Insomnia Solution An insomnia cure Hmm… Before we go for a cure, it may be a good idea to try and know our enemy. What are our signs and symptoms? What type of insomnia do we have? Perhaps a working definition would be helpful.
The experts seem to agree that something along these lines would suit.
“Insomnia” is any episode of unrefreshing sleep, difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings, or waking up too early in the morning and not being able to drop back off. Women and the elderly seem to be the most frequent sufferers. We can divide these episodes into three collective groups and label them “short-term transient” or “chronic.”
A quick explanation of these three would be as follows:
transient, a simple disturbance in sleeping patterns. A short illness, a sudden change in lifestyle, stress, or something else that causes a temporary change
Short-term insomnia is less fun. It lasts for about 2-3 weeks.
Causes could be something like a new job, divorce, serious illness, financial problems, or a family bereavement.
Chronic, as the name suggests, is the real thing. Chronic insomnia is the rarest and most serious type, with insomnia lasting longer than a few weeks. I’ve just been reading a learned article that says chronic insomnia is fairly rare. That may be so, but if 10 percent of the US population suffers from it, that’s over 20 million people leading a life of misery.
While it would be nice to blame insomnia on things outside our control ,
many cases of insomnia are self-inflicted by such things as caffeine,
smoking, poor eating habits, alcohol, and lack of exercise.
Caffeine is one of the most widely blamed causes of insomnia. An ingredient in coffee, tea, colas, chocolate, and some medications,
caffeine is a stimulant . We insomniacs DO NOT NEED stimulants. Quite the reverse. Insomnia solution number one: Cut out the caffeine.
Alcohol is often recommended as a nightcap. Forget it. Thats only beacuse your Doctor drinks it. Alcohol actually lightens and fragments sleep, causing you to wake up as your body metabolises it. You may
think you’re in a deep sleep, but your not getting the deep sleep that
Insomniacs need for a cure. Insomnia solution number two: no alcohol within a couple or four hours of bedtime.
Eating. Yes, I know I can’t ban you from eating, but I can jump on the theslimmer bandwagon. Eat a light last meal a couple of hours before going to bed. Avoid spicy and fatty foods that cause indigestion.
Let’s hear it for MILK. Milk has an amino acid that the body converts to a sleep-enhancing compound in the brain. Calcium is a natural relaxant along with several other vitamins, such as the B vitamins and magnesium. Have a look at the bottom of the page for details on how to find others. If you get hungry at night, have a light snack before bedtime. Some foods are helpful and actually promote the production of melatonin, a hormone associated with sleep. Try cheese, soy nuts, chicken,
pumpkin seeds, and turkey. High-carbohydrate foods such as bread activate another hormone, serotonin, which helps to reduce anxiety and contribute to an insomnia solution. Insomnia solution no. three Be careful what you eat.
Nicotine products are universally bad for you. The Insomniacnicotine must be eliminated.It’s a stimulant that increases blood pressure,
speeds up the heart rate, and stimulates brain activity. Insomniacs do not need increased blood pressure, a fast heart rate, and a stimulant.
Insomnia solution number four. No more cigarettes!
Regular exercise is good, in fact, it’s excellent, (here comes the but) but not just before bed. If you work out too close to bedtime, the increase in your heart rate and metabolism will make your body too excited to sleep. Exercise earlier in the day and give the body the opportunity to produce that warm rosy glow and relax as the body reacts by producing melatonin to take your temperature down to normal. Exercise for an insomnia solution!
Make your bed as comfortable as possible. Experiment with what works best for you. Choose a position conducive to sleep. If your partner is the source of your insomnia, consider a change of rooms for a while. Get rid of the alarm clock . It only acts as a stressful reminder that you aren’t sleeping.
You can control the amount of light in your bedroom. Excessive brightness not only affects your eyes, but it also influences the hormone production that helps to establish a healthy sleep cycle. Wear a sleep mask if necessary. Darkness is usually good for an insomnia solution.
When it comes to noise, many people find repetitive sounds easier to sleep through than intermittent and abrupt ones. Ear plugs or a continuous background sound such as a fan can help mask disturbing noise
(the next- door neighbours barking dog in my case). Consider a white noise machine.
Control the thermostat. Temperature extremes, whether too hot or too cold, are no fun for the light sleeper. Cool is usually good for insomnia solutions.
