Usually, we don’t have to think much about sleep. We think of it as a normal part of life. If you do not sleep, of course, there is a problem. All of us suffer from sleep disorders at some point or another. This is called insomnia. Sometimes insomnia lasts for a few days if we are anxious or excited. After a few days, we can go back to sleep. We need to sleep to keep our body and mind healthy. If we don’t sleep properly for a long time, we can understand the consequences.

 

What is sleep?

 

Sleep within twenty-four hours of the day is the time when we are not aware of our surroundings. There are generally two kinds of sleep

 

Rem

 

One in five of us sleep through the night. When we sleep, our brain stays awake, our muscles relax, our eyes move from side to side, and we dream.

 

Non-RAM

 

During this sleep our brain is inactive, but the body can move. During this time hormones are secreted and the fatigue of the day is removed and the body becomes fresh again. There are four levels of non-RAM sleep.

 

  1. Pre-sleep stage – muscles relax, heart rate decreases, body temperature decreases.

 

  1. Light sleep – At this stage sleep is easily broken, there is a normal awareness of the surroundings.

 

  1. ‘Slow Wave Sleep’ – Low blood pressure, at this stage people go to sleep or talk.

 

  1. Dark ‘slow-wave sleep’ – sleep does not want to break easily. There is no normal awareness of the surroundings when broken.

 

We sleep between REM and NONREM at night, turning these stages around at least five times. We dream more in the morning.

 

At night we can wake up for a minute or two except for a couple of hours. It is not always remembered by us. These we remember if we are thinking, or if there is any other difficulty (such as if someone else is sniffing or if there is a noise outside, etc.).

 

 

How much sleep is needed at any age?

 

There is no substitute for adequate sleep to maintain good physical and mental health. But just like less sleep, more sleep is bad for your health. Again, the demand for sleep in childhood, adolescence, youth, youth, and old age is also different. A national health organization in the United States recently published a guideline on age-based sleep patterns in light of various studies. Age-based sleep patterns are suggested by The Guardian.

Sleep, www.healthaxil.com

A team of 16 researchers from the National Sleep Foundation in the United States developed this age-based sleep guide. The country’s sleep experts have finalized the guidelines by reviewing 320 research reports conducted over the years.

 

In compiling this consultation, they also examined the health benefits and health risks associated with sleep. If you sleep less for a few nights, you may become tired, lose focus, and become depressed, and anxiety may increase. And if this sleep deprivation continues, the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity may increase. On the other hand, regular extra sleep can increase these health risks.

 

 

According to a recommendation from the National Sleep Foundation in the United States, children between the ages of 7 and 9 need at least 9-11 hours of sleep a night, but they can continue to sleep on their own even if they get 7-8 hours of regular sleep. 10 to 18-year-olds need 8-10 hours of sleep. However, some people can continue to sleep for 8 hours regularly. And during adolescence, many may need about 11 hours of sleep. But sleeping for more than 11 hours can be very harmful to health.

 

Lydia Doncarlos, of Loyola University in Chicago, a member of the U.S. research team, said teenagers usually fall asleep a little late at night because of the circadian clock. But whenever you sleep and whenever you wake up, it is very important to get enough sleep regularly. He also said that many people think of getting enough sleep on holidays but in fact ‘sleep deprivation can never be made up’.

 

People between the ages of 18 and 64 need 8-9 hours of sleep a night, but some people can get 8 hours of regular sleep. People over the age of 65 need 7-8 hours of sleep. But many people can sleep well during the day and sleep well for 5 hours at night.

 

 

What happens if you do not sleep?

 

Anxiety is normal if you do not sleep. If you don’t sleep for half a night, you will feel tired the next day, but it will not harm you physically or mentally.

 

But if you don’t sleep for several nights, you will see

 

  • Always feeling tired
  • During the day, the eyes are getting sleepy
  • Having difficulty concentrating
  • Having difficulty making decisions
  • Feeling upset

 

It can be difficult to drive or operate machinery. Every year many accidents occur as a result of people falling asleep while driving.

Lack of sleep increases our blood pressure, weight gain, and diabetes.

 

 

Adults have difficulty sleeping

 

Less sleep (insomnia)

Either you are getting less sleep or you are getting enough sleep but your body is not feeling well after sleep.

There are many reasons for not getting sleep in our daily life.

 

  • More noise in the bedroom or hotter or colder there
  • The bed is too small or not comfortable enough
  • Sleep patterns are not the same for you and your spouse
  • You may not have a specific routine or you may not be doing enough physical work
  • Playing too much can make it difficult to sleep
  • If you are hungry, you may wake up early
  • Cigarettes, alcohol or any caffeinated beverage such as tea or coffee
  • Illness, pain or fever

 

And some serious reasons are:

 

  • Mental turmoil
  • Difficulty at work
  • Anxiety
  • Depression – may wake up early in the morning and may not sleep anymore
  • Always think about everyday matters
  • What are the benefits of medicine?

