Has it ever happened to you that you have been tossing and turning in bed without being able to sleep a wink? Watching the hours go by and counting how many hours remain until you have to get up again? So you suffer or have suffered from insomnia, a very common sleep disorder in developed countries.
Photo: Arne Coomans with licence Creative Commons
What is insomnia?
Insomnia is considered both difficulty falling asleep as to continue sleeping. The most common symptoms of insomnia are: staying awake in bed for a long time before you can fall asleep, sleeping in short intervals, staying awake for much of the night, waking up feeling like you haven't slept, or waking up too early.
Causes of insomnia
The causes of insomnia can be diverse: personal, family or work problems, emotional disorders such as anxiety, the depression wave neurosis. As well as certain diseases such as those that cause pain or difficulty breathing because they wake the person up and make it difficult to sleep.
Most adults need between 7 and 8 hours of sleep to maintain a satisfactory daytime rhythm. Sleeping little or getting it wrong inevitably leads to fatigue and fatigue. lack of concentration during the day. That is why there are some habits that will be essential to recover your sleep.
Tricks against insomnia
Below we are going to give you a few tips to combat insomnia:
Trick 1: Go to bed only when you are sleepy
The bed is only for sleep (and to have sex). Do not do activities that activate your brain such as watching TV, reading, writing, listening to the radio, talking on the phone, checking social networks... These types of activities should be done at least two hours before going to bed. The brain needs to associate the bedroom and the bed only with sleeping.
Trick 2: Go to sleep at the same time every day
Maintain a fixed time not only for going to bed but also for getting up even during weekends and holidays. Constant changes in schedules increase the likelihood of sleep difficulties.
Trick 3: Don't stay in bed tossing and turning
If you've been in bed for more than 30 minutes and you can't fall asleep, get up, go to another room and do some activity that doesn't activate your brain too much, such as reading a magazine, sewing... Go back to bed only if you are sleepy. Repeat this process as many times as necessary.
Tip 4: Eat dinner at least two hours before going to bed
Going to sleep after dinner promotes insomnia. Allow at least two hours to pass after dinner. Avoid heavy or difficult to digest dinners and do not drink excessive liquids at the end of the evening. Before going to sleep, you can drink a glass of milk, which contains tryptophan It helps to sleep. You can also drink an infusion of lime or chamomile that contain relaxing properties. Don't go to bed hungry. That is to say,neither stuffed nor hungry!
Trick 5: Avoid taking stimulant substances
Beverages containing caffeine such as soft drinks cola, energy drinks, coffee, They disrupt sleep if consumed in the afternoon. Alcohol and tobaccoIn addition to being harmful to health, they also disrupt sleep, so they should also be avoided in the hours before going to bed.
Trick 6: Practice sports in the morning
It is advisable to walk or sunbathe in the morning and practice a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise soft during the day. It is not advisable to practice sports in the evening.
Trick 7: Sleep only at night
Don't sleep during the day. Avoid the Naps, especially in the afternoon. If you cannot avoid them, try not to exceed 30 minutes.
Trick 8: Routine, your ally for sleep
Always establish the same bedtime routine, such as showering, changing into your pajamas, brushing your teeth, reading (outside the bedroom), and going to sleep. Avoid looking at the television before going to sleep.
Tip 9: Maintain the right room atmosphere
Control aspects such as temperature, noise, lights…The room should be ventilated and cool. Your pillow and mattress should be comfortable.
Tip 10: If you snore, your sleeping position is important
If you snore, avoid sleeping on your back. stand on your side and place an object on your back so as not to change your posture.
Trick 11: Better in separate beds or different rooms
If your partner interrupts your sleep for snoring or movements It is advisable to sleep in separate beds or in different rooms, try for a couple of nights.
Trick 12: Don't take medications on your own
Although drugs can be a solution for insomnia, it is important to know that taking sleeping pills is only useful for a few days, otherwise they can be harmful and affect you during the day. Only the doctor can prescribe this type of drugs.
Trick 13: Do relaxation and breathing exercises before going to bed
Normally, people with insomnia have high physiological activity when going to bed. This fact makes it difficult to fall asleep. Learn to reduce this activity through relaxation it can help.
People who suffer from insomnia They have anxiety about not being able to sleep and this anxiety makes it difficult to sleep. It is the fish that bites the tail. A circle that feeds itself. Relaxation manages to break this circle. By focusing on aspects of relaxation, such as breathing, the mind stops thinking about anxiety and it is easier to fall asleep.
Below you can watch a video that explains the causes and solutions to combat insomnia:
