What To Do When You Can’t Sleep

Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by the inability to sleep during a reasonable time of night; It is more of a symptom than a disease, and can manifest itself in many acute or chronic conditions. In the vast majority of cases it does not depend on an organic disease, but is the expression of a functional disorder that is almost constantly identified with a state of emotional imbalance.

According to the MDE, the diagnostic criteria for insomnia are:

• Type of disorder: difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep; feeling of an unrelaxing dream.
• Frequency: three or more times a week.
• Severity: time to fall asleep greater than 30 minutes; awake time during sleep greater than 30 minutes.
• Effects: significant alteration of emotional, cognitive, and socio-occupational functioning during the day.

Insomnia is that feeling of being sleepy, but not being able to sleep.

In the MDE classification system it also speaks of primary insomnia to define that form that does not seem to have a cause of a medical or psychological nature, called psychophysiological insomnia in the CIE classification. There are circumstances in which, on the contrary, insomnia is associated with medical pathologies: in these cases we speak of secondary insomnia. Finally, another subtype of insomnia is the paradox so called because the paradox is that people who suffer from it have the sensation of sleeping poorly or even not sleeping at all, when their ipnic pattern is practically normal.

What to do when you can’t sleep because of nerves? In the next section we will see 15 things to do when you can’t sleep due to insomnia.

Unfortunately, for many people sleep is a luxury, and even when they manage to get it in some way they feel it is insufficient or inadequate. The inability to sleep is one of the worst experiences that can be experienced in life: insomnia, in fact, not only has negative effects during the night, but also affects the quality of daytime life. In this article we explain all the consequences of not sleeping.

People who persistently suffer from this disorder often complain of being depressed during the day, of being tired and having little concentration, and complain of difficulties in their work, family and social spheres.

How to sleep if you can’t? Practical advice is always limited and often imprecise, because only one therapeutic action directed at individual problems and people can be really effective. However, by following these 15 guidelines, it is possible to obtain a certain benefit. Below we will see how to combat insomnia naturally through 15 tricks to sleep well:

1. Break continuity: to promote sleep, it may be useful to draw a clear distinction between daytime activities and the inactivity typical of nighttime hours. The first tip to sleep better and faster is to take a break and make a difference when you start your bedtime routine.
2. Rest at a certain time: Maintaining as fixed a schedule as possible for going to bed and waking up is useful to ensure a restful sleep and ensures that you can face the day with the necessary energy.
3. Adequate lighting: the bedroom should be as dark as possible; Avoid exposure to bright light when you get out of bed at night, choosing soft lighting.
4. No to the nap: If you have trouble falling asleep at night, you shouldn’t take a nap; If necessary, the afternoon break should not last more than 30 minutes.
5. The environment must be calm: Environments that are too noisy, hot and lit negatively affect sleep quality.
6. What to do in bed? Sleeping or having sex are the only recommended activities, because for those who suffer from insomnia it is important learn to associate sleep with bed ; In bed you should not watch television, eat or discuss stressful topics.
7. Animals are not allowed in the bed: During the night, dogs and cats should rest in a room other than the bedroom, so as not to compromise our rest.
8. Eat in moderation: Heavy foods with high amounts of protein should not be consumed at dinner; Too large meals are negative for normal digestive and metabolic processes, so it is better to prefer a light meal based on carbohydrates and dairy.
9. Avoid alcohol: Another important guideline to combat insomnia is not to consume alcoholic beverages: Sleep medicine experts recommend not overdoing alcohol before going to bed, as it negatively affects the duration, depth and cycles of sleep. dream.
10. Too much adrenaline delays rest: doing sports at the end of the day is one of the actions that can make sleeping more difficult; you should avoid intense physical activity before bed that is, in the 3-4 hours that precede the night’s rest.
11. Do not take stimulants: Caffeine, in all its forms, should not be drunk in the 4-6 hours preceding sleep; Only 150 mg are enough to disturb the quality and duration of sleep.
12. No Smoking: smoking has a stimulating action on the central nervous system, hindering sleep; Therefore, avoiding nicotine when falling asleep or during nocturnal awakenings facilitates continued rest. In this article we explain the effects of nicotine on the nervous system.
13. Relax and unload: Relaxation is vital for a relaxing sleep and there are many ways to relax, such as some types of gentle gymnastics (yoga and t’ai chi), progressive relaxation, meditation, mindfulness, but also a quiet walk could be effective.
14. Herbal remedies: There are also remedies for insomnia due to anxiety. There are numerous herbs that facilitate sleep, and to find the most suitable one, it is best to consult a herbalist; A fairly common example can be passionflower infusion.
15. Keep a sleep diary: Another trick to sleep well is to compile a sleep diary. It is important because it allows you to have all the information about your type of insomnia; a basic measurement, with which to begin your behavior change program.

In this article we explain more about how to sleep fast and deeply.

This article is merely informative, at PsychologyFor we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

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