Insomnia
Insomnia is a sleep disorder where individuals find it difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep, or wake frequently through the night disrupting sleep cycles, leading to stress and fatigue. Insomnia is the most common sleep disorders, and WHO reports show that one-third of all adults report insomnia symptoms. A disorder is when an individual faces sleep difficulties on a weekly basis that persists for months, and seriously disables their daily functions. Chronic Insomnia, that continues for more than 3 months, can cause:
- fatigue,
- low energy,
- difficulty concentrating,
- mood disturbances, and
- decreased performance in work or at school.
- Nasal/sinus allergies
- Gastrointestinal problems such as reflux
- Endocrine problems such as hyperthyroidism
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease
- Chronic pain
- Low back pain
- Certain medications including those for cough and cold, thyroid and so on
- Sleep apnea
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Avoid drinking liquids 2-3 hours before sleep so you are not awakened for bladder relief
- Keep the television and computer out of the bedroom
- Avoid e-devices at least an hour before bedtime.
- Follow the same sleep schedule everyday including on weekends
- Avoid after-meals afternoon naps
- Exercising is important for sleeping well but doing it very close to bedtime over-activates the body and skews up the body-clock
- Avoid smoking, drinking or big, spicy meals at night.
- Create a bedtime ritual: make the bed, dim the lights, maintain a comfortable temperature, wear soothing night clothes, play white sound in the background and so on.
- Milk - a small cup of warm milk induces a nice sleepy buzz. It’s also an instant antidote for acid reflux so all’s win-win.
- Healthy carbs - A couple of whole-wheat crackers or a roti or two can make you hit the sack in a jiffy.
- Cheese - contains tryptophan that aids the body to feel relaxed and sleepy (so avoid cheese when you’ve got a heavy work day ahead).
- Cherries - a recent study showed that drinking two glasses of cherry juice daily gave insomniacs and additional 90 minutes of sleep time.
- Herbal infusions of chamomile tea, kashmiri kava, valerian root and California Poppy, sipped just before bedtime can give restful sleep.
