Bad sleep is a common and many-sided problem of our time. More than 70 syndromes are called insomnia in everyday life, from which about a quarter of the world’s population suffers. To normalize a night’s rest, sometimes the help of a specialist is required, but many patients are able to help themselves.
Self-help in the fight against sleep disorders is so important that the British “Ministry of Health” recommends contacting a doctor for help not immediately, but after a month of unsuccessful attempts to get rid of insomnia. How to normalize sleep yourself? Some useful tips.
1. Isolate the bedroom
When it is difficult for a person to fall asleep, any rustle that stirs up tension, which even without outside interference, increases with the increase in the time of night wakefulness, attracts his attention. To reduce the influence of external factors, equip the bedroom with dense dark curtains that reliably protect the room from street light. When going to bed, put on an eye mask and use ear plugs.
2. Keep a clear daily routine
Go to bed daily in the evening and wake up in the morning at the same time. Try not to make exceptions for urgent matters. If during the day there is an irresistible desire to take a nap, sleep no more than 30 minutes.
Sleep is just one of the items on a daily routine. Design it so that the peak of worries falls in the morning, do not load the evening. Have breakfast, lunch and dinner on a regular basis. Avoid snacks, eat the bulk of the food during lunch.
3. Refuse stimulants
In the evenings, do not drink coffee, tea, cocoa or cola. If it does not help , completely exclude exciting drinks from the diet. Nicotine is also a stimulant. It is better, of course, to quit smoking at all, but if it is difficult, try to smoke as little as possible.
The cause of insomnia can be alcohol. Until the dream is normal, refuse the friendly proposals of colleagues “for a beer” after the end of the working day.
4. Rest before bedtime
A warm bath, books, light music are good ways to calm down and relax before going to bed. Do not read from the gadget screen. Researchers have found that vivid monitors and displays inhibit the production of sleep hormone melatonin. Do not use a computer or tablet, do not watch TV for at least one hour before you go to bed.
5. Meditate
The Internet is full of descriptions of simple relaxation techniques . Look, for sure there is something trustworthy. Learn a few tricks and use them before bedtime.
6. Do not take sleeping pills unless absolutely necessary
Taking a couple of sleeping pills is easy. However, they do not always work exactly as they should. The effectiveness of many drugs is hyped by advertising and is not supported by strong evidence. According to one of the experts, the general practitioner from Bristol, Dr. Knut Schroeder:
“While retail products [for sleep] do not cause physical dependence, they can lead to psychological dependence. Evidence of the usefulness of many of these drugs is limited and often contradictory. ”