sleeplessness
Sleep is also one essential thing like food and breath for our health, performance and well being. A minimum certain quantity of sleep is essential to each individual depending upon his age, health, job or physical work he does. Insomnia is when you are having trouble in not getting that much quantity of quality sleep. Every one has a bad night sleep every now and then. Especially before an important event or if we are deeply worked. Roughly about 20% of the population is suffering with insomnia. They suffer to get sleep, wake up several times during sleep or wake up much too early in the morning. When you have trouble in sleeping at least 3 nights a week which continues for a moth or more it is called chronic insomnia. Awareness and understanding of sleep disorders will go a long way in enhancing the quality of life. Here are some useful awareness tips to get you trouble free, easy, simple, cost less sleeping techniques.
REASONS WHICH WILL DISTURB THE SOUND SLEEP: Competition in life, multiple earnings, high tension, working in shifts, night travel, frequent journeys, race to succeed, irregular food habits, variation in food intake, pollution, night traffic disturbances, late night TV watching, unemployment, underpaid wages, ever-growing cost of living, scarcity of various things. Night water supply, power cuts, mosquito means, Cinema, marriage, party halls, bars, prayer places near by; sick babies/persons in home/neighbour house, hostels nearby, railway track, highways near by, worn-out fan or old refrigerator in bedroom, improper ventilation of bedroom, changing job, shifts, odd working hours etc. Even children are caught in the Web home work, project works, exams, television, PCs, Videogames, and endless games or mobiles. Labour are also not spared, working hard during the day, some times duty on shifts will creep into their sleep. Pressure of mosquitoes, rats in bedroom will also disturb. Quality of our sleep can also be worsened by various sleep disturbances like some people grind their teeth in their sleep (bruxism), others talk in their sleep (semniloquy), some other sleep walk (somnambulism), few loudly cry or shout in their nightmare dreams, few laugh and few weep, few snore, few often tilt sides. Few aged people get up frequently to go to bathroom during sleep, few murmur among themselves because of lack of sleep. Asthma patients difficult breathing is a disturbance. These conditions of your bed partner, or companion in sleeping hall will cause severe sleep disturbances.
WHY SOUND SLEEP IS REQUIRED: *Sleep is a natural healer. It is a natural remedy for many health problems. Disturbed sleep can prove hazardous. Sound sleep can control co morbid conditions like diabetes, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, stroke and in rare cases sudden death. Snoring is another kind of sleep disturbance which contributes to day time sleepiness, forgetfulness, fatigue, even sexual dysfunction.
HOW MUCH ONE HAS TO SLEEP: *The amount of sleep hours varies person to person depending on the individual. The good indication of enough sleep is that one stay alert during the day time. If one feels drowsy during day, it is the indication that he had not had sound sleep last night. One must sleep for at least 6-8 hours. * Babies usually sleep longer. *For small children between 5 to 8 years of age 8 to 9 hours is normal sleep. *For middle aged of about 40 years old about 7 hours sleep is normal. *People between 55 to 60 years will have 6 to 6 ½ hours sleep as normal. When at 80 years and healthy, they sleep 6 hours. These are only average times. Whereas it may vary depending upon the health, mental conditions, sickness etc. Working professionals require more quality sleep as they have to remain alert and focused to optimize their performance. Their sleeping time minimum should be 6 to 7 hours. *Software Engineers, who work with Computers maximum sleep (recommended 8 hours) as they need complete rest even to the eyes. *Media professionals must have minimum 5 to 6 hours for sleep to have a presence of mind. *Elderly people require maximum 5 hours of good sleep. *Children generally sleep more. *Sick people need more sleep.
HOW TO IDENTIFY ONE IS SUFFERING WITH INSOMNIA: *Insomnia is the name given for sleeplessness or lack of good sleep. The symptoms of insomnia are tiredness, headache, reduced concentration, daytime fatigue, mood changes, memory lapses and reduced performance.
NEGATIVE RESULTS OF INSOMNIA: *Untreated insomnia can impair social and recreational activities. Increase human errors, loss of productivity, elevated risk of accidents and decrement of mood, forgetfulness, memory lapse, personality change and sexual dysfunction.
