Cant Sleep at Night? Tips for those Suffering from Insomnia !
16-08-2016 | Posted By: Admin | 5449 View(s)
The Next time you find yourself tossing and turning in bed waiting for the elusive sleep-You could possibly be suffering from Insomnia which is a condition wherein people find it difficult to go to sleep or staying asleep for the desired amount of time. We all are aware that the body needs a certain amount of Rest, especially during night time to recoup and be able to function properly.
However not being able to sleep properly at night time can lead to a lot of health issues and in case you think you are suffering from the same and do not know what to do here are some useful tips which can help you have a peaceful sleep.
What Exactly is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a lack of sleep or rather an inability to fall asleep or even remain asleep for a stipulated period of time which is necessary to wake up feeling rejuvenated and refreshed. It varies from person to person, because the amount of sleeping time required for an individual may be different from another, so insomnia can be defined more by the quality of your sleep, than the number of hours spent in doing the same. Generally, it is stated that minimum eight hours of sleep is required by a person to feel properly rested, but some people can manage very well with even six hours of sleep. However, if you are suffering from restlessness, frequent disturbances during your sleep, waking up very early in the morning for no particular reason, a feeling of enveloping tiredness throughout the day, you are suffering from insomnia.
Causes of Insomnia
Insomnia can lead to sleepless nights and depression which is not a good sign for a Healthy life. Let us have a look at the conditions and symptoms which cause Insomnia
* Depression- Depression is one of the leading causes of Insomnia. If you are going through a tough time in your life, it is for sure that you will be facing sleeplessness. You will feel tired even if you don’t do any work.
* Stress- Stress is eating the whole world. No person in this world is free from stress. Right from a Student to a Business Tycoon, the mad rat race for materialistic or other benefits makes people prone to heavy stress levels.
* Heavy Workload- Due to heavy and excessive workload we are often exhausted and stressed out. We also get sleepless nights which is not advisable. The Home and Office work demands get difficult to balance.
* Irregular Sleeping Schedules- We should always maintains sleeping time and have a sleep of minimum 7-8 hours every day. It cannot be denied that our professional life is important but not at the cost of health.Many Diabetic patients find it difficult to have a good health and sleep due to their medical conditions.If Proper medication and timely sleep are taken, then it would work out well for them.
These are few of the reasons and symptoms why people get sleepless nights or abnormal health conditions.Well, there are other reasons too as to why this takes place- Many times women find it difficult to get a good night’s sleep while going through menopause.
Insomnia Symptoms
Try to pinpoint few factors which are associated with your daily lifestyle. If you are having difficulty to get sleep even after a long, tiring day and have to take the help of medication or pills to induce sleep, you are suffering from a sleep disorder. Daytime stupor, a feeling of petulance, constant irritation all points towards insomnia. Sometimes insomnia stems from a combination of various issues, like behavioral factors such as anxiety and depression, a sudden death or mishap in the family that has struck a blow to the household, medical and psychological issues, poor bedtime habits, relationship conflicts, etc. Stress and tension can be a great insomnia generator. Whatever the reason may be, it is necessary that you take cognizance of the cause, and treat it accordingly.
Action plan to Tackle Insomnia
Although the lack of sleep does not pose a significant problem in the beginning, it can lead to a lot of complications if one suffers from it for a long period. So try and chalk out a plan to fight and come out of this disorder. Here is a basic game plan:
1. Try and keep a track record of your sleeplessness- Sometimes, a habit that seemingly looks very normal can be the major factor behind your lack of sleep. It can be anything from your frequent intake of tea and coffee throughout the day either at work or home, to your habit of logging into the computer to chat with your friends till late night every day! Even your TV viewing has a major impact on your sleeping habit. So it is best to keep a diary where you can make a note of your daily habits, sleep routine and signs of insomnia. You can see that if you make slight changes in your daily routine, you can get tremendous improvement in having a proper sleep. In fact, you can get rid of insomnia altogether!
2. Making few small but significant changes to help you sleep- Sometimes, petty changes in your lifestyle, like establishing a regular bedtime routine, using the bed properly, using the right mattress to reducing certain stimulating activities like yoga, exercise or other kinds of physical activity just before bedtime, can go a long way in curing insomnia. Make sure that your bedroom is quiet, cool and dark, and you have some soothing music playing in the background. This helps a lot in inducing a good sleep.
