There are a number of different brands and types of insulin called Insulin Zinc Suspensions. The presence of zinc in the insulin suspension slows down the action of the insulin.

Ultratard HM (Insulin zinc suspension)

Ultratard has a very slow action.

This is very slow acting insulin and it is a suspension of insulin zinc crystals. It has its main effect from about eight hours to twenty-eight hours and then a slow fading away of effect until thirty hours or even longer. Some doctors, however, recommend giving a single dose of Ultratard at night so that there is a small amount of insulin in the body throughout the twenty-four hours, and then give extra unmodified insulin such as Actrapid before each meal.

Humulin UL (Insulin zinc suspension) Humulin UL has a very slow action.

This is very slow acting insulin and it is a suspension of insulin zinc crystals. It has its main effect from about eight hours to twenty-eight hours and then a slow fading away of effect until thirty hours or even longer. Some doctors, however, recommend giving a single dose of Hamelin UL at night so that there is a small amount of insulin in the body throughout the twenty-four hours, and then give extra unmodified insulin such as Hamelin R before each meal.

Monotard HM (Insulin zinc suspension) Monotard HM has a moderately slow effect.

Monotard is rather slow acting insulin. It has a start of effect about four hours after injection with the maximum effect from six to about eighteen hours and a fading of activity after this time to about twenty-four hours.

A hypoglycemic reaction due to Monotard insulin given before breakfast may occur either in the late afternoon or particularly during the night. Because of this late effect it is common to mix Monotard with Actrapid insulin to give a better effect during the day. This combination modifies the effect of insulin through the Actrapid and may retain some of its own activity as well. It is also common for Monotard with Actrapid to be given in a divided dose, morning and evening rather than as a single dose in the morning.

Humulin L (Insulin zinc suspension) Humulin L has a moderately slow effect.

Humulin L is rather slow acting insulin. It has a start of effect about four hours after injection with the maximum effect from six to about eighteen hours and a fading of activity after this time to about twenty-four hours.

A hypoglycemic reaction due to Humulin L insulin given before breakfast may occur either in the late afternoon or particularly during the night. Because of this late effect, it is common to mix Humulin L with Humulin R insulin to give a better effect during the day. This combination modifies the effect of insulin through the Humulin R and may retain some of its own activity as well. It is also common for Humulin L with Humulin R to be given in a divided dose, morning and evening, rather than as a single dose in the morning.

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Our homes are full of devices which emit electromagnetic radiation, including televisions, radios, mobile phones and microwave ovens.

Here are some simple tips to reduce your exposure to radiation at home:

• Don’t use an electric blanket which can stay on all night. Apart from the electromagnetic radiation, it can also be too hot for the man’s sperm. It is better to heat the bed up first and then switch it off. Better still, use an old-fashioned hot water bottle.

• Position electrical alarm clocks and radios so that they are not right next to your head while you are sleeping.

• Keep a good distance away from televisions and VDUs.

Mobile Phones

To reduce the risk from mobile phones:

• Keep use of your mobile phone down to a minimum and use a landline whenever possible.

• Buy a separate mike so that the handset is not next to your head.

• When the phone is being carried, or if you are using a mike, keep the handset as far away from your body as possible. I regularly see men carrying a mobile phone in their breast pocket right over their heart.

Microwave Ovens

What you can do:

• Think whether you really need to use a microwave oven at all.

• If you continue to cook with a microwave then do not stand directly in front of the oven, especially if you are pregnant.

• Have the oven checked periodically for leaks.

• Never open the door when the oven is on.

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•     Noise can be a real nuisance, especially on busy roads, and electroencephalograms done on people asleep in such situations show that they are registering the noise even though they are asleep. (Some people, used to the noise of a city become insomniacs when they move to the peace of the country-they ‘can’t stand the silence’.) If you are super-sensitive to noise ear plugs are an answer, and if light rooms are a problem you can buy a mask or an eye-shade.

•     Depression must first be recognized and then treated to prevent this common cause of sleep loss.

•     Watch out for foods and drinks that give you nightmares or simply disturbed sleep.

•     Although millions of people sleep perfectly well without ever having sex there is little doubt that intercourse and/or masturbation help the average person to drop off. Unsatisfactory sex on the other hand can prevent sleep. This is especially true in women who are left unsatisfied by their partners. Such a woman can always masturbate if she is left ‘high and dry’. If she can’t masturbate, for whatever reason, she may well be able to sleep better if she doesn’t have sex.

Sex is part of a pre-sleep ritual for many. Most of us use some form of pre-sleep ritual, often without even realizing it. At roughly the same time each night we turn off the TV, put down our book or newspaper, make a hot drink, have a bath or shower, cuddle our partner, perhaps make love, and then go to sleep. Some people listen to music in bed, others pray-it doesn’t matter what it is as long as it’s a relaxing, predictable and unwinding process that prepares us for sleep. The best schedules are regular without being rigid.

•     Stop worrying. If we have effective sleep rituals, the worries of the day slip away and we don’t lie there thinking about them. Sex, or indeed any other activity that absorbs our attention, is a good antidote to worry. But often the worry is best confronted and discussed with your partner, if you have one. Try to think around the problem and then go to sleep at least having made some effort to solve it rather than trying to sleep on an unsolved problem. Serious problems can be solved at night when you are alone and peaceful and able to think. Don’t lie there worrying about not sleeping-work through the problem and see what can be done. Some people find deep breathing or forms of meditation help them let go of their insoluble problems.

Don’t worry about insomnia. No one ever died of it and it will probably have very little effect on your performance. Keep a pad of paper and a pen by your bedside and make notes of what you decide to do to sort out the problem that’s worrying you. Next day go through it rationally and implement whatever you can.

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