 

People have been using sleeping pills for many years, but now we know that these are:

 

  • Does not work for long
  • The next day you are tired and irritable
  • As soon as their ability to work decreases, you need to increase the amount of medication to do the same.
  • It becomes a habit. If you use it for a long time, you will become physically and mentally dependent on sleeping pills.
  • Some newer sleeping pills (Zolpidem, Zaleplon, or Zopiclone) are available, but they have the same side effects as older drugs (Nitrazepam, Temazepam, and Diazepam).

Sleeping pills can be taken for a few days – for a couple of weeks. Suppose you are in such a state of mind that you cannot sleep at all, then you must take sleeping pills.

 

If you are taking sleeping pills for a long time, you need to gradually reduce it by consulting a doctor.

 

In some cases, it is necessary to take antidepressant pills.

 

Over-the-counter drugs

Many medicines are available from chemist’s shops without a doctor’s prescription. It often contains antihistamines. Antihistamines, colds, coughs, and fevers are also present in this type of medicine. It works, but you feel sleepy for a long time the next morning. If you use these, do not drive or operate machinery the next day. Another problem is getting used to it. The more the body becomes accustomed, the more you have to increase the dose, to get the job done as before. It is better not to take this kind of medicine for a long time.

 

Herbal medicines are mainly made from a plant called Valerian. It works best if it is used every night for two weeks or more. Sometimes there is no special benefit. If you use it as an antihistamine, it affects the next morning. If you use blood pressure medications or any other sleeping pills, consult your doctor before using over-the-counter medications.

 

Psychological treatment

 

Cognitive Behavior Therapy has been shown to work in insomnia. It teaches you to deal with thoughts that make you think more and disturb your sleep.

 

Avoid these

 

Alcohol- Everyone knows that drinking alcohol brings sleep. But the problem is that you will wake up in the middle of the night. If you drink alcohol regularly for sleep, you will find that you are gradually increasing the amount of alcohol to get the same effect. If you drink regularly and suddenly stop drinking, you will not be able to sleep for two weeks.

 

Sleep apnea or any drug (such as cocaine, amphetamine or ecstasy) disturbs sleep.

 

What can be done by yourself?

 

Here are some simple tips that have benefited many people.

 

What to do

 

  • Make your bed and bedroom comfortable. Don’t get too hot or too cold and don’t make too much noise.
  • Make sure you can sleep properly in your bed. If it is too hard, you will have pain in your waist or shoulders, and if it is too soft, your body will not get enough support. Mattresses need to be replaced every ten years.
  • Don’t overdo it, but try to walk or swim regularly. The best time to exercise is during the day. You can exercise in the middle of the day or the evening if you want. Doing so later may interfere with sleep.
  • Relax before going to bed. Some use aromatherapy.
  • If a thought comes to your mind and nothing can be done about it, write it down. Tell yourself before bed that tomorrow I will think about this problem.
  • If sleep does not come, get up, and do some relaxing work. Read books, watch TV, or play light music. If you feel sleepy after a while, go to bed.

 

What not to do

 

  • Do not sleep for long. Only go to bed if you feel tired at night, but get up at the same time in the morning, you feel tired and do not.
  • Caffeine has a long-lasting effect on the body after drinking tea or coffee. Do not drink tea or coffee afternoon. If you want to have a hot drink in the evening, drink either milk or any other caffeine-free drink.
  • Do not drink too much alcohol. Even if you fall asleep early, you will almost inevitably wake up in the middle of the night.
  • Do not eat heavy meals at night. Dinner is best served in the evening.
  • If you do not sleep at night, do not sleep the next day. Then it will be difficult to fall asleep again that night.
  • This way, even if you can’t sleep, contact your doctor. Talk to your doctor about what’s going on in your head and not getting enough sleep at night. Your doctor will understand the cause of your insomnia physical illness, mental disorder, or any medication you are taking. If the insomnia is chronic, you may benefit from cognitive behavior therapy.

 

 

Changes in sleep time – working shifts or having a baby

 

You may have to stay awake for work at night while sleeping. If you have to deal with it sometimes, you will easily get used to it. But often when sleep patterns change, it’s much harder to get used to. Everyone who works in shifts, doctors or nurses who are on duty at night or mothers who breastfeed their children may all have this problem. They are awake when everyone is asleep. Jet lag is the same problem. As time changes quickly you will see that you are awake while everyone is asleep.

 

To get back to normal rhythm easily, get up at the same time every morning, no matter how many nights you sleep the night before. Use an alarm clock. If it is not a night that day, do not go to bed at all. If you do this for a few nights, you will go back to a normal rhythm.

