It is one of the most common, yet also, one of the most perplexing
sleep disorders that exists.
Insomnia. At any given time, it can affect around ten percent of the
world’s population, causing countless hours of lost sleep and
wakeful anguish. But, why does it happen, and how does one overcome
it? Stay tuned to find out.
Naturally, we fall asleep at night. It is how the human body reacts to
exhaustion, and it is a part of the innate biological rhythm which our
species has maintained for thousands of years.
Yet, more than 30 million Americans suffer from at least a mild form of
insomnia, that causes them to have difficulty falling asleep when they
want to, and which subsequently leads to the suffering of fatigue
and drowsiness during the daytime.
And during their nights, sufferers of insomnia experience a whole
other set of troubles and pains, which add to their woes.
What time is it right now?
Quite often, during the late hours of the night, an insomniac’s mind
will race with activity.
Tomorrow’s gonna be a big day. Better get some sleep.
Why do I feel like I’m forgetting something?
Ugh. It’s too quiet in here. I can hear myself breath.
And, inconveniently enough, many of their thoughts will be the ones
that induce the most anxiety, depression, and stress; making it
quite a challenge for the individual to find any relaxation
right before bed.
This is ridiculous.
There may be a variety of different reasons which cause these thoughts
to become so prominent at night, but once they begin, they become
very difficult for insomniacs to suppress.
And, to make matters worse, some sufferers will also experience
irritability, discomfort, or even pain, after lying awake in bed for
a while.
Many who experience persistent insomnia crave for regular sleep
schedules, and the capacity to fall asleep comfortably and to wake up
refreshed, but falling into such routines without relying on the use
of sleeping pills or other types of drugs can be a tenacious problem
that each individual must often find their own unique solution to.
For instance, distractions such as television...
... books, or computers, could potentially stimulate the mind and
keep an individual awake for much longer than they desire, or
conversely, they could actually distract the mind for just long
enough from all the thoughts that are keeping the individual awake.
It really depends on the person.
The key is to figure out what works for you, and the best way to do
that is to experiment. If you suffer from insomnia, finding out
what triggers your brain to send the signals to the rest of your
body to nod off is the key to overcoming this disorder.
For some, getting out of bed to do something relaxing, such as
drinking a warm beverage or reading a book, can be more helpful than
simply lying awake in bed.
For others, listening to music or watching a familiar TV show can do
the trick.
It also helps to be mindful of what environmental conditions are
preferable and conducive to you falling asleep, such as the amount
of light in the room, how noisy it is during sleep hours, and the
room’s temperature.
And, it really helps to move all clocks out of plain view, as this
effectively alleviates the anxiety associated with watching the night
hours tick away.
The activities that you engage in before bedtime can also have an
effect on how quickly you might be able to fall asleep at night. Some
general things to avoid are heavy late-night meals, vigorous
exercise, and work-related tasks that might cause stress.
Suffice it to say, big discussions or arguments should also be avoided
right before bed, and all of these stressful activities should be
replaced by more soothing ones, in low lighting conditions if viable.
This will generally prime the mind and the body for sleep long before
it is time to actually fall asleep. As for screens such as televisions,
smart phones, and tablets...
Research has shown that the light emitted from these screens tends to
suppress the body’s production of melatonin, and that can severely
disrupt sleep patterns, but if you find that watching something helps,
then it might be a good idea to stick to what works, and perhaps,
just set things so that these screens are turned off afterwards.
And, that concludes part 2 of our 12 part series on disturbing sleep
disorders. Insomnia is a widespread condition with different solutions
for different people, so to continue the conversation, please
feel free to comment below with your own experiences on it, and
don’t forget to like and subscribe. Until next time, good night and
sleep tight.