We all know that a good night's sleep is necessary for a person's health and mental well being.
According to the doctors at Mayo Clinic, insomnia is a condition in which it might be difficult for you to fall asleep, sleep for longer, you may wake up too soon, or may not be able to get back to sleep once you wake up.
Insomnia can be acute, wherein a person may not be able to sleep for a few days to weeks because of stress or a traumatic event.
The required number of hours of sleep for a person may differ from one individual to other. Lack of sleep may hinder your quality of life.
Try these tips to combat insomnia and its inconvenient symptoms.
Try Mindful Meditation
Mindful meditation involves you to breathe slowly and steadily while you sit quietly at a relaxed position.
You can try to focus on the feelings, sensations, and thoughts in your head that may come in your mind as you sit in a peaceful environment.
According to the Pubmed Central, mindful meditation can improve the sleep pattern of a person and reduce symptoms of insomnia. Besides, it has also proven to be beneficial for concentration, lower levels of stress and a healthy immune system.
Avoid Smoking
According to the US NIH, smoking has been linked to poor sleeping patterns, insomnia and depression. This may be due to nicotine, which acts as a stimulant and disrupts sleeping patterns and causes insomnia.
A chronic smoker may crave more tobacco and may be dependent on smoking to relieve their stress and anxiety, disturbing their sleep. Therefore, it is better is you try to avoid smoking at night and quit the habit eventually.
Lower Your Caffeine Intake
According to the sleep foundation, caffeine can affect the depth of sleep you enjoy. Caffeine intake in the afternoon or evening can reduce the number of hours you sleep.
Your body takes longer to process caffeine. It may increase your energy levels, alertness and focus, but it affects the quality and quantity of sleep.
Try Cognitive Therapy
According to doctors at Mayo Clinic, cognitive therapy can help you recognise the beliefs and change them for better quality and quantity of sleep. It helps to get rid of stressful and negative thoughts that don't allow you to sleep soundly.
Cognitive therapy is better than sleep medications since they work for a long time and have no side effects. The number and frequency of appointments may differ from person to person depending on their sleep pattern and progress.
Take Magnesium Supplements
According to the PubMed Central, regular use of magnesium supplements has helped people reduce their symptoms of insomnia and helped promote better sleep cycles.
Magnesium is a natural occurring mineral which helps relieve stress.
People also use magnesium flakes in their bathing water for the skin to absorb, or take oral magnesium pills. Though you must consult your doctor and discuss the potential risk factors before you begin to consume it regularly.
Practice Yoga
According to the PubMed Central, yoga has been found to have positive effects on the sleep pattern of people who suffered from insomnia. This may be because it helps relieve stress, boosts the physical functioning of the body and increases focus levels.
Massages
According to the US NIH, massage therapy can help a person reduce their symptoms of insomnia by improving their quality of sleep, and reducing the daytime dysfunction.
Massage also increases the levels of serotonin in your body and regulates the sleep and wake cycles. If you don't have access to a professional, you can self-massage or ask your family to do that for you while you relax.
(This article is for your general information only. Before trying out any remedy or treatment, FIT advises you to consult a qualified medical professional. )
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