Are there common problems that can be fixed without paging Dr. Hoopes after hours?
A. Yes. The two most common problems for which Dr. Hoopes is needlessly paged are difficulty sleeping or difficulties after recent medication changes. Sleep problems can often be substantially improved by following some simple guidelines. Our bodies are generally not able to go to sleep sooner than 15 hours after we have wakened. Often people expect to be able to fall to sleep at, say, 10 pm, when they woke up at 10 am. Your body will not be ready to fall to sleep in this situation until about 2 am the next day. The solution here is to get up earlier if you want to fall to sleep earlier. It is best to keep a very regular sleep schedule, weekdays and weekends. Research has shown that we will not feel rested no matter how much sleep we get if we are in bed more than 9 continuous hours per day. Do not try to make-up sleep. Do not drink fluids after dinner to avoid having to get up to use the bathroom at night. Do not drink caffeine after breakfast. Turn off the TV and the computer at leas
