Do You Want Some Answers About Insomnia? Read On
EFFECTS OF POOR SLEEP
Your body's health is significantly impacted by the amount of sleep you get every 24 hours. Further, you will be mentally exhausted and have mood disturbance without good sleep. Overcome insomnia with the ideas below.
Methods to Help with Insomnia
Many people find that drinking fennel or chamomile tea helps them get off to sleep at night. The warmth of the tea will soothe and relax you. Many herbal teas feature properties that help relax you towards sleep. Use caution however that you don’t have an unknown allergy to one of the teas. Just because something is natural doesn’t mean that you may not be sensitive.
You may decide to set your alarm an hour earlier than usual if you have developed a sleep disturbance. You'll be fatigued in the morning, of course, but you'll probably feel sleepier that night. Getting up an hour earlier to prepare yourself for better sleep that night often helps you get back on a sleep cycle.
How Much Sleep is Ideal?
The ideal amount of sleep is enough to let you get up feeling fully rested. Most people need between 7 and 9 hours nightly to accomplish this goal. You cannot "catch up" on sleep. Sleeping only until you feel rested and do this on a regular basis will help you determine your optimal sleep level. Sleeping a lot one night and thinking you can sleep less the next does not work.
Aligning your body north to south when sleeping may beneficial. You want your head pointing north while your feet should be pointed south to align your body to the earth’s magnetic field. It could sound strange to you, but it just might be beneficial.
Pain Hurts Sleep
Arthritis or other pain problems is a common reason for sleep disturbance. Pain is a known culprit in interfering with sleep. If this sounds like you, taking ibuprofen or performing relaxation exercises before bed can help. However, it is not helpful to rely on medication especially NSAID drugs to sleep regularly. In fact, sleep medication of any kind were never intended to be used for more than several days.
Sleep can be induced by tryptophan which is in many foods. To help you fall asleep, enjoy these foods. These include turkey, eggs, cottage cheese, warm or hot milk, and cashews. All of them have tryptophan. Cold mild doesn’t work as it is the heat that activates the tryptophan.
Is a Medical Issue Affecting Sleep?
Consult your personal care physician if your sleep disturbance is becoming chronic. A medical issue can be the root of the cause. You should schedule an appointment with your doctor to make sure your insomnia is not caused by a health problem. However, drugs are not the solution. It is best to consult a psychologist and take non-pharmacological approaches once medical disorders have been ruled out.
Smoking is not good for you in so many ways and can contribute to insomnia. It speeds up your heart rate and makes you feel "jumpy." Smoking cessation is the single most important thing you can do for your health and will definitely help your sleep.
Does Constant Worry Affect Your Sleep?
Do not worry when it is time for bed. A great idea for handling insomnia is to set a certain time to worry, preferably earlier in the day. I often suggest 7 or 7:30 PM. Some people just can't get to sleep easily. It is worthwhile to take some time out and examine worries that may be contributing to sleep problems. If you do, you won't feel tempted to solve problems during time you should be devoting to sleep.
You need to focus on minimizing stress in the hours leading up to bedtime. Try one of several relaxation methods before turning in. I enjoy medication, relaxing music or abdominal and diaphragmatic breathing discussed in other content on this website.
Better Sleep for Health
For your system to stay balanced, it needs proper sleep. If you don’t sleep well for one night this is not a catastrophe. However, repeated sleepless nights is indicative of a problem that needs your attention. Use what you've just learned to get your sleep and stay healthy.
If sleep has become a problem for you, please consider reaching out to Dr. Wolf for a Free 20-minute consultation. Dr. Wolf can help you with non-drug approaches to sleep.