What to Do If You Have Trouble Sleeping
We all acknowledge the need for a good night's sleep and how horrible we can feel when we don't get one.
In the short term reduced sleep affects your concentration, decision making, and general productivity.
Furhter more, it can have an effect on your mood; making you more likely to be the workplace grump.
The longer you go without sleep the greater the chance that it will have an effect on your wellness.
I have had problems sleeping for as long as I can recall.
In fact, my mother a short time ago commented that it was difficult getting me to sleep even as a young child.
Here are some tips that I've applied during my own life to ensure that insomnia doesn't steer me right in to a rut.
Reset your body clock It is important to maintain a regular sleep schedule.
Look at going to sleep at the same time every night and getting up at the same time every morning.
It is not likely that you could make this happen right away because in the beginning you won't be sleepy at your preferred bed time.
Get it done little by little and turn in earlier and earlier every day.
Keep this pattern happening over weekends whenever possible too.
If you don't end up getting adequate sleep don't feel bad about having a brief nap to catch up just remember not to nap too long (a quarter-hour ought to be enough) and try and do it as early in the afternoon as you can.
Provided you can keep your schedule going long enough you might begin to wake up naturally and not have to depend on your noisy alarm.
Correct light exposure Melatonin is a hormone manufactured in the brain that is in charge of managing the natural sleep-wake cycle.
The amount of Melatonin released is governed by light exposure.
Our brains will secrete more of the hormone in the evening, when it is dark, making us feel tired.
Then during the day, when it is light, our brain should release a reduced amount of the hormone making it possible for us to remain attentive.
This is why when you are at work the whole day, with no exposure to natural light, you may start to feel drowsy.
Make an effort to spend time outside throughout the day.
In the evenings avoid bright lights.
Turn off the television and PC and don't read backlit products before bed either because this will probably activate the mind instead of calming it.
Take in the correct meals at the proper time Try and eat dinner earlier in the evening and avoid large or tough to digest meals.
Make an effort to limit your liquid intake too, if you don't want to be getting out of bed regularly to visit the bathroom..
What you eat is just as relevant as how much you eat.
Clearly steer clear of anything with caffeine more than 4-5 hours before bed.
Additionally, there are a number of foods that can positively impact sleep like chamomile tea, warm milk, and bananas.
Tire yourself out - naturally When I was battling to sleep I looked into help from a physician expecting that he would basically write me a prescription for sleeping pills.
Rather he made me aware that most of the over-the-counter sleeping medication had negative unintended effects like feeling fatigued the next day.
He also said that after some time I would develop a dependence which could make it very challenging to sleep without aid.
He then asked how much physical exercise I did.
It was evidently not enough.
Be sure to get plenty of physical exercise and the earlier in the morning you do it the better.
I now train first thing in the morning and by night fall I'm worn out and ready for bed.
Additionally I'm feeling a great deal stronger too.
Clear your head Stress and overthinking were other key factors which made it impossible for me to sleep.
For anyone who is similar then you need to learn to wind down.
Attempt some deep breathing or even a little bit of mild stretching before bed.
And if you are an over thinker just like me, have a pen and paper alongside your bed, right down what it is that is in your thoughts and keeping you awake.
That way you can take another look at it the next day with a new viewpoint.
Seek help If everything else fails know when to see a professional.
You may possess a far more serious problem that needs attention if you suffer from any of these symptoms:
In the short term reduced sleep affects your concentration, decision making, and general productivity.
Furhter more, it can have an effect on your mood; making you more likely to be the workplace grump.
The longer you go without sleep the greater the chance that it will have an effect on your wellness.
I have had problems sleeping for as long as I can recall.
In fact, my mother a short time ago commented that it was difficult getting me to sleep even as a young child.
Here are some tips that I've applied during my own life to ensure that insomnia doesn't steer me right in to a rut.
Reset your body clock It is important to maintain a regular sleep schedule.
Look at going to sleep at the same time every night and getting up at the same time every morning.
It is not likely that you could make this happen right away because in the beginning you won't be sleepy at your preferred bed time.
Get it done little by little and turn in earlier and earlier every day.
Keep this pattern happening over weekends whenever possible too.
If you don't end up getting adequate sleep don't feel bad about having a brief nap to catch up just remember not to nap too long (a quarter-hour ought to be enough) and try and do it as early in the afternoon as you can.
Provided you can keep your schedule going long enough you might begin to wake up naturally and not have to depend on your noisy alarm.
Correct light exposure Melatonin is a hormone manufactured in the brain that is in charge of managing the natural sleep-wake cycle.
The amount of Melatonin released is governed by light exposure.
Our brains will secrete more of the hormone in the evening, when it is dark, making us feel tired.
Then during the day, when it is light, our brain should release a reduced amount of the hormone making it possible for us to remain attentive.
This is why when you are at work the whole day, with no exposure to natural light, you may start to feel drowsy.
Make an effort to spend time outside throughout the day.
In the evenings avoid bright lights.
Turn off the television and PC and don't read backlit products before bed either because this will probably activate the mind instead of calming it.
Take in the correct meals at the proper time Try and eat dinner earlier in the evening and avoid large or tough to digest meals.
Make an effort to limit your liquid intake too, if you don't want to be getting out of bed regularly to visit the bathroom..
What you eat is just as relevant as how much you eat.
Clearly steer clear of anything with caffeine more than 4-5 hours before bed.
Additionally, there are a number of foods that can positively impact sleep like chamomile tea, warm milk, and bananas.
Tire yourself out - naturally When I was battling to sleep I looked into help from a physician expecting that he would basically write me a prescription for sleeping pills.
Rather he made me aware that most of the over-the-counter sleeping medication had negative unintended effects like feeling fatigued the next day.
He also said that after some time I would develop a dependence which could make it very challenging to sleep without aid.
He then asked how much physical exercise I did.
It was evidently not enough.
Be sure to get plenty of physical exercise and the earlier in the morning you do it the better.
I now train first thing in the morning and by night fall I'm worn out and ready for bed.
Additionally I'm feeling a great deal stronger too.
Clear your head Stress and overthinking were other key factors which made it impossible for me to sleep.
For anyone who is similar then you need to learn to wind down.
Attempt some deep breathing or even a little bit of mild stretching before bed.
And if you are an over thinker just like me, have a pen and paper alongside your bed, right down what it is that is in your thoughts and keeping you awake.
That way you can take another look at it the next day with a new viewpoint.
Seek help If everything else fails know when to see a professional.
You may possess a far more serious problem that needs attention if you suffer from any of these symptoms:
- You are constantly tired
- You experience difficulty going to sleep or staying asleep
- You frequently wake up with a headache
- You are falling asleep when you aren't supposed to
