Many of us suffer from insomnia. If you are from such people, do not despair. We have chosen 30 tips that can help in the fight against this ailment.
3 a.m., and I still lie in bed and think about everything except sleep. Looking at the clock, I understand that there is 4 hours left before the alarm rings, and it is not clear what is worse: continue to suffer from insomnia or oversleep for several hours and wake up broken.
And I’m not the only one. Symptoms of insomnia are experienced by many people. It is for such people that we have prepared material that will help get rid of wakefulness at night and find a good night’s sleep. And if you read this article at 3 a.m., know that this is the last time.
Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by insufficient duration or unsatisfactory quality of sleep, or a combination of these phenomena over a significant period of time. Symptoms include poor falling asleep, poor quality of sleep, anxiety, inability to concentrate, and irritability. Insomnia can be chronic (from a month or more) and acute (lasts several nights).
Do not rush to be treated with pharmacy drugs. Try changing something in your lifestyle. For example, this:
1. Keep a diary. Write in it how much and when you slept, the level of fatigue during the day and other symptoms. This will help to understand what is worth changing in your routine, and also, in extreme cases, your doctor can come in handy.
2. Set a schedule. Find an activity that helps you fall asleep and stick to it. Also try to go to bed and wake up at the same time.
3. Use the bed correctly. The bed should only be used for sleep and sex. Do not transfer your work there. So you only make yourself worse.
4. Choose a good mattress. The mattress greatly affects the quality of sleep. A poor mattress can cause insomnia and discomfort, so take care of a quality and pleasant mattress.
5. Stop smoking. Here’s another reason to quit smoking. Smokers often suffer from insomnia. Some studies prove that this is due to a lack of nicotine at night.
6. Consult a doctor. If you tried absolutely everything and nothing helped, then it’s time to contact a professional. The doctor can figure out how to dispose of and prescribe medications that will help restore a healthy sleep.
7. Go in for sports. Moderate aerobic exercise has a positive effect on sleep quality. You can train at any time, but at least 3 hours before bedtime.
8. Insert a few “minutes to worry” into your schedule. Spend 10-15 minutes during the day to solve important problems. If it is not possible to solve them, write them down so that they do not interfere in your head. This will help to avoid thinking about problems at night.
9. Limit caffeine. Yes, we know how much you love coffee. To begin with, try to transfer all coffee receptions to the first half of the day. If this does not help, you know what to do.
10. Take a nap. 10-20 minutes of short sleep during the day will help to relax and rest. However, do not doze off after 3 pm. This will negatively affect a dream at night.
11. Take a walk. A large amount of sunlight helps to restore the balance of melatonin, which helps to fall asleep at night.
12. Eat sleepy food. Introduce foods that are rich in magnesium into your diet. For example, halibut, almonds, cashews, spinach, as well as products with vitamin B. For example, green vegetables, nuts, legumes. Some experts also recommend taking complexes with vitamin B6 and magnesium.
13. Try meditation. Meditation can not only positively affect the quality of sleep, but also the quality of your whole life! Yoga advice as well as deep and proper breathing can also be added to this tip.
14. Avoid large meals in the evening. The body will have to digest all this food during sleep, and this will not lead to anything good.
15. Dim the light two hours before bedtime. American studies have shown that the amount of light in the evening affects sleep quality. It is unlikely that you want to sit in the dark all evening, so determine a pleasant level of lighting for yourself. By the way, you can use the f.lux utility, which will do the same with the computer screen.
16. Limit your use of gadgets in the evening. The cold light from the gadget screens prevents the body from preparing for sleep, stimulating the production of daytime hormones. If you cannot refuse devices, at least lower brightness of the screen.
17. Do not drink before bedtime. This, of course, is about alcohol. Does drinking seem to promote sleep? You may fall asleep faster, but alcohol can disrupt your sleep cycles, and even though you will sleep, in the morning you wake up broken.
18. Do not engage in mental activity before bedtime. Set aside work, do not watch scientific programs and read light literature.
19. Have sex. Probably worth putting this item above 🙂
20. Keep your bedroom cold. Preferably within 20 degrees.
21. Use natural sleeping pills. For example, valerian extract.
22. Do not try to fall asleep if you do not feel like it. Yes, I know this feeling when it’s already 2 o’clock at night, and I don’t feel like sleeping at all. But going to bed when you do not feel sleepy at all is even worse. If you have not fallen asleep in the first 20 minutes, then get out of bed and do something relaxing.
23. Minimize the amount of noise. After living in the hostel for several years, I understand that this is not always possible. However, if you can control the sources of noise, then minimize it.
24. Give vent to your stress. Write down everything that bothers you on a piece of paper. Although no, to hell. Go to the gym and punch a punching bag. Try and write your feelings!
25. Brew chamomile tea. Chamomile has long been famous for its soothing properties, so here you are definitely not mistaken.
26. Take a hot bath or shower. A sharp jump in temperature can lead you to sleep.
27. Drink hot milk. Science has not proven the effect of milk on sleep, but many of us still remember hot milk before bedtime in childhood. It might work!
28. Count the sheep. This is not a 100% method, but focusing on one thing can really help to fall asleep. Don’t love sheep too much? Focus on inhaling or exhaling – this is also a good way.
29. Visualize a dream. Imagine yourself on the ocean in the white sand. Although why am I telling all this, your imagination will do all the work for me. Just imagine yourself in a nice place, relax and have fun.
30. Do not be angry with yourself. Accept insomnia and try even in such a hopeless situation to find your advantages. Do not judge yourself for not falling asleep. After all, you can see a wonderful sunrise.
And what methods of dealing with insomnia do you use?