Insomnia, as you may already know, is a sleep disorder that leaves you in a state of sleeplessness and chances are as you age your sleep span shortens considerably leaving you with lesser and lesser time to get proper sleep. As adults, we can all agree that one of the worst things that can happen is to lose the ability to sleep well, especially at night. It's no gainsaying a lack of sleep can negatively affect your general well-being, I mean, endless tossing and turning on the bed can possibly do no good for you, not especially when all you want is to get some good rest.
Oftentimes, Insomnia hits at different stages in life and while it will be temporary for most people, for some others, it can last a while depending on the causal factors. The good news is for a lot of people, Insomnia happens for quite obvious reasons meaning that it is fixable or at least manageable given certain lifestyle changes or adjustments.
Below is a list of possible habits which may be affecting your sleep pattern;
You’re Netflixing: If you suffer from symptoms of Insomnia, you want to do away with the need to constantly be in front of a screen, be it your phone television set, or tablet. Binge-watching movies on Netflix is good but it should not be at the expense of your sleep, it is important to prioritize even your sleep, so go to bed when it’s bedtime.
Late Night Eating: Midnight snacking may seem like a good idea but unfortunately it does have consequences that also affect your sleep, you see when you eat late, it means that your body takes longer to metabolize and eventually digest the food all of which can delay your sleep while also preventing you from getting the much-needed rest you need.
Anxiety/Over-Thinking: When you stress over things it soon becomes the other of the day and can impact the outcome of your day and even night. Overthinking and worrying do nothing for you really, learn to relax your mind regardless of whatever situation you find yourself in.
Poor Lifestyle Choices: Your general day-to-day activities also affect how well you can sleep at night, a reason why it is easier and a lot better to adopt wholesome lifestyle habits which enhance wellness. You cannot smoke consistently, abuse alcohol, eat late-night foods and on top of that not exercise and expect to have a healthy sleep pattern.
Medical Conditions: That Affect Sleep Some medical conditions such as diabetes, failing mental health, physical pain, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can cause a person to lose sleep and affect the effectiveness of one’s sleep, and in such cases, one may be required to resort to a coping mechanism such as the use of medications to induce sleep.
Here's what you can do to get better sleep in the long run;
- Exercise regularly but not before bedtime.
- It pays to switch off appliances that could distract your sleep E.g. Television sets, phones, music players, and lights as well.
- Find some time to meditate and purge yourself of worry and overthinking before bedtime.
- No more late-night snacking, eat before bedtime or better still do not eat any heavy foods after 6:00 pm and if you must, have some lite fruits instead E.g. Watermelon and Banana which has been said to boost your sleep.
- Manage your stress levels.
- Make sure to sleep on comfortable bedding and in even more relaxing sleep positions.
- Reduce your caffeine intake.
- A shower before bedtime, helps you relax your muscles and boosts sleep.