Are you having trouble sleeping at night? Wondering if you have insomnia? Here are the basics on what to look out for to avoid sleeping problems and two simple steps to help you have a more restful sleep.
Common causes of long-term sleeping problems
There are two categories among the causes of long-term sleeping problems: physiological and physical. The physiological causes include stress, anxiety, and depression. One of the physical reasons is women's hormonal changes such as premenstrual syndrome, pregnancy, menopause, and menstruation.
Another is the medical condition that some people have like asthma, hyperthyroidism, and heart disease. Sleeping problems are mainly linked to decreased melatonin levels. Melatonin is the hormone that regulates sleep and this decreases together with the increasing age of the person. The body tends to produce very little melatonin around the age 60. Although it is not yet proven, insomnia also seems to be present in some families because of genetics.
The roots of short-term insomnia
Short-term insomnia is mainly caused by temporary activities or conditions. One common reason is jetlag because of travel across different time zones. Medications, whether prescribed or over-the-counter, could also affect sleeping habits. Obviously, overuse of caffeine and alcohol gives you wakefulness some time after and fragments your sleep.
2 Steps to better sleep
Here are two simple steps you could follow to achieve a better and more peaceful sleep.
Step 1: Avoid electronic technology a few hours before sleeping
During nighttime, our minds already need to rest but if we are constantly using electronics, we always have our minds buzzing and active. We should avoid using the computer, watching TV, texting, and the like because these also expose us to light and radiation. Light exposure keeps us awake. This is similar to the day and night association in infants. In fact, it is proven that it is healthier to keep all lights turned off when sleeping because darkness induces production of certain hormones.
Around two hours before sleeping, detach yourself from as many electronics as possible. Read a book, drink a cup of tea or hot chocolate, spend some time with the people around you, or whatever. This will no doubt also broaden your scope in life, open you up to other possibilities, and improve other aspects aside from sleep.
Step 2: Set a good routine
Start a relaxing routine before going to bed. Execute the same thing every night to signal your body that it's time to sleep. You could read a book, listen to soothing music, or take a warm bath before sleeping. Do relaxing procedures in dim light to help in the transition between wakefulness and drowsiness. Make your room ideal for sleeping ñ quiet, dark, cool, and comfortable and turn off the light when you are ready to sleep.
Keep in mind that you should not eat or drink in large quantities within two hours before bedtime. Too much ingested liquid could make you wake up a few times in the middle of the night for the call of nature. Get out of bed and do something if you've been tossing and turning for around 20 minutes and go back when you are already tired. The stress in thinking about falling asleep will only prevent it.
Of course, a good routine does not only include what you do before you sleep but also what you do for the rest of the day. Get up and go to bed at around the same time each day. This will reinforce your body's natural clock and sleeping cycle. You should also exercise regularly because physical activity during the day could get you to sleep more restful at night.
