Fighting insomnia is no chimera If you suffer from sleeping problems, it is very possible that this is a source of problems that is robbing you of time (the time it takes you to fall asleep) and health.
Taking into account the value of these two elements, it is worth asking what can be done to remedy this situation.
Since we know that sleeping problems are quite widespread, today we have decided to address this problem. Here are some tips that may be useful to you.
1. Eat well
There is no point in going to bed feeling tired due to a lack of calorie intake. One of the solutions for insomnia may be in food: it is important to eat well, since a lack of calories below the minimum increases the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.
In addition, it is worth eliminating or greatly moderating the consumption of coffee or other exciting drinks and doing the same with foods full of artificial sweeteners. On the other hand, it is advisable to consume foods rich in the amino acid tryptophan such as dairy products, eggs or whole grains, as this helps produce serotonin, a powerful relaxant. For example, you can have natural yogurt an hour before going to sleep. Foods with a moderately high carbohydrate index can also work well.
It is not easy to get rid of the exercise rule: this point appears in practically all lists for leading a healthy life. However, these types of recommendations have their reason: it has been proven how aerobic activity improves the quality and quantity of sleep.
That’s why it’s a good idea go for a run for one hour a week. Of course, try to do this at a time close to noon and never after eating, so that it does not coincide with your digestion or with a time when it will take you a little while to go to sleep.
3. To combat insomnia, stay away from screens and intense light
All people follow activation rhythms called Cardiac rhtyms These rhythms are affected by the reception of light and, therefore, exposing yourself to light sources at times when you are supposed to be sleeping (or preparing to sleep) creates sleep problems: the body thinks it is daytime and we have many hours of activity ahead of us.
Given that the use of electronic devices has become widespread, you have most likely become accustomed to using computers, televisions or telephones minutes before going to bed. Bad idea: light projected so directly on our body creates sleep problems by affecting blood levels. melatonin, the hormone used to regulate our circadian rhythm. Curiously, the frequency of blue light is the one that affects us the most in this sense. The best thing you can do is try to use dim lighting during the last hours of the day and try to stay away from screens.
There are some studies that suggest the usefulness of yoga in combating sleep problems, even in cases of chronic insomnia, so it may be a good idea to follow a series of relaxation exercises to help combat stress levels.
You can consider this as an investment of a few minutes a day that will make you feel better and will also help you save the time it takes to fall asleep. Try doing these exercises in the last moments of the day to relax your muscles and adjust your hormonal levels to the calm that will come right after.
5. Keep up with the temperature
Make sure the room you are going to sleep in is at the proper temperature The tremors and collected postures caused by the cold cause the muscles to remain tense, and this makes it difficult to sleep. Be aware of not getting cold feet: if necessary, wear socks to combat insomnia at bay (although this doesn’t sound too epic).
6. Don’t worry too much about trying to fall asleep
Once it’s time to sleep, forget about following instructions. The old counting sheep trick Jumping over a fence doesn’t seem to be very effective in dealing with insomnia, so don’t complicate your life with it. At the same time, concentrating on not having stressful thoughts is very difficult, since it makes us keep our minds busy and that, in a context in which we try to relax, can cause stress to persist. When you are in bed, you don’t need to worry about focusing on the goal of getting to sleep, if you see that that doesn’t help you.
If you are one of those people who have to be thinking about something all the time, another possibility is to try tiring your brain to convince it that the best thing it can do is go to bed At least, this is the conclusion reached by a study in which people with insomnia fell asleep sooner if they performed stressful mental operations trying to sleep.
8. Sleep without interruptions
Sleep eight hours, but eight hours straight Sleep follows cycles that happen very slowly, and this process, which is what helps our body to recover and grow, is interrupted every time we wake up. It is not worth sleeping little at night and taking very long naps.
9. Learn to differentiate between what works for you and what doesn’t
Don’t believe too much in any of the above points. Every person is a world, and there are some tips to combat insomnia that may be more useful than others. Since you are going to be practicing every day, try to notice what helps you and what doesn’t help you, experiment, and learn the logic behind your lack of sleep.
10. Find out about the type of insomnia you have
These tips are generic, but the way to combat insomnia is different depending on whether it is chronic or not. In addition, there are many disorders associated with sleep that you could be confusing. If it has reached a point where these episodes are repeated a lot, it is worth seeking personalized attention from a professional.
