Sleep is a physiological process that ensures the full functioning of the brain and all body systems. It is necessary to maintain the balance of emotional and physical condition.
Insomnia is a sleep disorder associated with short or poor quality, which has a negative effect on well-being during wakefulness. Insomnia is manifested not only in the difficulty of going to sleep, but also by frequent abrupt awakenings, a long inability to fall asleep after them, too early an awakening. One way or another, the juice sleeps, the irritability and the feeling of constant fatigue appear, the body does not rest fully.
Today we will talk about how to help yourself fall asleep, sleep long and soundly. About the possibility of eliminating the factors that influenced the onset of insomnia, and how to get enough sleep. If your insomnia is not associated with a serious illness, we will help to solve it, if, on the contrary, we show you how to reduce its manifestation.
Duration and sleep time
To determine exactly to the minute how much sleep time each person needs is impossible. This indicator depends on the individual characteristics of a person and a variety of factors that vary from day to day. Basically, according to experts, the duration of sleep should vary from 7 to 10 hours. The most valuable sleep for health lasts from 20-22 hours to 5-6 in the morning. And the brain rests best until midnight, that is, these few hours are the most valuable.
Causes of sleep disorders
- The presence of complex diseases such as cancer, diabetes, bronchial asthma.
- Neurosis, stress, depression, anxiety.
- Taking psychotropic drugs or alcohol.
- Hormonal diseases.
- Adverse environmental conditions.
- Impaired sleep hygiene.
- Disorders of breathing during sleep, snoring.
- Painful sensations.
- Pregnancy.
- Night work, sleep failure.
- Dysregulation of sleep in old age.
Sleep Normalization Tips
- Move more throughout the day, be physically active. In order to want to relax, you need to get tired.
- Observe a certain mode of the day.
- Do not overeat before bedtime, do not go to bed too hungry.
- Alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes are tonic substances that prevent sleep. Their reception before bed is contraindicated.
- Take 15 minutes before bedtime to relax. Warm bath, pleasant, quiet music, meditation.
- Contact a doctor in time for the treatment of any diseases. This will help improve both physical health and relieve obsessive negative thoughts.
- Go to bed as soon as you feel sleepy. If you didn’t fall asleep, do about a half an hour some kind of monotonous work, without bright light and loud noise and try to fall asleep again.
- Create a comfortable bedtime environment: temperature, humidity in the bedroom, the absence of extraneous noise.
- Do not take sleeping pills yourself. This treatment is performed only under the supervision of a physician, as it may be addictive and the problem will only get worse.
- Understand the causes of insomnia, try to eliminate them.
What is better not to do at bedtime?
- Eliminate daytime sleep, especially in the evening.
- Do not eat products that contain caffeine: coffee, chocolate, tea, cola. The last use of such products should be no less than 6 hours before bedtime.
- Do not smoke at bedtime and do not drink alcohol, as this stimulates the activity of the nervous system.
- Avoid heavy workouts before bedtime. To keep fit, replace them with hiking in the fresh air, and exercise no later than 5 hours before bedtime.
- Do not give in to stress, learn to abstract.
- Postpone the showdown until the morning. Try not to swear lying in bed. Do not defile the room with negative emotions, the bed should be associated with sleep, relaxation and rest.
- If you have problems, refuse to watch TV before going to bed, especially in a brightly lit room. A bright light instructs the body to stay awake.
Danger of insomnia, symptoms
Prolonged insomnia takes a person time to rest and restore the nervous system. This is fraught with the appearance of distraction, inability to concentrate, a decrease in working ability.
If sleep is incomplete, gradual exhaustion of the nervous system is possible. Prolonged sleep problems are often the cause of many mental illnesses.
Due to systematic prolonged insomnia such symptoms like hallucinations, loss of consciousness. In this case, you should immediately contact a specialist. But this is an extreme degree, it is better not to bring this up and normalize the sleep process in a natural way, by normalizing the psychological and physical state.
Insomnia Treatment
Sleep disorders are usually treated with medication, taking a course of antidepressants prescribed by a doctor or folk remedies.
For example, a decoction of pumpkin.
For the preparation of such a decoction you need 300 g of peeled and grated pumpkin pulp. Put it in a saucepan, pour 1.25 liters of cold water, bring to a boil, remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour. Take ½ cup 1 hour before bedtime. Children from three years old to take no more than 50 g.
Or herbal tea.
To prepare, take 50 g of hops, 40 g of valerian root, 25 g of mint, a tablespoon of honey, 25 g of chicory root. All except honey, put in a thermos, pour 1 liter of boiling water, let it brew for 12 hours. Drink before bedtime for 1-2 hours, preheating and adding honey. Please note that self-use of herbs can be hazardous to health. Before use, go through a consultation with a doctor, to identify possible contraindications for you.