. Please remember that some medications also contain caffeine. Review the ingredients and talk it over with your physician.

• Smoking can make it worse: Cigarette smoking can disrupt our sleep, in addition to being a well known cause of bladder cancer. Consider giving it up.

• Bedtime Snacks: Eating heavy food before you go to sleep can keep you wide awake. Try a light, zone balanced snack before bedtime. Milk and/or mint tea might be helpful, IF your bladder can tolerate the herbal tea. (See our diet page)

• Learn to connect your bed with sleep: It can help to associate your bed for sleeping only, rather than for TV watching, reading or writing. Use your couch for the TV, save the bedroom for sleep.

• Relax: Sometimes a warm bath, or soothing music, or reading a good book, or even sex, can lead to great sleep. Avoid watching the nightly news or any other upsetting information before you go to bed. Focus on peaceful thoughts and rituals at bedtime.

• Get On-line: If you can't fall asleep, come visit the ICN chat rooms or message boards. Odds are you'll find another icer to commiserate with and share strategies together!