Did you sleep last night?

Tossing, turning, and struggling to get comfortable...we’ve all had those moments when we suffer from insomnia.  It is one of the most annoying feelings in the world!  Just lying in bed, knowing you’ll only get to sleep somewhere near five o’clock in the morning, just for your alarm to wake you up at six-thirty!  Then you need some serious toothpicks to keep your heavy eyes from hitting your desk.  

The question is:  “Why do we suffer from insomnia or even struggle to sleep?” And an even more important question is:  “How can we stop ourselves from that perpetual nightmare?”

The most important steps to take to avoid insomnia are fairly obvious.  I’ll quickly run through them.

Steps to avoid insomnia:

1.       1)  The biggest factor of insomnia can come from eating a very heavy meal just before bed.  Try to avoid this at all costs.  I’ve previously had some rather heavy and fatty meals before bed and it has kept me up literally all night.  This might have included KFC; however I’m neither denying nor confirming this fact.  *heheheh*

2.       2)  Getting back in sync with your body’s natural sleep–wake cycle—your circadian rhythm—is one of the most important strategies for achieving good sleep.  It is very important to try to go to bed at around the same time each night and also to wake up at the same time.  This helps your body to set up a rhythm and is basically a familiar pattern for your body to follow.  It seems obvious, but it is surprising how many people do not stick to this.

3.    3)  Often, I find myself thinking about things for hours on end especially when I’m stressed or recently watched a late-night movie.  The images kept playing back in my mind and actually stopped me from sleeping.  It is good to avoid watching television before you go to bed, rather try to listen to some soft music that enhances your restfulness.  Also try to avoid being stressed at night by drinking some calming Camomile Tea and doing some breathing exercises. 

4.       4)  Regular exercise and activity during each day releases a hormone called Serotonin.  Serotonin is the hormone associated with feeling happiness and enhances your mood.  Exercise will not only help you feel more fatigued but also help you to relax and feel happy due to the Serotonin-release.

5.       5)  When you go to bed, you’ll often stay awake for a few minutes or hours and then you’ll fall into a semi-sleep which eventually leads to much deeper sleep.  This is due to the brain releasing a hormone called Melatonin. Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle. Melatonin production is controlled by light exposure. Your brain should secrete more in the evening, when it’s dark, to make you sleepy, and less during the day when it’s light and you want to stay awake and alert. However, many aspects of modern life can disrupt your body’s natural production of melatonin and with it your sleep-wake cycle.

6.      6)   Make your bedroom more sleep friendly: 

·         Keep noise down. If you can’t avoid or eliminate noise from barking dogs, loud neighbors, city traffic, or other people in your household, try masking it with a fan, recordings of soothing sounds, or white noise. You can buy a special sound machine or generate your own white noise by setting your radio between stations. Earplugs may also help.

·         Keep your room cool. The temperature of your bedroom also affects sleep. Most people sleep best in a slightly cool room (around 65° F or 18° C) with adequate ventilation. A bedroom that is too hot or too cold can interfere with quality sleep.

·         Make sure your bed is comfortable. You should have enough room to stretch and turn comfortably. If you often wake up with a sore back or an aching neck, you may need to invest in a new mattress or a try a different pillow.  Experiment with different levels of mattress firmness, foam or egg crate toppers, and pillows that provide more support.

If you follow those steps, it will be much easier to sleep.  There are also numerous products to help enhance your sleeping experience.  My favourite and recommendation is Badger Sleep Balm.  This balm has a strong smell of lavender, which has long been associated with a calming effect that helps to induce sleep.  The best way of applying this balm is to the temples, where the balm heats up and releases its heady scent.

If you follow these steps, you'll avoid insomnia much more.

Sweet Dreams ;)