Having a good night sleep is more than just recharging our body. It helps us to function well, have a better mood, improved concentration, and have enough energy throughout the day. So, if you’re having trouble sleeping it is critical to resolve it as soon as possible.
There are number of reasons why you can’t sleep at night. It can be because of change in routine like a jetlag, having a baby, or new work schedule. It can be a side effect of a medication you are taking like antidepressant, allergy meds, or blood pressure pills. Or it might be caused by stress. Worrying about your family, health, work, and others can greatly affect your ability to fall and stay asleep at night.
Fortunately, there are many ways to manage and treat sleeping difficulty or insomnia.
- Managing stress. Most insomnia is caused by stress as it can make your mind active and become more stress. Which can make falling asleep harder. Instead of staying in your bed worrying about your problems, it is recommended to get off your bed. Then find a quite activity that can calm your mind. You can do journaling, reading, or meditation by listening to soft music and deep breathing until you feel sleepy.
- Make yourself comfortable. Sometimes the cause of your restless nights is your environment. Turn off the lights, close the windows, and adjust the temperature in your bedroom to minimized disturbances in your sleep. Turning off the lights also increases melatonin levels in the body which is helpful to doze off fast. Make sure to lay on a bed that is not too soft or too hard for your body. The same should be applied in pillows too. Then use soft and cool blanket to make you more comfortable.
- Use aromatherapy to induce sleep. The use of plant extracts to treat health conditions including insomnia have been around for thousands of years. Lavender essential oil is the most commonly used plant extract to promote better sleep. Lavender has a calming scent that makes the body relax and fall asleep. Additionally it reduces stress and anxiety which are contributing factors of sleeping difficulties.
- Avoid caffeinated, spicy, and fatty foods at night. Caffeinated drinks and foods like coffee and chocolate cakes keep your body awake. Spicy foods increase body temperature and can cause indigestion and heartburn which can negative affect sleep. Fatty foods can lead to sleep disturbances as oily foods make the digestive work harder. Instead of these foods, go for: warm milk, cheese, cherries, almonds, and whole-grain crackers at night to help you have a good and long night rest.
- Exercise during day time. Studies show that people who exercise regularly especially in the morning sleep better than those who don’t. Exercising increases blood flow and promotes a feeling of relaxation. But it’s important not to exercise at night time as the activity makes the body active and alert. Which is not helpful when you want to have a better quality sleep. Exercising in the morning helps the body know that it is activity time and determine when to release the energetic or resting
Insomnia is a common sleeping disorder that affects millions of people around the world. The condition is mostly short-term and can be resolved when the stress that is causing it has been sorted out. Or by making small changes in lifestyle. However, difficulty sleeping should be taken seriously and managed well as it can lead to more serious health issues such as: heart disease, depression, and metabolic problem to mention a few.
