Question
My boyfriend is a very calm and laid back person, but his sleep is very disturbing. He has trouble falling asleep, so smokes a lot of marijuana to help him. Every morning from about 5am onwards he shouts and talks in his sleep and often scares me as he is very aggressive. He appears to be awake a lot of the time but has no memory of any of this when he wakes up. It also takes him a good 2 hours to function normally when he wakes up. I am worried that it is the smoking that is doing this to him, but i also know he went through a lot as a child. Is there anything he can do to rest easily at night?
Answer
First of all he must stop the marajuana it is ruining his sleep cycle and most probably giving him a sleep disorder he cantry these tips, but no drugs or weed. For 6-8 weeks he must go to bed and awaken the same time every day regarless of how much or little sleep he got the night befdore. This reset his sleep clock. 3 hours before sleep he must stay away fromalcohol, caffeine,tea, coffee, caramel colored soda like coke pepsi and gingerale and choocolate all this make for restless sleep. Whenhe gets into bed he should twist and turn for no more than 20 minutes,t hen he should go into another room and read a book, or magazine, no computer. When he starts to doze he should go backinto the bed this retrains the brain into thinking that the bedroom is for recuperative sleep only. 30 minutes before bedtime he should take a hot bath,latest researchis that hands immersed under the tub water send impulses to the brain to relax and get ready for sleep. 15 minutes before bedtime he should drink a glass of warm milk, milk when heated contains tryptophan a natural amino acid sleep induecer so a glass will help. However while he stops the maraijuana he undoubtedly will go to withdrawal as he has been doing it long, he may even have to go to the e/r for an injection for ativan to help with the withdrawal,but if he doesnt stop he is headed for disaster. go to sleepnet.com click on disorders, insomni then also go to the sleep forum and search sleep and marijuana. feel free to email again karel
