Sleep affects all aspects of life by affecting our mood, health, work performance andAffects quality of life. How much sleep is enough varies from person to person, but most adults need seven to eight hours per night. Not sleeping well can become a problem as insomnia can cause both physical and psychological problems. Why can't I sleep? You don't have to put up with sleepless nights. Simple changes to your daily habits and some natural remedies can often help. What to do about insomnia? We're talking about that now.
What to do about insomnia: What are the symptoms of insomnia?
Symptoms of insomnia include:
- Difficulty falling asleep at night
- Waking up during the night
- Waking up too early
- Not feeling well rested after a sleepless night
- Daytime tiredness or sleepiness
- Irritability, depression or anxiety
- Difficulty paying attention, concentrating on tasks
- Increased errors or accidents
- Memory disorders
- Persistent worries about sleep
Causes of chronic insomnia
Many adults suffer at some pointsuffering from short-term (acute) insomnia, which lasts days or weeks. It is usually the result of stress or a traumatic event. However, some people experience long-term (chronic) insomnia that lasts a month or longer. Common causes of chronic insomnia include:
- Stress
- Poor sleeping habits
- Too much food late in the evening
- Too much caffeine, nicotine and alcohol
If you are able to reduce the above-mentioned things as much as possible, you can build a calm and healthy routine for yourself. Chronic insomnia can also be related to illness or the use of certain medications.
Age-related sleep disorders
Insomnia becomes more common with age. As you get older, you may experience:
Changes in sleep behavior. As you age, sleep often becomes less restful, meaning noise or other changes in your environment are more likely to wake you up.
Changes in activity. You may be less physically or socially active. The lack of activity can interfere with good sleep.
Changes in health status. Chronic pain from conditions such as arthritis or back problems, as well as depression or anxiety, can affect sleep.
More medication. Older people tend to take more medications than younger people, which increases the risk of medication-related insomnia.
What can you do about sleep problems during pregnancy?
Insomnia can be due to hormonal changes (e.g. menopause). Many women also complain about this problem in early pregnancy. A good sleep routine is very important because it signals to the brain that it should shut down and start sleeping. Some tips:
- Sleep only in bed and nowhere else.
- Go to bed at the same time every day.
- Keep the bedroom dark and cool.
- Make the bed as comfortable and inviting as possible.
- Do not use screens such as phones or televisions in bed.
- Get up if you can't sleep after 15 to 30 minutes.
- Do not take caffeine before bed or avoid caffeine throughout the day.
- Drink little in the hours before bed.
How can parents manage insomnia in children?
Insomnia in children often has behavioral causes. First, consider setting a strict bedtime routine with the child. The adult should not allow the child to “haggle” for drinks or stories after the official bedtime. The child should go to bed and stay there until morning. By simply enforcing a bedtime routine, this form of insomnia often goes away on its own.
A snack, a bath, and reading a book are appropriate routines. Then the child should go to bed. There should be no reason for the child to keep getting out of bed. If the child refuses, you can create a reward system as an incentive. This will lead to better sleep patterns and benefit the child.
Young children should fall asleep in their crib without being rocked to sleep. If a child has to be rocked to sleep, he or she will not learn to fall asleep without help. A child can learn to fall asleep or fall asleep again on their own. It is normal for a child to wake up in the night. Even adults wake up several times a night for a few minutes. When a child learns to fall asleep in bed, both the child and the adult benefit.
Relationship between insomnia and depression
If you have onehave depression, you may also have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. There is a clear connection between insomnia and depression. In fact, one of the most common signs of depression is insomnia, or the inability to fall asleep and stay asleep.
But that doesn't mean that insomnia or other sleep problems are only caused by depression. Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder, affecting nearly 1 in 3 adults at some point in their lives. Women suffer from insomnia more often than men, and the frequency of insomnia increases with age.
Treatment for depression depends on how severe the condition is. For example, psychotherapy (talk therapy or counseling) can be very helpful.
How does the full moon affect sleep?
Experts say the moon most likely exerts its effect on sleep through an increase in evening or night light. This could suppress melatonin (sleep hormone), which influences the onset and duration of sleep.
According to studies, there actually appears to be a significant delay and reduction in overall sleep duration in the nights before the full moon. We know that light, whether artificial or natural, from the moon or the setting sun, can have a suppressive effect on melatonin. So it's plausible that moonlight could have a natural, awakening effect.
Natural herbal remedies for good sleep
Herbs and dietary supplements can help combat insomnia.Find out heremore about herbal sedatives that have been proven effective for stress and insomnia.