3. Prioritizing Sleep: The first thing one needs to pay attention to when he or she wants a good night’s sleep is the sleep. We choose so many works oversleep in the sleep time that we end up losing sleep and the lack of sleep leads to many other complications like fatigue, gain in weight and risk of high blood pressure.
Therefore, go to sleep with a mindset that makes you realize that sleep is important for your health and skipping on sleep will not help you much. Sleep is required for the brain cells to rest so that they gain the energy to get stimulated at the perfect time. Change in the mindset and prioritizing the sleeping patterns will really be helpful in combating insomnia.
4. Try to stick to a regular bedtime routine- Maintain good sleep hygiene and go to bed at night possibly around the same time so that the body becomes used to it and the brain is conditioned to usher in Bedtime. Try and follow a particular sleep and wake up time pattern. Support your biological clock and try to go to bed at the same time every day, including weekends. This surely helps to bring back a proper sleep regime.
5. Avoid reading from a device with the backlight on- Sometimes, you tend to read from an iPad or a Kindle with the inbuilt light and switch off the other lights. This is hazardous to the eyes and can lead to irritation and lack of sleep. Try to read with a bedside lamp or reading lights on. You will get good sleep for sure.
5. Keep away from light and noise- You can sleep better is there is less noise in the room, and the room is dark. You can use dark curtains or a sleep mask, use earplugs or any other device to block out any noise and get a sound sleep. Do not watch TV or work on the computer before going to bed. Instead go in for reading books or playing light music as it can have a great effect on mind and soul. Make sure to have no noise in the sleeping room with just the right temperature and light for the perfect ambiance. Having a good smell in the room can also help. So go in for the air freshener.
6. Do not keep your mobile phone or electronic gadgets next to yourself while going to sleep-It will unnecessarily distract you or in case you need to keep your mobile always in silent mode while going to bed. Also, it is highly advisable not to have alarm clocks or wall clock facing you in the room or else you will keep busy watching the clock tick Tick-Tock while you feel perturbed about not being able to sleep
7. Keep Yourself Busy: In case you do suffer from Insomnia, Try not to think about it too much. Keep yourself busy and follow a regular diet and exercise routine. Don’t dread your regular sleeping hours due to lack of sleep- The more you start thinking about your insomnia, the worse it becomes. Peaceful and undisturbed sleep has a direct relation to anxiety, and neutralising anxiety is of utmost importance to get over insomnia.
So, stop thinking that you will toss and turn for a long time before falling asleep, or you will surely wake up at 2 am after a few hours of sleep every day before you finally hit the bed. A calm and controlled mind goes a long way in fighting insomnia. Getting exhausted before going to bed at night time can be good for you to fall asleep. So do not panic. Insomnia is something which can be easily cured with the help of a specialist, and one should try to get rid of this problem as soon as possible as procrastination can and will only lead to negative results.
8. Ensure that you have dinner at least an hour before going to bed as going to sleep immediately after dinner can lead to gastric problems and also disturb your sleep.
9. Set realistic goals- Do not think that you will be able to sleep like a normal person if you already have a disturbed sleeping pattern. Instead, think that many people struggle with sleep every day and you will be able to sleep after some practice and making a few alterations in your daily routine. This will help you overcome insomnia over a period of time.
10. Practice some relaxation techniques- Relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, deep breathing and tai chi can help soothe your mind and release tension. These can be beneficial for you to induce sleep faster and get back to sleep quickly, even if you tend to get up in the middle of the night. If Possible Take a Shower before going to bed as it helps to induce sleep
-Massage your feet with lukewarm water in a bucket-You could also add a pinch of salt to the water. Keep your feet in the water for some time -It will help in relaxing your muscles and take away all the pain and tiredness of the day.
–Lavender, Jasmine, neroli and ylang-ylang are supposed to be great in treating insomnia as they have a great soothing and calming effect and can help in going to sleep in no time.
11. Don’t take Coffee in the Afternoon: The morning mug of your coffee and caffeine hit is excused, but you should not live on coffee for every hour of the day. The caffeine stimulates the brain and keeps you awake for long hours. It is better not to take caffeine in the later hours of the day as the caffeine stays back in the blood and affect the rapidness of the late-night urinating spree and impact on the sleeping patterns. You feel suffocated in bed, the flush of unused energy floods your body and you helplessly lie awake with no idea of ways to use that energy. Refrain from Caffeine intake just before Sleep. So stay away from Aerated Drinks, Coffee or Tea just before going to bed.
