Insomnia treatment may help deal with the most common sleep disorders and may help prevent major adverse events in the long term.
Dissatisfaction with the quality and/or duration of sleep is the first clinical aspect of insomnia and, according to experts, nocturnal symptoms. Let’s look into some remedies for this.
Symptoms such as difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep; and early awakening.
Resistance to going to bed at the appropriate time – and daytime symptoms – such as:
Fatigue, difficulty in attention, concentration and memory, family or social deficits, mood swings and irritability, daytime sleepiness, behavior change, decreased motivation, tendency to errors and accidents, and preoccupation with the sleep
These may be present despite the individual being able to sleep.
Insomnia can be associated with complications such as: arterial hypertension, dementia, metabolic disorders. It is also a risk factor for psychiatric issues.
Studies show that 80% of patients with depressive disorders suffer from insomnia at some point in the course of the illness.
In addition, anxiety disorders are more common among insomniacs.
Doctors argue that, although there are a variety of professionals working in the context, the psychiatrist is the best prepared to treat the condition.
Did you know that sleepless nights or poor-quality sleep can lead to a number of serious health issues? Including physical and mental exhaustion, hypertension, depression, premature skin aging and more.
The main cause of insomnia is psychophysiological factors such as expectations, worries and stress. Other frequent causes of insomnia are pain (in any part of the body), use of some medications, respiratory and rheumatic diseases.
The good news, however, is that there are several ways to prevent and treat insomnia. The first thing to do is take care of sleep hygiene, that is resumed to cleaning everything that gets in the way of falling asleep.
Best treatment for insomnia
As most of the time insomnia is not related to serious diseases, it is possible to try to treat it on your own by adopting new and healthier habits. Some actions that can be taken in these cases are:
- Adopting regular sleep schedules, trying to go to bed and get up regularly at the same times, even on weekends.
- Avoiding to sleep a lot during the day, as naps, when possible, may help with mood, but more than 30 minutes (at any time of the day) tend to impair night sleep.
- Practicing physical activity in the morning or afternoon because it is essential for good health and helps you sleep better, but it can cause restlessness. That’s why it’s best to exercise up to six hours before bed. Physical practices as Yoga can work your body and mind at the same time, helping you to be more relaxed.
- Avoiding caffeinated drinks at night such as coffee, black tea, mate tea, soda and energy drinks that contain stimulant substances such as caffeine. That’s why they should be avoided up to five hours before bed.
- Eating light foods at dinner, as heavy and protein-rich foods, when consumed in excess at night, can disrupt sleep. Light carbohydrate dishes, such as a natural snack, are best suited to induce sleep. You can also add to your diet the ingestion of teas and herbal blends that will help you to release stress and reduce fatigue.
- Avoiding the consumption of alcoholic beverages because although the first effect of alcohol is sedative, after a while it can cause agitation. It is therefore recommended to avoid alcohol consumption up to six hours before bedtime and as a sleep inducer.
- Decreasing exposure to light at night because when it gets dark, we start producing melatonin — a hormone that helps our body prepare for sleep. Bright lights, computer screens, tablets and cell phones can all disrupt melatonin production, and should be regulated or avoided at night.
- Creating a cozy environment to sleep because we know that the lights of the alarm clock, wireless network, and cable TV set can disrupt sleep, as well as street noise, partner’s snoring and pet movements. We must regulate the lights emitted by cell phone and tablet screens, during the night, to emit less light, and create a comfort ambiance.
- Doing relaxing activities at night like calming the mind with techniques such as meditation. A nice warm bath about two hours before bed lowers your body temperature and relaxes you, helping to induce sleep. Activities such as reading, painting, embroidering, listening to calming music while you enjoy a cup of warm tea can also contribute to this.
- Trying not to fight against insomnia such as going to bed without feeling sleepy doesn’t help. Ideally, do some low-light activity that doesn’t cause agitation, such as reading or watching a boring TV show. If you wake up, the ideal is to resume these activities until you feel sleepy again.
Even though many people think that sleeping is a waste of time. A good night’s sleep is crucial to alleviating most health-related problems.
During sleep, the body undergoes a kind of reset, returning to the condition in which it started the day. This includes muscle relaxation, lowering blood pressure, heart rate and urine output, consolidating memory and controlling body temperature.
When the problem becomes very frequent and none of the activities above seems to solve it, the best way to treat it is getting professional advice.
Once the diagnosis is established, there are several treatment options, either with allopath or natural medication, or through cognitive-behavioral therapies.
Currently, specialties such as neurology, pulmonology, otolaryngology and psychiatry are the ones that most serve the population with sleep problems.
Another good news is that you can get rid of insomnia. The cure will depend mainly on its causes and the way the patient deals with the treatment.
Therefore, it is very important to follow the guidelines of your healthcare professional. Acquire beneficial behaviors to improve your quality of life with great sleep.
Natural treatment for insomnia
Several studies indicate that 70% to 80% of insomniac individuals benefit from the use of non-pharmacological strategies. The magnitude of improvement is approximately 50% (especially in subjective reporting of sleep quality and quantity), and this improvement is maintained for up to 24 months after starting treatment.
Some of these strategies include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Stimulus Control Therapy, Sleep Hygiene, and Physical Exercise. The practice of yoga involving breathing, exercise, postures and meditation can improve sleep quality in patients with sleep impairment.
Relaxation Therapy, self-hypnosis, progressive relaxation, deep breathing exercises and meditation are effective only when they bring the patient into a relaxed state (when there is a reduction in their muscular and physical tension).
Traditional Chinese Medicine Practices as Acupuncture, manual practices as Shiatsu and body-mind practices (tai-chi-chuan) can be of great value to the general population, being widely indicated for a large number of patients.
Another great contribution from Chinese Medicine are plants and herbal blends that can be used safely and effectively to treat sleep disorders, including Longan, Zhi Mu, Schisandra, Polygala and Rhodiola, among many others.
These plants are used in the form of herbal blends for teas, and their daily consumption helps to reduce stress, relax tension, reduce fatigue and even improve brain function.
Sleep & Meditation Tonic from Medicinal Food Store is an excellent example of these kinds of blends. Incorporating such a mix into your daily intake can make miracles to your sleep routine.
Chamomile and Passion Fruit (Passiflora) are also considered safe and widely used by the population. Ingestion can be done 2 to 3 times a day, emphasizing the night time. These herbs also help relaxation and consequently better sleep nights.
If you are concerned about the quantity and quality of your sleep, you should start implementing the practices mentioned above and observe how your sleep nights will improve.
