Insomnia is insomnia in which it is difficult to get sleep, sleep, or quality sleep. A recent study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that one in four Americans develops insomnia each year, but fortunately, about 75% of these individuals do not develop persistent insomnia. The remaining 25% develop severe insomnia.



People over the age of 60 experience sleep problems more often than young people. Women are twice as likely to have sleep problems as men. There are several causes of insomnia:

Emotional stress,

Mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety

Chronic pain,

Allergies,

Whining

heart attack,

hyperthyroidism,

heartburn,

Operation tips,

Restless lower limb syndrome,

Barriers to circadian rhythms such as jet lag and night shifts at work

Sleep apnea,

Some ation,

caffeine,

Heavy smoking, and

Excessive alcohol intake.

Insomnia is pain, exhaustion, and frustration. Some people look to sleeping pills, over-the-counter or prescriptions to help improve sleep when you take them. However, it usually returns after insomnia has stopped. Because treatments do not cure the root cause of insomnia.


Melatonin is a natural sleep hormone sold as a supplement. This is useful for occasional sleep problems and jet lag. Those who report that melatonin doesn't work make the mistake of taking a few grams. In many cases, just 300 mcg is already sufficient. Always start with a low dose before increasing the dose. Obtaining "sustained-release" melatonin is also beneficial because it allows you to sleep longer. However, melatonin does not even address the root cause of insomnia.

The most successful approach to insomnia is to improve sleep hygiene and change lifestyles with cognitive behavioral therapy. Dozens of studies have shown that this technique is very effective in treating insomnia. The following describes these techniques in detail.

Sleep hygiene and lifestyle changes

The practice of sleep stimulation

The goal is to help you sleep more easily, wake up less often and in less time, and get back to sleep more easily.

Time to get up regularly. Set your alarm clock and get out of bed at the same time every day, no matter how bad you sleep. Don't try to sleep on the weekends. Doing so disturbs the circadian rhythm of the body.

Save time in bed. I can't sleep well the night before, so don't go to bed early. It can exacerbate insomnia. Start with your desired wake-up time and subtract the amount of time you want to stay in bed to determine your initial allowable sleep time. Bedtime is the average sleep time and can be specified from 1 hour to a minimum of 6 hours and a maximum of 9 hours. If you sleep less than 5 hours per night on average, your bedtime is 6 hours. If you sleep for 8 hours, the time in your bed should be 9 hours. In other words, the time in bed should match the average sleep time per night. The idea is to avoid being a wakeup queue instead of a sleep queue at bedtime. For those who are already tired of sleeping, the most difficult thing is to stay up during an acceptable bedtime. Engage in light activities and stay out of bed. When you start sleeping better and more time, you can move to a preset sleep bed.

Get up for an hour before going to bed, relax and do some relaxation activities. Avoid stimulating activities such as phone calls, discussions, emotional discussions, work-related activities, internet surfing, bill payments, or offensive TV shows.

If you need a nap after lack of sleep, limit your nap to 45 minutes and do not take it after 4 pm.

Stimulus control method

Its purpose is to help insomnia understand the relationship between bed and sleep.

Use only for bed sleep and sex. You don't have to watch TV, work, study, play video games, or talk on the phone. If you fall asleep after reading a book or watching TV, set a timer and turn off the lights or TV after 30 minutes.

If you can't sleep for 30 minutes, or if you wake up in the middle of the night and then fall asleep again, relax by getting up, going to another room, sitting in bed until you get sleepy, reading a book, watching TV, etc. Do some relaxing activities. Throw or twist the bed.

Lifestyle factors

Get involved in some form of physical work every day. In addition to going to the gym, you can also include activities such as washing your car, mowing the lawn with a non-vehicle lawn mower, foliage, climbing stairs, biking, and climbing. These activities can be divided into several short periods. However, you should add at least 30 minutes each day. However, we recommend that you do not exercise 3 hours before bedtime.

Soak up the sun during the day. If you work indoors, go outside during breaks and lunch. It regulates the production of melatonin (sleep hormone) in the body and helps improve sleep. It enhances your mood and energy.

Drinking one or two cups of coffee in the morning does not affect your sleep at night. However, if you can't sleep well, you should avoid caffeine after noon.

If you can't quit smoking, try quitting smoking at bedtime or at night. Nicotine is a stimulant and can make it difficult to fall asleep or fall asleep.

If you are drinking alcohol, limit it to one cup at least 2 hours before bedtime. Nightcaps are not a cure for insomnia. Alcohol makes sleep easier, but it also makes sleep lighter and more mental. It reduces drowsiness and exacerbates stuffy nose and sleep apnea.