In love with Tea & Coffee? Here’s What Happens when you Quit Caffeine!
12. Tone down the late-night Booze: Tone down or Avoid alcohol right before bedtime- Contrary to what people say, spirits do not calm down your hyperactive nerves and induce sleep. It can disrupt your sleep cycle, and make you more lethargic and restless the next day. You do not have to ban it altogether, just drink it early and skip the nightcap.
There has always been a misconception about going to sleep tipsy. A few pegs of alcohol before sleep does not really help pulling off the ideal night’s sleep. For men, a few drinks give them a good incentive to a peaceful round of sleep at night. For women, it gives a restless experience. Also, alcohol is diuretic. It is really difficult to have a nice sleep at night when all you have to do is run to the washroom every second. Alcohol does not help in giving the perfect sleeping experience.
13. Take medication: If you are suffering, and that too for a long time, do not hesitate to consult your physician or visit the doctor. Sometimes, some prescribed drugs for insomnia do miracles, and they are not harmful to the body at all.
14. Try CBT to fight insomnia- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT is widely used these days to break the insomnia cycle. It is a cognitive effort that involves self-monitoring, a positive attitude (like thinking you will be able to have a sound sleep that night), mental strategies (like listening to soothing music, counting sheep, etc.) and creating an environment that promotes sleep. You can learn these therapies with the help of some guidebooks, online help sites or you can also consult a therapist.
15. Use some natural supplements- There are a few natural supplements which can assist you with your sleeping habits. The most used ones are Melatonin and Valerian, which can help you overcome insomnia if taken in the right way.
16. Should you wake up at night feeling restless about some concern or worry-make a note of it and address the issue the next day but do not unnecessarily keep thinking about the issue as it will do no good to your sleep.
17. Avoid going to sleep during the daytime. Should you feel tired and restless during the day time-Go in for a power nap of 30-40 minutes or so but no longer than that.
18. If nothing works do not hesitate to Consult a physician who can guide you properly and help you in getting rid of your problems. After that, follow the medication properly as directed.
Here are some common Insomnia Myths and Facts which you need to Know for Sure
Myth: Insomnia always means you have difficulty falling asleep.
Fact: Difficulty falling asleep is only one of the ways insomnia can affect us. The others are waking up too early, frequently waking up during the night, and feeling un-refreshed in the mornings.
Myth: The best thing for insomniacs is to stay in bed and try to sleep.
Fact: When someone wakes up during the night and can’t fall back asleep within 15-20 minutes, experts say it is best to get out of bed and do something relaxing. This avoids the association of bed with restlessness, and it keeps you from watching the clock.
Myth: You can catch up on missed sleep.
Fact: Unfortunately, many researchers doubt that you can ever truly “catch up” on sleep debt. But more importantly, trying to do so can make insomnia worse. Sleeping in for a couple of days can disturb your body clock and make it harder to fall asleep the following nights. That’s why the best thing to do may be to stick with your regular sleep schedule.
Myth: You can sleep away your sleep problems.
Fact: It is possible for someone’s sleep problems to improve with time, but that depends on the cause of the disorder. Thus, instead of waiting for insomnia to be cured on its own, it is best to speak with a doctor or a sleep medicine specialist. There are many different approaches to treating insomnia, but the good news is that it’s considered highly treatable.
Hope this article will help you clear your Insomnia Myths and go a long way in taking care of the problem. Although insomnia is hardly life-threatening, it can be a matter of great concern and worry for individuals and leave you totally stressed out and exhausted. Do not panic.
It might be that insomnia has stemmed from a so-called regular habit of yours, which is apparently not hazardous at all. Maybe, you have never made any connection with your daily intake of coffee with the lack of sleep- but it can be the cause at times. Or even late night TV viewing, internet surfing all have a connection to this, although you have never understood that before.
So just keep a ‘sleep’ diary to pinpoint the habits which are contributing to your insomnia, try to do away with them or change them; and we can say that you will soon be able to sleep peacefully and in a calm manner- like a baby.
These tips can do a lot of good to those suffering from insomnia. You could go in for a Preventive Health Check up to find if there are any health issues which could possibly be causing the concern. Once you have the report-Consult your Doctor to Stay Healthy and Happy.
