First steps through Insomnia

by Simon Atkins

Are you one of the many people who struggle to sleep at night - and to stay awake during the day? Does sleep - or the lack of it - dominate your life, ruin your days, and make everything twice as difficult as it should be? Do you, or the person you share a bed with, snore? Or do you have trouble getting your teenager into bed at night, and out of it again the next morning? If so, First Steps through Insomnia is for you. Written by a GP with years of experience in helping his patients with all kinds of sleep-related conditions, this practical book will take you through the right steps toward a life of blissful, refreshing slumber. 'First Steps' is a successful series of short, affordable self-help books on a range of key topics. Other titles in the series include: Menopause, Divorce, Weight Problems, Anxiety, Bereavement, Depression, Eating Disorders, Problem Gambling and Problem Drinking..

96 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2014

About the author

Simon Atkins is a family doctor, writer and medical journalist. He presented the four part BBC3 television series 'Make Me a Baby' and regularly appears on local and national radio discussing health issues. He has been a columnist for the Guardian and has contributed to The Observer Magazine, FHM, Take a break, The BMJ and Men's Health.

Reviews

[Teena in Toronto · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had problems sleeping the last couple of years ... it either takes me a while (up to hours) to get to sleep or I wake up wide freakin' awake in the middle of the night, sometimes for hours. It's very frustrating and I'm tired all the time.

So that's why this book caught my eye.

The chapters are:

* Why we sleep
* What happens while we're sleeping
* What is insomnia? - It sounds like I may suffer from primary insomnia (no medical, psychological or environmental triggers) and I may "misperceive" my sleep (think my frequent transient periods of wakefulness actually mean I am awake most of the night when I'm not; and worry gives me an exaggerated idea of how like I am awake). Or I could have secondary insomnia that is hormonal.
* Your appointment with the doctor
* Sleep hygiene - go to bed the time every day, exercise each day (but not before bedtime), keep the bedroom dark, avoid caffeine before bedtime, etc.
* Drug treatments for insomnia - Various drugs and their side effects
* Alternative therapies - Various alternatives like acupuncture, aromatherapy (I have a diffuser on for 30 minutes when I go to bed with lavender essential oil), melatonin, etc.
* Psychotherapy for insomnia - Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) works by helping to bring about a change in both the way you think about things and the way you act in response to those thoughts.
* Shift work and jet lag
* Obstructive sleep apnoea - I did a sleep test on Tuesday night and will get the results next week.
* Sleep and teenagers
* Restless legs syndrome and night cramps

There is an appendix with useful resources.

I liked the writing style. Though informative, it was humourous. It is a quick read and is written in an easy-to-understand way by Dr. Simon Atkins.

I suggest you check out this book if you are having problems sleeping.

Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2014/03...

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

First steps through Insomnia is just that - the very first book you want to read through when researching the problems you are having with sleeping. There really aren't any suggestions in there other than to see a doctor. So this is more about figuring what type of insomnia you have as well as discussing all the different methods of treatment.

The book is an easy read - I finished in about 30 minutes. The author was through in the range of treatments (everything from hypnosis to homeopathic) and you'll get an idea of the positives and negatives of each type of relief.

This is at heart an informative guide and most of the information is readily available on the net. But it compiles all the information into one easy reference. If you have already researched sleeping issues, then you'll likely know most of what is in here. But if you are just starting to discover you have a sleep problem, this really is an ideal first step.

Reviewed from an ARC.

[Damaskcat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting little book which aims to offer help and advice about sleep problems such as insomnia. Whether it is a coincidence or not I found my temporary problems with insomnia have improved since reading it!

The book briefly explains why we need to sleep and the various types of sleep. Looks at insomnia and the possible causes for it and offers advice about dealing with it and hopefully eliminating it. It explains how some illnesses may exacerbate sleep problems and how treating the underlying illness may eliminate the sleep problems too.

It is written in a humorous chatty style which many readers will enjoy and it contains sensible down to earth advice about tackling your sleep problems yourself. It doesn't overlook the issues such as sleep apnoea which will need professional help to deal with.
Recommened to anyone who would like to sort out their sleeping - or lack of it. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review purposes.

[CL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

If you have had the misfortune to suffer from insomnia like me (8 months in 2012 without sleep) then you would have undoubtedly spent many hours surfing the web when you can't sleep reading up on everything to do with insomnia. Therefore, nothing said in this guide will come has a surprise (though it's always good to remind yourself of the advice and that you are not alone, if nothing else!).

If you are new to the insomnia club then firstly, welcome, don't panic and you're not alone. Secondly, this is probably the book for you to read. It discusses in laymen terms why we need sleep, why insomnia occurs and some possible treatments, both pharmaceutical and otherwise so whilst you probably still need to visit your GP, you can prepare yourself for the kind of things they will ask and advice they will give.

[Angela Street · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is a good first book to read to help you understand insomnia including types of insomnia, causes of insomnia, different medical conditions that trigger insomnia, pros and cons of sleep medications and other basic insomnia facts. It does not have many suggestions to combat insomnia other than basic ones such as sleep diary, go to bed at same time and get up at same time, no caffeine, no TV or electronics before bedtime, after a short period of not sleeping change locations, don't use bed for anything but sex and sleep etc. It focuses on increasing your understanding rather than being a specific self help book. If you have never read about insomnia this is good basic one.