Do you struggle with sleeping problems regularly and you have a very irregular sleeping pattern? Most of the people suffer from sleeping problems during nighttime. They are unable to achieve a full 8 hours sleep and they feel tired the whole day and energetic during the night. This is referred to as a sleeping disorder or insomnia. This can happen due to many reasons and a lot of things daily habits can affect your sleeping pattern. If you travel a lot then you may suffer from jetlag or different time zones which will affect your sleep. About 50% of teens and old people suffer from insomnia. 

Having a good 8 to 7 hours of sleep is very important as it helps your brain and body to function properly. Poor sleep can have a lot of effects on your brain and your daily tasks. 

Some of the things which affect your sleep are: 

Causes 

1) Traveling frequently 

If you travel a lot by plane then you must be jet-lagged all the time. Traveling at night also prevents us from getting a sound sleep.

2) Frequent urination

Drinking water right before you go to sleep can cause you to wake up during the night to go to the washroom. People who suffer from urinary tract problems may have a frequent urge to go to the washroom at night and thus disturbing their sleep.

3) Anxiety

If you overthink a lot at night and are constantly flooded with a lot of thoughts then it might be difficult for you to sleep at night. 

4) Using phones or laptops late at night

If you use phones or laptops till the time you get to sleep then it may disrupt your sleep. The blue tint which comes from the phones and laptops is the light in the mornings too which we wake up. This is a biological trigger to wake up. Blue light triggers alertness and red or yellow triggers nighttime calmness.

5) Having junk or caffeine before bed

Eating habits can vary your sleeping schedule a lot. You can eat but don’t eat a lot of food or drinks before bed. A grumbling stomach can also be distracting enough to keep you awake and a full belly can also be uncomfortable.

Have some dry fruits or warm milk to avoid the grumbling.

6) Crowding the bed

Sleeping with your children or your pets can also be very distracting as there will be a lot of movement on the bed and you will not be able to get a good and sound sleep.

Treatment for sleeping disorders can be very different but some of them are very simple and can be done by everyone. Some of the treatments are:

Treatments

1. Meditate

When people are heavy-headed and have a lot of stuff going in their life they tend to have some difficulty in falling sleep. A relaxed and calm mind is very important for people to fall asleep. Meditating on a daily basis before going to the bed or maybe in the morning will help you make your mind a little light and calm your soul so that you can have a good and sound sleep.

2.  Avoid naps during the day

When people are unable to sleep at night they tend to take a nap in the afternoon because they feel very sleepy and tired during the daytime.  After taking these short duration naps you get charged for the night and again you won’t be able to sleep at night. Some studies have shown that regular naps that are long and late may lead to poor night-time sleep quality and even sleep deprivation.

3.  Lower the temperature

Having a cool atmosphere will work best for you during night time and will help you have the best sleep. When you fall asleep your body temperature changes and warms up when you get up so having a cool room temperature will help you fall asleep fast.

Some people take a hot bath before going to bed so that their body feels cool and relaxed when they are trying to sleep. You don’t require a long hot water shower but just a 10 minutes shower will also help you a lot and you may see positive results.

4.   Exercise daily

Working out on a daily basis will boost the production of serotonin in the brain and decrease the levels of cortisol which is the stress hormone. Working out will also make you feel very tired and because of which you will be bound to go to bed early. If you suffer from a disturbing sleep pattern then working out on a daily basis will not only boost your health but it will also boost your mind. 

5.  Listen to music

Some people are in the habit of listening to music or podcasts before they go to sleep. If you listen to your favorite music then there are chances that you will fall asleep faster. Soothing music can improve the quality of sleep and insomnia.

There are some soothing tunes available on the internet which are there only to help people sleep. Buddhist music has also been proved to have worked for many people. It is also used for meditation purposes. It was created from different Buddhist chants and is used for meditation. 

6.   Reading or writing before bed

You can either read or write before going to bed just to have your thoughts straightened out if they are running in circles. Journaling and focusing on your thoughts can calm your mind and help you sleep better. Writing down some positive things or events will blur out the negative ones. You can do this 15- 20 minutes before your bedtime.

7. Turn of all electronics

Switch off all the electronics at least 30 minutes before bedtime. As told earlier that electronics have a blue tint in them which is an alert to stay awake. This blue tint is the only light which alarms us to wake up in the morning. Seeing a lot of social media can also affect our brain into overthinking stuff.

This blue light also suppresses melatonin and while using electronics during night time we engage our mind and eyes into something which needs our attention. This keeps us awake and in an active state. Electronics are a distraction so try to avoid them during bed time so you can have a sound sleep.

8. Prevent drinking caffeine or any other aerated drink

As you know caffeine makes you active and prevents you from falling asleep so don’t drink any kind of beverage which contains caffeine before bed. Some aerated energy drinks also have caffeine in them which also promotes activeness in an individual and prevents sleep. If you like to drink something before bed then you can either drink warm milk or chamomile tea as these both are very relaxing and they will help you sleep.

9. Don’t do overeating

Overeating just before bedtime can also cause discomfort during nap time. If you have taken a meal which contains a lot of carbs then you may experience some discomfort or tightness and you will not be able to sleep. Have your dinner at least 1 hour before bedtime so that your tummy has time to digest it. If you eat before bedtime then your body will be digesting the food during sleeping time and it will cause discomfort or maybe some gas depending upon the meal.

Try some medication

You can try melatonin or some other light drug if you suffer from major sleeping problems. 

It has been proven to fix insomnia in some people. These medicines are only available through prescription so consult a doctor regarding your issue.

Foods to help sleep

You can try eating some foods which will help you have a sound sleep at night.

1) Kiwi

Kiwi has vitamins and minerals and most importantly vitamin C and E which are proven to promote help in sleep. It has been seen in some research that people who have eaten kiwi few hours before bed time have experienced a better sleeping pattern as compared to the people who have not consumed kiwi.

2) Malted milk

Malted milk is said to have reduced sleep interruptions for some people and thus promoting a sound sleep. When cows are milked at night their milk has more melatonin and this milk may be useful in promoting sleep.

3) Nuts

Various nuts like cashews, walnuts and pistachios are often considered to be a good food for sleep. Nuts have a lot of magnesium and zinc in them which promotes sleep. Magnesium and zinc are also used to treat insomnia in older people.

4) Rice

Good carbohydrates promote sleep and rice is the best source of good carbohydrates.  People who eat rice regularly in dinner are said to experience sleep in a better way. It also depends upon the amount which is taken and how much carbohydrates are consumed.

Take Away 

Having trouble sleeping during night-time is very natural and a lot of people suffer from it. If it is very difficult for you to fall asleep at night then go consult a doctor or try some of these home remedies. Insomnia is temporary and it can be treated with the right medicine.

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