Insomnia is defined as repeated difficulty falling asleep and maintaining asleep despite of adequate time for resting. Most people who are suffering from this form of sleep disorder for extended period of time slowly develops different kinds of diseases like heart disease etc. Over time this will also affect the person’s quality of life. While it is very expensive to consult a specialist to treat your sleeping problem, there are alternative ways that can help you in dealing with insomnia.
1. Refrain or totally avoid drinking caffeinated drinks – Soft drinks and coffee contains caffeine which is a stimulant this will keep you awake! People who are drinking more than 2 cups of coffee a day are prone to develop difficulty sleeping at night.
2. Meditation – One reason why some people are having a hard time falling asleep is because their mind is preoccupied too much of unnecessary things. Before going to sleep give yourself 15-20 minutes to meditate and relax to release all the tension and stress that you have accumulated in your body from a days work.
3. Create a sleep-wake patter – Sleeping at the same time each day will help you regulate your body’s need to rest. However, this method needs self discipline which at times is very hard to do.
4. A cup of milk will help you sleep – Some regard this as a myth but it is not. Milk contains tryptophan an essential amino acid which assist in the production of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for regulating sleep.
5. Void before you sleep – Having the urge to void in the middle of the night can surely disrupt a good night sleep. Voiding before you go to sleep can avoid this unfortunate event.
6. Light reading – Reading in some extent will tire your eyes making it easier for you to fall asleep.
7. Take a warm bath – Taking a warm bath before going to sleep soothes our muscles relaxing it especially if we are stress. This in turn will help you fall asleep.
8. Avoid distractions – Turn off your T.V, wifi and mobile phone and any other gadgets that will keep you awake at night. The most common cause why people sleep late at night is because of their gadgets.
9. Do not sleep during the day – Late afternoon naps will contribute in the development of insomnia because the body deviated from its normal sleep pattern. Avoid taking naps in the afternoon if you want have a good night sleep at night.
10. Relaxing music – It is reported that in some people diagnosed with insomnia music can help them attain uninterrupted sleep. Though this is purely on subjective basis but its worth a try.
These are the 10 ways to beat insomnia. If you are not willing to spend a lot to consult a specialist then try all these methods, who knows it might be effective on you.
Musings Of A Nurse 