For night owls who struggle to sleep, the phrase “holding on to the end of the night” is not just a sweet song lyric. Insomnia can severely impact daily life, making it difficult to fall or stay asleep, especially on hot summer nights. Here are some tips to help you get a good night’s sleep.
Sleep serves many functions. It helps repair and restore the body, especially the central nervous system, allowing us to perform survival and instinctual functions effectively during the day. Sleep is essential for the growth and development of the nervous system, as well as for memory consolidation. During sleep, we reorganize information that we learned, discard unnecessary data, and reinforce important memories. Sleep also helps process and cleanse unpleasant emotions through dreaming, leaving us feeling refreshed in the morning.
Lack of sleep can lead to fatigue, irritability, and reduced concentration, affecting productivity. This creates a vicious cycle where the fear of not sleeping worsens insomnia.
Insomnia Attacks the Quality of Sleep
Good sleep is defined as falling asleep within 15-20 minutes of lying down, waking up refreshed, and not feeling sleepy during the day. Insomnia involves difficulties in falling asleep, staying asleep, or poor quality sleep. If it takes more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, if you wake up more than five times a night, or if you wake up early and can’t go back to sleep more than two or three times a week, these are signs of a sleep problem. If such issues persist for more than a month, it may be diagnosed as chronic insomnia.
Insomnia can be primary or secondary. Primary insomnia occurs without an obvious cause and is often related to psychophysiological factors. Secondary insomnia results from other conditions such as mood or anxiety disorders, physical ailments like ulcers or asthma, severe pain, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, or environmental changes like hospitalization or significant life events.
Diagnosing insomnia involves detailed interviews to understand the pattern of sleep difficulties, evaluating for physical or mental health conditions, assessing pain management, and examining sleep environment and habits. Polysomnography may be used to identify sleep disorders like sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome.
Diverse Treatments for Insomnia
Treatment for insomnia varies. For secondary insomnia, addressing the underlying cause is key. Techniques for creating a good sleep environment and habits, medication, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), relaxation therapy, light therapy, and sleep restriction are commonly used treatments.
Good Habits and Good Sleep Go Hand in Hand
Preventing insomnia involves maintaining healthy sleep habits. Align your sleep with your natural cycle and ensure you get enough rest. Regular meals and daytime exercise help maintain your body’s rhythm. Keep a consistent wake-up time, even if you go to bed later than usual. Avoid heavy meals, alcohol, smoking, caffeine, and certain medications before bedtime. Limit naps to less than 30 minutes to avoid affecting nighttime sleep.
Your bed should be for sleeping and resting, not for watching TV/videos, reading, thinking about problems, or planning the next day. Clear your mind of worries before bed, and avoid stimulating activities. Use your bedroom only for sleep and enter it only when you’re ready to sleep. An inviting, quiet, and warm sleep environment is crucial for good rest.
Sleep cannot be forced. Trying too hard to control your sleep can make it more elusive. If you can’t sleep, don’t get anxious. Instead, leave the bedroom and engage in a calming activity, like reading a dull book, until you feel sleepy.
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