You know it’s so easy to lose sight of the importance to get enough sleep until it becomes a problem going to sleep at all. Facts from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that at least a third of America’s population which is no less than 70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders.
Adequate sleep holds the key to a healthy body. It also determines one’s creativity levels and attention to details.
What’s a Sleep Disorder?
Sleep disorder also known as insomnia occurs when an individual finds it extremely difficult to fall asleep once in bed. The inability to catch enough sleep at night could be referred to as sleep insomnia. It’s ok if it occurs once in a while but a regular case of sleepless nights leading to tiredness and sleepiness during the day should call for concern.
Sleep disorder varies from insomnia to sleep apnoea, parasomnias, narcolepsy and restless leg syndrome. They all involve one form of sleep deprivation or the other.
What Causes Sleep Disorders?
Under normal circumstances, a healthy person only needs about 7 to 20 minutes to sleep off once in bed. For most people a normal night sleep schedule could range from five to eight hours depending on the time you usually get in and out of bed.
But when it becomes impossible to nod off or experience frequent interruptions to your sleep at night then you might want to know the cause. Sleep disorders could have a medical or a psychological cause so let’s look at some:
• Medical conditions such as body aches, hyperthyroidism, gastrointestinal problems, neurological diseases, respiratory issues, allergies, high blood pressure, heart diseases, etc.
• Chronic pain, headaches, and migraine.
• Psychological issues such as depression, traumatic experiences/ anxiety, etc.
• Lifestyle such as taking a nap during the day, irregular work hours, etc.
• Eating disorders and habits such as taking coffee, alcohol, heavy metals and nicotine intake.
• Drug interference with sleep
• Aging amongst those 65 and above.
Alternative Treatment for Sleep Disorders
Ok, so what do you do if you suffer from a sleep disorder or insomnia? Try some of these:
Relaxation
For sleeplessness due to anxiety or depression, the ability to unwind, identify the stressor and then try to reduce the anxiety will help. Some experts recommend Yoga sessions that go with meditation as a way of freeing the mind from worries.
Exercise
Regular exercise helps the body rejuvenate better and the nerve to relax. Exercise keeps the body feeling lively and healthy. It helps put the mind in a better state and makes it easier to fall asleep faster. Yoga sessions such as the Tai Chi and Tibetan practice can help improve sleeping conditions for non-medical cases or eating disorders.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture involves the process of inserting needles into specific parts of the body helping to release certain chemicals from the body. It provides pain relief and helps relax the nerves enough to allow the sufferer sleep peaceably.
Lifestyle changes
What you consume can have major effects on your sleep patterns just as it affects your overall health. Changes in your diet and lifestyle can help with pain relief:
• Increase vegetable, fish and fruit consumptions in place of sugar consumption.
• Have a regular sleeping order
• Take minimal water before going to bed
• Identify and eliminate stressors using exercises
• Reduce alcohol consumption, nicotine and caffeine (tobacco) products towards the evenings.
• Watch your carbohydrate intake especially at night.
Remember to keep track of your sleeping pattern to notice any improvements. Also, try to identify what causes sleep difficulties and eliminate it as much as possible. If it becomes incessant, seek professional help early.
