Did you know that an alarming 50 to 70 million Americans suffer from insomnia, and close to a third of the population have short-term sleep issues? Insomnia is the condition where the patient is unable to fall asleep or stay asleep long enough to feel rested and refreshed. The average person needs at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep each day, though others can get by with 6 hours. But, if you’re sleepy all through the day and find it hard to focus on your daily activities, that’s clearly because of insomnia.
Here’s some alternative therapies for treating insomnia and improving your sleep:
Sleeping Pills Are Best Avoided
If your go-to response to deal with insomnia is over-the-counter or prescription pills, think again. Although these solutions are simple and help you fall asleep, on a long-term basis, they’ll do more harm than good and are best avoided. Not only are they highly addictive, but they also have several after-effects. Most users experience symptoms like drowsiness, confusion, and poor memory. At least 40% of patients admit to having used the pills longer than were recommended and increasing the dosage or switching to stronger medicines as their bodies developed a tolerance to them. A better option is to look for alternative solutions that can help you fall asleep naturally.
Identify the Causes for Your Insomnia
Insomnia can be triggered by different causes and identifying your trigger is a good first step for resolving the issue. Check out this list and see if they seem familiar.
- Stress and anxiety: Do you lie awake for hours worrying about work or personal problems? Does it feel like your brain just won’t quiet down?
- Sleep schedules: Have you been traveling across time zones? Do you work night shifts or have irregular work hours?
- Digestion: Do you eat dinner too late in the night? Do you often have indigestion and heartburn?
- Excessive nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine before bedtime?
- Painful medical conditions or taking medications that interfere with normal sleep patterns?
- Mental illnesses like, for example, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression?
Adopt Solutions for the Triggers
If you relate to any of the causes above, you can adopt solutions to resolve them.
Stress and Anxiety?
Admittedly, switching off your brain takes work and is a long process. But, you have to condition your mind to wind down, so it can relax enough to fall asleep. Take up deep breathing and meditation at bedtime. Learn relaxing techniques and how to target each body part in turn until you fall asleep. You can also try listening to music or reading a book. If you absolutely need sleep aids, sleep gummies infused with organic melatonin are a great solution.
Irregular Sleep Schedules?
Work your way around the problem by fixing your bedroom. Invest in black-out curtains, earplugs, and eye masks to keep disturbances down to the minimum. All electronics like your TV, laptop, phone, or iPad should be placed outside the bedroom to eliminate the blue light they emit. If you have pets, get a friend or family member to take care of them so you can sleep.
Physical and Mental Health Issues?
Talk to your doctor about your problems with insomnia and ask for solutions. They could change some of your medications or prescribe pain-relieving pills so you sleep better at night. Check for the need for counseling or specialist care to help resolve your mental issues.
Digestion Problems?
Rework your diet and make it a point to eat light, nutritious dinners that are easily digestible. You should also eat dinner at least 3 hours before bedtime, so it is digested completely.
Take the time to identify the causes of your insomnia and work out solutions for treating insomnia accordingly.
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