Avoid The Effects Of Insomnia With These 5 Basic Keys
The relationship between the quality and quantity of sleep and our well-being is a reality. Insomnia negatively affects our general health, and some psychological problems, for example, anxiety and depression, also negatively influence our hours of sleep and its quality.
As we know that sleeping problems are quite widespread, today we have decided to address the problem of insomnia with the help of the Mensalus Institute of Barcelona. In the following lines you will find some tips that may be useful to you.
What should we take into account to overcome insomnia?
Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders among the adult population. In reality, this can be due to multiple factors and present in different ways. Difficulty falling asleep, nighttime awakenings, and the feeling of not having had a restful sleep are some of the problems that commonly accompany it.
Detecting the elements that contribute to its appearance and maintenance, whether psychic or organic, is essential for its treatment. Nevertheless, There are some basic guidelines that we cannot forget.
That said, our daily objective in relation to night rest will be very clear: prepare the ground to disconnect progressively, something like “turning off the lights.”
5 basic guidelines that make it easier to sleep better
The 5 basic guidelines that facilitate “disconnection” are:
Now, let’s look one by one…
1. Regular schedule
It is necessary to maintain regular schedules both when going to bed and getting up, even on holidays. In this way the body gets used to an adequate wake-sleep rhythm. The belief that “since it is Sunday, today I recover the accumulated fatigue” is one of the great enemies of insomnia. The result is a Monday that begins again with disorganized sleep.
On the other hand, it is advisable not to take a nap while the problem persists. If it is done, it is important that it does not exceed 20 minutes.
2. Exercise at the right time
It is necessary to exercise weekly but it is also important to avoid doing it late in the afternoon. Accelerating the body, even tiring us, generates an effect opposite to the desired one. Overarousal delays falling asleep even further.
3. Do not activate the brain even more
Dealing with issues that worry you before going to sleep, as we are seeing, is the opposite process to what we are looking for. Exhaustion can be confused with deactivation (“I work late and when I’m tired I go to sleep”). We will not seek intellectual fatigue to fall asleep, we will seek a state of tranquility (“Mental Spa”) through simple activities and routines that provide well-being (a shower, a pleasant conversation, drinking an infusion, listening to background music, etc.) .
4. Close and contain pending tasks
Likewise, leave all pending issues for the next day in an orderly and contained manner (it may be useful to leave them written down in a notebook) It is essential for mental deactivation and avoiding being aware (the famous “don’t forget” or “I have to keep it in mind”).
The bedroom should be cozy, transmit peace and serenity. We will achieve all this by regulating light, noise and temperature. It may seem obvious, but sometimes these obvious elements are largely forgotten and the environment does not favor sleep. Building this environment is an important form of self-care.
What other enemies does sleep have?
For example caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. The latter is not recommended to be taken during the six hours before going to bed; Contrary to widespread belief, it does not help you sleep.
Caffeine is usually one of the measures that everyone takes into account, but it is equally important to reduce or avoid drinks that contain caffeine (sometimes, the person who suffers from insomnia drinks a cold tea in the middle of the afternoon).
As for dinner, we recommend having dinner at least two hours before going to bed. This meal should not be copious; Heavy digestion makes it difficult to sleep.
What other mistakes are common and do not make it easier to sleep?
For example, keeping an eye on the clock. It’s something we’ve all done someday that made it difficult to sleep. When we go to bed, it is important to forget about it and not check the time. This fact generates more anxiety and with it, thoughts that activate the brain even more.
Another common mistake is using the bed to rest during the day (especially common among the elderly population). Rest should be done in other areas such as armchairs, sofas, etc.
To finish and as a primary point, We remember the importance of putting aside worries and thoughts that increase anxiety. It is common to use the moment of getting into bed to review the day and anticipate what we have pending for the next day. These thoughts keep us connected and are the key element of insomnia. Furthermore, thoughts related to the demand to be able to sleep (“whatever it takes, today I have to get it”) generate a completely opposite effect: the more conscious effort, the more insomnia.
