Put insomnia to sleep
People who cannot sleep at night often suffer from daytime sleepiness.
Published: Mar 2, 2011 20:18 Updated: Mar 2, 2011 20:30
Can’t sleep? It is a daily routine that insomniacs have to go through every day. To find out how to get a good night’s rest, read on.
What is Insomnia?
Insomnia, in a nutshell, is disturbed sleep, often leading to sustained periods of sleeplessness.
However, some people use culture as an excuse for their insomnia.
“It is in the Arab culture. Nights are made to enjoy, not wasted on sleep,” according to Shanaya Atif. “The pressure at work is hectic and the only time you can relax is when you get home at night. I won’t have a social life let alone time for myself if I just go home to sleep. Now it’s a habit and even if I want to, I can’t sleep. I don’t know what to do.”
Is this defense or simply stubbornness?
Step one, listen to yourself. Fight your inner child, and you already know who is right. Machines can’t work 24/7, and your body is no different. It needs rest, and re-fueling.
Real factors that relate to lack of sleep are predominantly work, household responsibilities and child care. Yes, children owe a lot of sleeping hours to their parents. New mothers usually suffer throughout the night taking care of their child.
Emotional factors include illness, layoffs, relationship issues, heartbreak, unexpected challenges such as financial worries and a void of quality sleep may be even more difficult to fill.
Depression is a very common cause of secondary insomnia. It is usually the symptom that drives depressed individuals to seek medical help.
Najran based Dr. Shami Hayat, a general physician, recommended insomniacs to be willing to acknowledge the problem and adopt habits to ease their suffering.
She suggested that motorists should be careful about driving with a lack of sleep to avoid major accidents.
“People should take a break and follow steps that can relieve them of insomnia.” She also recommended six to eight hours of sleep every day, depending on age and health.
“For some, four hours is enough, for others such as the younger generation, up to 11 hours is sufficient.” Mayo Clinic in the USA has investigated this problem further and found that insomniacs find it hard to fall asleep is because they think too much about trying to fall into a slumber into the first place.
Here are some tips to help you overcome insomnia
- Keep a journal. Write it down on paper so it is no longer inside of you. Transfer your stress to paper so your mind is relaxed and empty.
- Indulge in a relaxing activity before sleeping. Read, listen to music, take a bath with scented candles that help ignite your senses, calming your nerves before you fall into deep slumber. Use softer and lowered lights can help ease the transition between wakefulness and sleepiness.
- Maintain comfortable sleeping conditions. Fluffy pillows and snug quilts, so it is warm enough. Dress comfortably. After all, dressing in pajamas is a calming pursuit. Choose a good bed with supreme care.
- Make sure the room is quiet, cool, dark and maybe even fragrant. Use black out curtains, blinds, and create an environment that suits your needs.
- Set your bed time. Follow it. It helps reinforce your body's sleep-wake cycle and can help you fall asleep easily.
- If you want to eat or exercise, make sure it is two hours before your bedtime. Avoid spicy or fried food, which can make heartburn flare and keep you up all night. No snacking later. It might just be what you are doing wrong.
- Avoid nicotine and caffeine late evening. These stimulants help you keep awake. Avoid caffeine for eight hours before bedtime. The body doesn't store caffeine, yet it takes many hours to eradicate the stimulant and its effects.
- Keep your naps short. Daytime naps may steal hours from real sleep.
- Use sleeping pills only as a last resort. A doctor can also help you determine the best dosage. If you do take sleep medication, reduce the dosage gradually when you want to quit.
- Meditate for minimum of 15 minutes before going to bed. A popular cause of sleep trouble is the inability to relax our minds and stop multitasking. In one study, researchers found that our mental state during bedtime determined the levels of stress hormone (coristol) in the blood for the next morning. Those stressed during bedtime maintained high levels of cortisol compared to those with a tranquil state of mind prior to sleep. Meditation helps keep your mind under control. Simple.
- Maintain a proper diet. Having heavy meals prior to bedtime puts pressure on the digestive system, preventing deep sleep. A light diet rich in carbohydrates like bread, grains or cereals is most recommended. The age-old remedy of having a glass of milk prior to bedtime facilitates better sleep. Fatty and oily foods, sweets, and ice creams are stimulating and difficult to digest, so avoid them. Massage your body with oil one to two times a week prior to having a bath. An oil massage is an effective way to de-stress. Apart from de-stressing and relaxing, it offers a host of benefits like elimination of toxins from the body, lubricates joints, improve complexion and relieve fatigue and increase energy levels. For most people, sesame oil will do. One can even add few drops of aromatherapy oils to enhance the experience. An herbalist can specify the right blend depending on your constitution. Finish with a warm shower.
- Consider yoga and proper breathing exercises. Take deep breaths. Make way for positive energy, and exhale the stress, worries and anxiety.
- Ensure that the room you sleep in has sufficient ventilation and is undisturbed.
If you witness difficulty falling asleep on most nights, or feel tired during the day and that is the only time you can fall asleep, or you keep waking up several times during sleep, these are all signs of primary insomnia. You tend to keep thinking about getting enough sleep. And when you fail to, there is a greater sense of frustration and distress, making it worse for you to rest.
Mediate, and try following these steps before you pop some sleeping pills “because there is no other way,” because there is. It may be easier said than done. But consider natural herbal remedies. It might help you achieve that elusive good night’s sleep.
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