Most of us have had at least a few nights with insomnia. Too many people have trouble with chronic sleeping problems. This can sometimes cause additional health problems. Often they rely on pills such as benzodiazepines to put them to sleep. Could they solve their problem by raising the head of the bed? This tactic really helped one reader. Another describes an equally simple non-drug approach.
Raising the Head of the Bed to Sleep Better:
Q. I’ve had trouble sleeping for decades, and I took Xanax for more than 20 years. It helped a lot, but I realized that it wasn’t good for me.
After I stopped slowly, I didn’t sleep well at all. Herbal pills helped only a little, but I figured that’s how my sleep would be from then on.
Then I read on the Internet about inclined bed therapy. I was pleased that I could try it at home for free.
When my son was visiting, he put three-inch-thick books under the legs at the head of the bed, causing the mattress to be inclined a bit. To my surprise, I slept a lot better.
I’ve since added two more inches to the incline and I’m amazed at how well I sleep. Perhaps other readers could be helped doing this.
Inclined Bed Therapy Better Known for Fighting Heartburn:
A. Thank you for bringing inclined bed therapy to our attention. Gastroenterologists have long recommended elevating the head of the bed to reduce symptoms of GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). A systematic review of five trials concluded, somewhat cautiously, that this is a “cheap and safe alternative to drug interventions” (BMC Family Practice, Jan. 19, 2021). In other words, it might help, won’t hurt and shouldn’t cost too much.
Lifting the Head of the Bed May Help Sleep Apnea:
There appears to be even less evidence for inclined bed therapy for insomnia. However, elevating the head of the bed does seem to reduce sleep apnea (Sleep & Breathing, June 24, 2017). That might help explain why your sleep is more refreshing. And of course, the same benefits apply here as for GERD—raising the head of the bed is inexpensive and safe.
Listening to eBooks Puts Reader Back to Sleep:
If you can’t imagine raising the head of the bed, you might want to try this reader’s solution to waking in the middle of the night.
Q. I often have insomnia when I first try to sleep but more often after waking up in the middle of the night. Reading in bed or doing a puzzle didn’t work. Listening to white noise or nature sounds didn’t help either. Neither did melatonin.
I got the idea to try falling asleep while listening to an ebook because I would often fall asleep while watching TV. I found that listening to a calm ebook online, with the volume turned down low, helps to “overwrite” my racing thoughts, enabling me to sleep. It has changed my life.
A. Thank you so much for a clever idea on coping with sleep troubles. We know people who find that listening to talking makes them more awake, but others, like you, find it soothing. Listening to music can be helpful for some people.
Learn More:
There are many other simple, inexpensive approaches to overcoming insomnia discussed in our eGuide to Getting a Good Night’s Sleep. It covers sleeping pills but really shines at offering nondrug solutions. You may also want to listen to our interview with Dr. Roger Seheult. It is Show 1393: How to Get the Sleep You Need.
