Healthy, restorative sleep is essential for the human body. Its deficiencies can have serious consequences, and when this condition becomes chronic, it can cause many serious illnesses. Fortunately, there are effective ways to treat insomnia that are not based on medication. How to deal with sleep problems? Below are some proven methods.
Insomnia is becoming an increasingly serious civilization problem. Year after year, problems with falling asleep affect more and more people, which has fatal consequences. It is important to remember that insufficient sleep quality significantly affects the quality of life. Problems with concentration and memory, bad mood, lack of energy – these are just a few examples from a long list of the effects of such a condition.
Ways to fight insomnia: how to calm down properly before going to bed?
Insomnia can have two causes. In the most serious cases, we talk about internal insomnia, that is, insomnia caused by other pathological conditions. These include chronic pain, cancer, hyperthyroidism, rheumatic diseases, and psychological disorders such as neurosis and depression.
However, in most cases, insomnia is caused by external factors. Noise, inappropriate temperatures in the room, uncomfortable mattresses, and other factors that disrupt sleep can contribute to sleep problems.
Experts have no doubt that excessive stimulation has a destructive effect on the quality of sleep. Therefore, every effective remedy for insomnia should contain relaxation techniques. The first thing you need to do, however, is to use your evening time as best as possible.
Give up finishing work. Skip household chores if they are not extremely urgent. The evening should serve only one purpose – relaxation. Instead of focusing on things that will be waiting for you the next day, prepare a relaxing bath, add some of your favorite essential oils to the water, play calming music, and take your favorite book. Ask your partner for a massage to relax your muscles. All of this will help you relieve tension and make it easier for you to fall asleep.
Another proven calming technique is meditation. Many people approach it with considerable distance, but that is a mistake, because the effectiveness of meditation in the fight against insomnia has also been confirmed by scientific research.
A medication for insomnia that extends the phase of deep sleep
Proper sleep hygiene also has a significant impact on the duration of deep sleep. This concept involves a set of proven practices that have an extremely positive effect on the quality of nighttime rest. These include:
- avoiding drinking caffeinated beverages and alcohol before bedtime,
- avoiding the consumption of fatty and heavy meals several hours before bedtime,
- adhering to a set bedtime schedule (even on weekends and holidays),
- avoiding watching television, using smartphones, and computers before bedtime (the screens of these devices emit blue light, which stimulates and inhibits the production of melatonin).
When it comes to proper sleep hygiene, we cannot forget about the conditions in the bedroom. The room should be ventilated, and the temperature should be maintained at a level not exceeding 22 degrees Celsius. It is also worth choosing a mattress suitable for our anatomical conditions.
Natural remedy for insomnia
Natural remedies for insomnia can bring significant relief from problems with falling asleep. Don’t bother counting sheep. It won’t work. A glass of warm milk? No studies confirm the effectiveness of this method in the fight against insomnia. Not only will it not help you fall asleep, but it will probably make you get out of bed and go to the bathroom.
One of the most effective natural remedies for insomnia is cherry juice. How does this drink improve sleep quality? By increasing the level of melatonin – a hormone that regulates the function of biological clocks. It has been shown that a glass of cherry juice (30 ml of juice diluted with water) consumed just before bedtime can reduce sleep onset latency by up to 17 minutes and extend sleep time by more than 30 minutes. Cherry juice also helps extend the phase of deep sleep.