Insomnia is an issue that can occur at any age. It’s the act of not being able to fall asleep, having trouble staying asleep, or waking up much earlier than intended. While some forms of insomnia take hold as people get older, insomnia-related problems can happen anytime in someone’s life. It can arise from any multitude of things in, from any type of stress to depression, high anxiety, or even if a room is not as comfortable as what you’re in need of.
Interestingly, the usage of sleeping pills or alcohol to help you sleep may be the cause of your ongoing insomnia. They may be disrupting your body’s natural sleeping habits or masking what needs to be fixed to sleep better. Insomnia may seem out of your control but like most things that happen to our bodies, we’re often able to adapt to the circumstances we’re facing.
There are many valuable ways to get insomnia treatment and cure your inability to fall or remain asleep.
Step 1. First Things First, Set A Bed Time Schedule
This may seem unnecessary and childish, however, for someone with insomnia and issues falling asleep, a bedtime schedule can be crucial. If you’re struggling to sleep, try to wake up and fall asleep at the same time every day. This will help train your mind and body into a good sleep schedule.
Even if you feel tired when waking up in the morning, sticking to the set plan is important to get your body focused. This includes weekends as well; insomnia does not take vacations.
Step 2. No Distractions Or Stressors Before Bed
Unfortunately, eliminating distractions before bed includes the use of mobile phones. The light coming from your phone and any information you read off it can lead to difficulty falling asleep. This is because the blue light from the phone can hinder your body from sending you the correct amount of melatonin that helps you sleep peacefully through the night.
Trade-in your electronics for a good book or soft music before bed; these may do wonders to stop your insomnia.
Step 3. Meditation And Supplements
Supplements are another thing to consider in the treatment of insomnia, but you must use them wisely. Things like melatonin tablets and other quality sleep vitamins may work great for some people suffering from the condition, but not others. Additionally, be sure to consult your doctor before taking any new supplements, as they could interact with medication you’re already taking.
Meditation and gentle stimulation are another technique that can help people to fall asleep. If you’re lying in bed staring at the ceiling, try to rub your temples and earlobes in gentle circles to help calm your mind and body. Slowing your breathing will help as well. Controlling your breaths in and out and counting the seconds will help keep you focused on something other than the fact you’re not asleep.
Step 4. Room Comfort
Your bedroom’s comfort may not spring to mind when you think of insomnia. However, the lighting, sounds, and even the bed itself may be taking a toll on you when you’re trying to sleep through the night. Lowering the brightness level of your room may be beneficial.
Additionally, simple modifications like changing the bed sheets or buying a new pillow can help calm down your mind and body. For some people, adding a sound machine to create white noise may also do this. Bedrooms are much more customizable than just bedframes and decorations; making small changes can be extremely beneficial in the long run.
What Not To Do Before Bed
There are many things to avoid before you go to bed for the night. An obvious one would be to avoid drinking caffeine. Consuming a lot of any liquid could be unhelpful to you as well because you may need to get up to use the restroom frequently.
Don’t put yourself in any stressful situations before you rest. Your mind wants to be able to shut down for the night, and stress will not help the situation. In fact, it’ll have the opposite effect.
Conclusion
There are many ways to beat insomnia, but some work better than others for different people, as everyone is a little different. While incredibly frustrating, insomnia is something that can be adapted to and worked through. It won’t happen overnight, as routines and changes need to be made. However, little things like getting off your phone before bed, not drinking coffee after a certain time, and corrective breathing can change things exponentially for sufferers.