The connection between food and sleep


Foods high in complex carbohydrates (peas, beans, oats, quinoa, brown rice, etc.) increase sleep-promoting effects by increasing the brain's neurotransmitter serotonin and promoting sleep.

Foods rich in protein prevent sleep by blocking serotonin.

To help you sleep better and sleep less at night, try a light carb snack before bedtime.

Avoid foods that are high in sugar as they can cause an energy explosion.

Do not eat foods that cause heart burns or digestive disorders.

Please avoid being late.

Reduce fluid intake after 8 nights.

Studies show that B vitamin deficiency can impair sleep. If you think your diet is deficient in nutrients, consider taking B-Complex supplements.

Establishing an optimal sleeping environment


Room temperature has a great effect on sleep. Insomnia is associated with a decrease in body temperature during sleep. Therefore, if you sleep in a warm room, your body temperature will not drop easily. The ideal temperature for sleep is 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit (or 16-19 degrees Celsius).

The bedroom is completely flashy and quiet. Insomnia is generally more sensitive to noise. Elderly people who are deprived of sleep as a result of aging are more likely to have sleep problems caused by noise.

for some people are more sensitive to electromagnetic fields (EMF) compare to others. If so, removing the electronics from the bedroom can reduce the triggers caused by the EMF.

Make sure your bed is comfortable and provides adequate support. Beds can interfere with sleep by causing discomfort to the neck and back, but too tight a bed can cause discomfort to people suffering from arthritis.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)

CBT-I aims to treat chronic sleep problems by changing the thoughts and behaviors that cause or exacerbate sleep problems.


Relaxation training

Stressful life events are a common precursor to chronic insomnia. Most sleepers, and even some good ones, suffer from sleep on stressful days. Studies show that increased daytime stress is associated with decreased walking sleep, leading to lighter, more restless sleep.

Fortunately, we all have innate devices that can mitigate these stress responses. This is called relaxation response (RR), and in simple terms, it uses the mind to control the body.


How to trigger RR

Lie down or sit comfortably. Start by spreading from head to toe and relax all muscles throughout the body.

Enjoy slow and deep abdominal breathing.

From everyday thoughts, turn your thoughts into quiet, peaceful, relaxing, heavy, or neutral words. Repeat the words quietly. Or you can visualize blissful and relaxing scenes such as beaches, mountains, meadows and floating clouds.

If your mind wanders or you have negative thoughts, literally say "don't think". Then go back to your words and scenes and take a deep breath.

Practice RR every morning or afternoon. Set aside 10-20 minutes for RR. It's best to sleep. Even though, do not practice RR 1-2 hours before sleep time as it can impact on your sleep.

When you're good at RR during the day, you can use it to try it after a night's sleep or awakening at night. If you do not sleep within 30 minutes. Get up or sit in bed and indulge in snack activities. Throw or twist the bed.

Be realistic and patient. For some insomnia, it takes several weeks for sleep to improve.

Why RR improves sleep


Practicing during the day reduces the risk of encountering daily stress reactions and increased stress hormones at night.

Practicing at bedtime or after waking up can help stop internal conversations, calm the mind and relax the body.

RR produces an EEG pattern that resembles stage 1 sleep, a transition between awakening and sleep. When insomnia practices RR at night, it's easy to get into Phase 1 sleep, and finally, Phase 2 Ga sleep and dream sleep.

How to overcome negative self-talk


Last but not least, negative thoughts during the day or at bedtime play a powerful role in promoting alertness and causing insomnia. Certain negative thoughts and feelings are a common reaction to stressful situations such as post-mortem sadness. However, negative emotions such as worry, anxiety, frustration, and anger are unnecessary, excessive and unhealthy. They cause stress reactions that adversely affect sleep. Therefore, it may be beneficial to eliminate or reconstruct these negative thoughts that cause more stress.


Pay more attention to negative self-talk. Do it yourself, or do it well, write it down, and check it out at the end of the day.

Recognize that most of these ideas are not true or overly negative and pessimistic.

Look back on your past experiences and ask yourself, "What happened to me in the past, and if so, how has it changed?" 

Reset your negative thoughts and focus on your positive beliefs.

Don't generalize the problem for the rest of your life. Shows a temporary setback.

Avoid blaming yourself for being out of your control.

Avoid dismissing positive events as temporary, lucky, or external.

Practice your gratitude every day.

Find optimists and avoid pessimists. Both optimism and pessimism are contagious.

By adding healthy sleep hygiene, lifestyle changes and cognitive-behavioral therapy, we can all say good night to insomnia!


Reference: By Carol Chuang