AWARENESS TIPS TO HEALTHY SOUND SLEEP: *Leave all your troubles like anxiety, stress, fear etc. before entering into the bedroom. *Follow a regular timing to sleep. This helps to program your biological clock into good sleep wake pattern. This can be highly helpful for insomnia. *If at all you are feeling highly sleepy during the day, a 15 minutes nap will be helpful. But, beyond that your night sleep will be disturbed. *The body needs to cool down during sleep so avoid heavy blankets, duvets which will ultimately disturb your sleep. *Do not go to bed until you feel sleepy. *Avoid naps especially in the evenings. *Do not exercise just before bed time, which may increase your alertness. *Avoid long working hours extended into your sleep time. *Practice pranayama for 15 minutes before going to bed. *Practice of meditation for 15 minutes will help a lot in eliminating all your tensions and relaxing your mind for freshness to induce sound sleep. *If you have disturbing neighbourhood, noise making bed partner use ear plugs. *If you want to get up early at a particular time, set an alarm clock which will lessen your anxiety. *People with insomnia are not advised to nap during the day. *The worst thing to do when you can't sleep is to worry about that you are not able to sleep. Instead read or involve in an interesting activity. *Sleep restriction therapy is one alternative in which exhaust a patent until sleep is inevitable and later they are allowed to sleep for only for few hours and sleep time is steadily increased as insomnia wanes.
AWARENESS TIPS REGARDING DIET: *Avoid heavy dinner. *Avoid spicy and acidic foods at night as it may cause hyperacidity leading to sleep disturbances. *Maintain a gap of atleast 2 hours between dinner and bedtime. *If hungry, eat a light snack or take a glass of hot milk at bed time. *Avoid too much water/fluids before bed time. *Avoid tea, coffee, colas, chocolates before bed time as they are all caffeine based items. *Avoid alcohol as it causes broken sleep. *Take food containing carbohydrates as they help to produce serotonin, which is a sleep inducing hormone. *Take dark green lettuce as it contains compounds that help induce sleep. *Include along with dinner fruits like bananas, plums, cherries, sweet corn, rice corn, ginger etc. which contain melatonin which induces sleep. *Avoid foods which contain stimulants such as chocolate, sugar, spinach, tomatoes etc.
AWARENESS TIPS ABOUT EXERCISE: *Vigorous exercise during the day, preferably in the morning and mild exercise if time permits before bed time will help one to get good sleep. *Moderate aerobic exercise ideally in the morning or early evening is recommended. You can choose any one among jogging, swimming, riding or bicycle, rope jumping, dancing, riding a stationary exercise bicycle, using a treadmill and walking. Even a small workout of 20 minutes to 30 minutes per day at least for 5 days a week will prove very fruitful. Incase of walking 30 minute to 45 minutes is recommended. *For aged even simple Surya namaskarams, yogasanas will be helpful.
AWARENESS TIPS ABOUT FRIENDLY BEDROOM: *Your house is your palace and your bedroom is exclusive pal Quinn for you. You use your bedroom exclusively for sleeping only and avoid reading, eating, chitchatting or watching TV. *Your bedroom must have exclusive attraction for you. *It must have spacious, without much furniture, luggage around. *It should have right ventilation. *It shouldn't have bad smells inside or around instead it should have inspiring fragrance. *Bed should not be too hard or too soft. *Bed linen must be clean and with attractive colours. *Bed room shouldn't be too hot or too cold. *It must be painted with sleep inspiring soothing pastel shades.
AWARENESS TIPS ABOUT RELAXATION THERAPIES: Insomnia is mainly suffered by aged people in particular. Prime reason being, tension, fear, anxiety, depression, stress etc. So maximum solution to solve the insomnia is relaxation therapies. They are breating technique (Pranayama) Self hypnotism, meditation and body relaxation (Yogasana) etc. So people with chronic insomnia have to learn the above relaxation techniques to get rid of insomnia. Awareness is assured wealth. So, now follow the above valuable awareness tips and enjoy very relaxing healthy sound sleep for the entire life.
Warning: If any one is still suffering with chronic insomnia after following above awareness tips, they are advised to consult a sleep specialist.
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