By 
You might have had insomnia for the longest time in their lives, or are new to the problem but as we lie on the bed awake at 3.07am awake unable to sleep all one knows that they would try out anything to end the cycle they face every night. Knowing if the tossing and turning in bed is actually insomnia and how to deal with it is vital for healthy living.
What Causes Insomnia?
People suffer from two forms of insomnia or regular sleeplessness some experience the chronic form, with at least 3 nights a week for roughly more than a month. It also can be a one off experience and it occurs on and off in your lifetime.
It is believed that for chronic insomnia factors as you age the chances of developing it becomes more. It is also caused by other factors such as if you suffer from depression or even anxiety. Certain medications are also a culprit in developing insomnia.
If you are having high levels of stress in your life you might develop insomnia. You might not have described the experience of tossing and turning in your bed throughout the night as insomnia, but it definitely is insomnia.
The anxiety caused over the inability to fall asleep coupled with the stresses running thoughts in your mind and the bad emotional state you might be in only aggravates the issue. This creates fertile ground for a vicious cycle that is insomnia.
Unfortunately insomnia does not only affect people at night, the effects roll over to the next day. Your day to day tasks are interrupted with one feeling lethargic and also affecting your mood negatively, making you feel sad, angry and even depressed.
Sometimes your insomnia is triggered by other factors you have not realized yet and that if you take note of you might be able to have control over and even regulate to help you to sleep. Some of the things to watch out mostly include;
- Nicotine.
All forms of nicotine from cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, hookahs or chewing tobacco might affect your sleep. Nicotine contains stimulant properties that keep you active. Best advice is to stay away from nicotine a few hours before you want to sleep.
- Caffeine. Caffeine is also a stimulant, that’s why many of us take coffee in the morning to ‘wake up’. If you take coffee at night then your body will keep active rather than wind down. Stay away from coffee and caffeine added foodstuff late in the late afternoon essentially to give your body time to eliminate coffee from your system.
- Electronic gadgets and devices. Most people use their phone, tablet and laptops in bed. The artificial light on these devices interferes with you being able to fall asleep. Keeping them away before to switch off the lights to sleep is advisable so that you can shut your eyes and kick off the sleep cycle.
Tips on how to get yourself Ready for Sleep
Apart from looking into what you put into your body. A couple of physical activities can aid your body to wind down in preparation for sleep.
- Make your bedroom sleep friendly.
A calm and toned down room is best for sleep. Make your bed before you lay in it, draw your curtains, dim down your lights and regulate the temperature in your room just right.
- Regular Exercise. Exercise not only helps to keep way disease and manage conditions it is also good in managing your stress levels by lowering them. This however does not mean you have to exercise right before you go to bed. You can exercise at regular hours and the effect it has carries on throughout the day.
- Read a book. This can be an alternative to using your electronic devices. Reading your book in a low light bedside lamp is a nice way to relax before bed. It might even be nostalgic to how it felt getting a bedtime story as a child.
- Relaxation techniques. There are many relaxation techniques you can learn to try out before bed. Your preferred relaxation method can help your mind and body to get to a more relaxed and slower place before bed.
- Create a bedtime ritual. This will a bedtime routine followed each and every day till your body will eventually know it. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, and maintain you bedtime habit if it is reading the book or relaxation exercise.
- Take a hot bath.
Nothing beats a hot bath if you want to unwind, it is the ultimate version of a at home spa time. the bath will not only relax you but
- Avoid Naps. Taking long naps during the day is not advisable because it interferes with your sleep cycle. You can have a short 30 minute nap before the afternoon if needed, otherwise save all your sleep to bedtime.
Once you find yourself Tossing and Turning while already in Bed
- Get up. Get out of the bed and do something. Make sure it something relaxing since you still have to go back and try to sleep again. This helps your body learn that the bed is designed for sleep and not being awake. Go back to bed when you start feeling sleepy again.
- Turn off the clocks. If you have a bedside clock or wall clock, get rid of it. Having a clock running keeps you bothered constantly about the time you losing out being awake rather than asleep.
- Do a mental wellness exercises. If you are stressed or anxious doing an exercise that confronts the feelings you are having helps in easing you. If you deal with the clutter in your head then you will have a clearer head when you try to sleep again
Conclusion
Whether chronic or an out of the blue case of insomnia we must not give up on helping ourselves manage the condition. Taking care of ourselves both physically and mentally and also adopting good strategies towards. If you have any addictions such as meth, you need to make sure you get it checked.
