Insomnia is a sleep disorder which causes difficulty in sleeping. If you have been struggling with this issue, you’re likely to be irritable, have low energy and feel depressed. These things can compromise both your health and relationships.
Causes of Insomnia
Many factors can cause insomnia. Some are due to minor discomforts while others relate to serious medical conditions. For some people, it can be due to poor sleeping habits.
If you love to take naps during the day or you don’t have a consistent sleeping time, the quality of sleep you get can suffer. Sleeping in an uncomfortable environment or room can also contribute to having insomnia.
Thinking about problems at work, family or a bad breakup can keep you awake at night. These things can cause your mind to wander even if you are already lying in your bed.
Asthma, nasal allergies, arthritis and gastritis can cause difficulty in sleeping, too. The same thing can result from chronic pain, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Drinking various types of caffeine, such as coffee, tea, or energy drinks can make it hard for you to sleep. Indulging in alcohol before going to bed can also give you a sleepless night.
See Also: Are You Sleep Deprived? 8 Health Risks Of Poor Sleep
Treating Insomnia
Not getting enough sleep on a regular basis is not healthy. It can result in more serious issues, like increased blood pressure, abnormal blood sugar level and weight gain.
Before any of these things happen, you should take proper action. Trying out these simple home remedies for insomnia is one good way to start.
- Check your sleeping environment and arrange your bedroom in whatever way you’ll feel comfortable. Your bed is essential to good sleep so make sure you have a reliable bed.
Look for a mattress you can lie comfortably on. Think about the size of your room and make sure that your mattress will fit your bed frame. Getting a single bed is not an option even if you’re just sleeping on your own. Ensure that you have enough space to move around.
In preparing your bedroom, turn off your lights and other devices that usually emit light, like your computer, laptop, smartphone or TV. The kind of light produced by these gadgets can make it hard for your brain to rest properly.
- Before going to bed, try eating a banana or drink a glass of warm milk. Both the fruit and milk contain tryptophan, which is used to make a brain chemical called serotonin. Serotonin is converted to melatonin which can help you fall asleep.
- If you’re looking for something that can easily make you relaxed and sleepy, try drinking chamomile tea. Chamomile has been proven to help cure sleeplessness.
- There are organic foods that can aid in the production of more melatonin. You can drink a cup of tart cherry juice or just eat cherries.
- If you have asthma or depression, try mixing lemon balm to your chamomile tea. Lemon balm is proven to promote relaxation and calmness.
- Avoid drinking alcohol, smoking a cigarette, or eating a heavy meal within four hours before sleeping. The nicotine and caffeine can only make your brain stay awake the entire night.
Better sleep, better lifestyle
A good night’s sleep is an important key to having a healthy way of life. Every day you wake up can make you feel better and energetic.
Here are some benefits you can get from having an adequate sleep.
- It can increase your focus on your job or class. Having the required 8 hours of sleep can help you pay more attention to what you are doing.
- People who have less sleep tend to get more obese. The less sleep you get, the hungrier you become. So, if you are planning to go on a diet, one of the best things to do is get sleep for at least 8 hours.
- Surprisingly, you will look more attractive. Having ‘beauty sleep’ can indeed make you look irresistibly good since getting more sleep means getting healthier skin. You can also avoid any chronic skin problems.
- You’ll be able to avoid accidents. There’s not much difference between driving while drunk and driving sleepy. Having insufficient sleep can be risky for you if you are going to drive the next day for work.
- Having enough rest can give you a healthy heart. Some cases of high blood pressure are due to lack of sleep.
- You will have a better social life and healthy relationships. If you are easily irritated because you lacked sleep the previous night, this can affect your interaction with other people. However, if you sleep well, you’ll be more relaxed, calm, and less likely to be involved in any fights.
- You will feel good and less depressed. If you lack sleep, it will just make you more irritable, angry, and more emotionally volatile.
See Also: Get Strong, Sleep, Repeat: The Importance Of Sleeping
Takeaway
Sleep is essential when it comes to having a healthy lifestyle. the way you feel, think and act will depend on how much sleep you got the night before.
Insomnia can affect many aspects of your life. Although taking medications is an option, you shouldn’t completely disregard the benefits of using simple home remedies for insomnia to ease the pain of sleeplessness.