Insomnia : 10 Tips to achieve better sleep . What Should I Do If I Can't Sleep?

           "The worst thing in the world is to try to sleep and not to." F. Scott Fitzgerald, American  novelist and essayist

           “I think of every hour of sleep as putting money into a ‘sleep’ savings account,If your ‘sleep’ savings account is depleted or overdrawn, it will negatively affect your brain and how you interact with the world.” Andrew Zinchuk, MD, MHS, sleep medicine

specialist,  Yale School of Medicine , US

                         “Quality sleep is the foundation on which optimal health is built. Even if nutrition and exercise are at their best, without proper sleep their benefits are greatly reduced.” Dr. Abhinav Singh, medical director, Indiana Sleep Center, US 

 All of us from time to time have nights when you lay in bed for hours and can't sleep, no matter how tired we feel, but If it happens at least three nights a week and lasts for more than one month, you should discuss it with a health professional as soon as possible. Various studies worldwide have shown the prevalence of insomnia in 10%–30% of the adult population. Insomnia is a sleep disorder  that makes it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep, wake up too early and not be able to get back to sleep. 

There are two main types of insomnia: acute and chronic. Acute (short - term) insomnia – Between one to six months; Chronic insomnia – More than six months. 

How much sleep do I need? 

 Everyone needs different amounts of sleep. Approximately:

Adults - 6 to 10 hours, 

Kids and teenagers - 9 to 13 hours

Toddlers & Babies - 12 to 17 hours 

If you do not get enough sleep, you constantly feel not only lack of energy, drowsiness, tiredness, sleepiness, exhaustion and fatigue, but also more irritability during the day.

 Cause and reason of Insomnia. Why you are not sleeping through the night

It's not easy to say since there is not a single main cause of insomnia. Everyone is different and has a different root of the problem that keeps them away from a good night's sleep. Numerous biological and psycho-social factors can increase the risk of evolving insomnia. Insomnia can be caused by various factors, including job related stress and burnout, loneliness, sadness, emotional and psychological trauma, negative life events such as death of a spouse or other important family member, divorce, family conflict, marriage and relationship problems etc.

 Very often insomnia takes place alongside mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, anger, mood swings and irritability. 

Symptoms of sleep deprivation 

1. Daytime  sleepiness

2. Fatigue 

3. Low motivation 

4. Disruptions in work or study 

5. Poor memory and  concentration 

6. Low sex drive (loss of libido) 

7. A lack of coordination 

8. Using non-prescribed sleeping pills or tranquilizers to fall asleep 

9. Using alcohol before bedtime to fall asleep 

10. Headache 

11. Delayed reflexes 

12. Overweight and obesity  (weight gain)

How to overcome insomnia and help yourself get sleep?  Sleeping problems solution.

 There are easy tips to treat insomnia. 

1. Stick to a sleep schedule. 

Waking up at the same time daily helps set up the body's clock known as the “circadian rhythm”. 

 Circadian rhythm is the 24-hour internal clock in our brain that regulates cycles of alertness and sleepiness by responding to even slight changes in your environment. Follow the circadian rhythm, the best time to go to sleep is between 8pm and 10pm. For the best sleep, most experts recommend eating a meal three - four hours before bedtime. Besides, eating dinner at the same time every day could help you fall asleep faster. 

2.Keep your bedroom cool. 

The ideal bedroom temperature for sleeping is around 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 degrees Celsius)

 3.Keep your bedroom dark. 

In response to darkness, the pineal gland in your brain releases a melatonin (“hormone of darkness”) that helps you fall asleep quickly and keeps you asleep until you complete your sleep cycle. The brain is very sensitive even for the slightest amount of light and could stop the production of melatonin. 

4.Keep your bedroom in silence. 

Background noise could signal to your brain that it is not the right time to sleep. Even noises that do not wake you up have subconscious effects on sleep by changing the time we spend in certain sleep stages. 

 5. Find the most comfortable mattress for yourself. 

Not too soft, not too hard, but just right. Research shows that a medium-firm mattress can improve sleep quality by 55 %. 

 6. Practice Relaxing Yoga Asana or gentle stretching before bedtime. Yoga is the best relaxation technique and often recommended as a natural remedy for insomnia since it has a unique way of calming the nervous system through relaxing postures and long stretches which brings a sense of calm and balance. 

 The best asanas before bed are

1. sitting relaxing yoga Asanas :

Easy pose with twist(Parivrtta Sukhasana),

Butterfly pose(Badhakonasana)

Vajrasana(diamond pose). 

2. Prone relaxing yoga Asana:

Child’s Pose (Balasana), 

Crocodile pose (Makarasana).

3. Supine relaxing yoga Asana:

Happy baby pose (Ananda Balasana),

Supine Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana), 

Wind relieving pose (Pawanmuktasana), 

Leg up the wall pose (Viparita Karani).

 7. Practice Yoga Nidra instead of take a nap. 

Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation where the body is consciously asleep, but awareness is present. During the meditation you assess Delta brain waves which is the most restorative state where your organs regenerate and the stress hormone cortisol is removed from your system. 

Practice of Yogic sleep usually takes 10-30 minutes, but  equivalent to 3-4 hours of good sleep.  Yoga Nidra is practiced lying down in a comfortable position of Savasana, or the “corpse pose”

So you feel  rested and  recharged  like a from a good nap, but without the risk of waking up sleepy and woozy. Yoga Nidra stimulates the pineal gland which as you know helps to release melatonin, the hormone that puts you to sleep at night.

 8.Sound Healing. 

 Sound Healing is an ancient wellness practice , also known as singing bowl medition or singing bowl sound bath,  traditionally, during the practice you or the healer uses metal or crystal  bowls which are made of different types of metals or crushed quartz

and cause high frequency calming sound vibrations by rubbing or striking a singing bowl. Sound bowls typically have frequencies between 300 to 900 HZ which calm the mind and promote very deep relaxation. 

 9. Practice Pranayama. 

What is Pranayama or yogic breathing? Pranayama is the yogic practice of focusing on breath. Chandra Bhedana Pranayama (left nostril breathing) is a simple and effective breathing technique which helps to calm down and reduce insomnia problems.

 Bhramari Pranayama, also known as Humming Bee Breath, is a calming breathing practice that soothes the nervous system. It's named as Humming Bee Breath because of the humming sound produced at the back of the throat during the practice—like the gentle humming of a bee. And that buzzing sound and vibration help calm the body and mind. That's why it is recommended as a nightly routine for better sleep. 

10. Walking in Nature. 

 Walking before bed decreases stress and calms down the sympathetic nervous system to help you sleep. Because melatonin is stimulated by darkness, taking a walk away from screens and artificial lights sends the message to your body that it’s time to prepare your bed. Research shows that walking before bed may help you fall asleep faster and may even improve sleep quality and sleep efficiency.