 

Get more sleep

 

Maybe you fall asleep again and again during the day. This often happens when you do not sleep well at night. If you get more sleep during the day despite getting enough sleep at night for two weeks, then there may be some other cause such as diabetes, thyroid, or viral infection.

 

There are other reasons why people sleep more.

 

Narcolepsy

 

It does not usually occur, and many times doctors cannot diagnose the disease.

 

Its two main symptoms are:

 

  • Fall asleep during the day and suddenly fall into a deep sleep (even if you are with another person)
  • When you suddenly smile, get angry or excited, your muscles lose control and you fall. This is called cataplexy.
  • You may notice that there are more symptoms such as:
  • You cannot talk or move before you go to sleep or when you wake up (sleep paralysis)
  • Listening to dream-like pictures or contradictory conversations (hallucinations)
  • That night you fell asleep and did something you don’t remember
  • I woke up that night with a sudden heatwave
  • A few days ago, the cause of this disease was known to be a lack of orexin or hypocretin.
  • Exercise regularly and go to bed on time at night. Medications can be taken to understand the symptoms, antidepressant pills, or medications that reduce drowsiness, such as modafinil.

 

Sleep apnea

 

  • You snore at night and stop breathing from time to time (for a short time). This is because your airways close for a moment.
  • When breathing stops you suddenly wake up and your limbs or whole body tremble.
  • When you wake up, you fall asleep again.
  • It can happen many times at night. You may feel tired the next day, sometimes with a dry face or a headache. During the day you will suddenly get a lot of sleep.

 

It is more

 

  • Adults
  • Those who are overweight
  • Those who smoke
  • Those who drink excessively

 

Sometimes people in the patient’s home notice the problem first rather than the patient. Early treatment begins with a change in your lifestyle. Reduce cigarette and alcohol consumption, lose weight, and change bedtime. If you are more ill, you may need to use the CPAP Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) mask. It sticks to your nose and supplies air at high pressure. It does not block your airways.

 

Other sleep difficulties

 

At some point in life, 1 in 20 people has night terror and 1 percent walk in their sleep. Both are more common in children.

 

Walking in sleep

 

If you walk in your sleep, people will think that you are doing various activities when you wake up. Maybe you’re even going up and down the stairs. Sometimes you can even read in uncomfortable or dangerous situations. If no one wakes you up, you will not remember this incident the next day. Sometimes people walk in their sleep after Night Terror (see below).

 

The one who walks in his sleep has to be brought back to bed. Measures must be taken so that he and anyone around him are not injured. Doors, windows, and any sharp objects have to be locked.

 

Night terror

 

A night terror can happen by itself or people can walk with it in their sleep. Night terror also seems to have woken people from a deep sleep. Then they stay half asleep and half awake and very scared. Usually, they do not wake up completely, they fall asleep again. You have nothing special to do but sit down until he falls asleep again.

 

Night terror and nightmares are not one thing. I don’t remember anything about Knight Terror the next day.

 

Nightmare

 

We all have nightmares or nightmares. Most nightmares we see late at night because that’s when we dream the most. Not seeing too much is not a particular problem for nightmares. Frequent nightmares occur when there is a traumatic event. People often have nightmares after the death of a loved one or an accident. Many benefit from counseling.

 

Restless Legs Syndrome

 

Your legs will always move (sometimes other parts of the body as well).

  • May cause pain or burning in the legs
  • These difficulties occur only when taking rest
  • Trouble increases at night
  • Walking or moving reduces pain
  • You may not be able to sit properly during the day, and not sleep well at night.

 

Patients usually come for treatment in middle age, although they have been suffering from it since childhood. The disease is hereditary, other family members may also have this problem. It can also be caused by pregnancy, diabetes or kidney disease, or lack of iron or vitamins.

 

If there is no other cause, the treatment of Restless Legs Syndrome depends on the severity of the disease. If there is a small problem, it is solved by following the simple tips for good sleep. If it is more severe, medicine has to be used. There are many types of medications that can be used, such as antiparkinsonian medications, antiepileptic medications, sleeping pills, or pain medications. If this does not work, you may be referred to a sleep specialist.

 

Autism

 

This disease does not have the feeling of having to sleep at night. They are awake when everyone is asleep. In this case, it is better to go to a specialist.

 

 

How to sleep at night (when you can’t sleep)

 

Once you fall into the cycle of insomnia, you have to work hard to cure it. And for this, there is a loss of health and work. At Toots Plus we write articles about productivity, but it is not possible to do any work productively if there is a lack of sleep.

 

So, in this tutorial, we will see how to balance work life. And the quality of sleep can be improved.

 

First, we will look at the harmful aspects of insomnia. Then we will see how sleep can be controlled by changing daily habits.

  1. How insomnia harms health and work

 

So what are the harms of not sleeping?

 

Sleep and work performance

 

Insomnia harms work. Research has shown that a glass of wine that does not sleep for 24 hours has the same effect as drinking wine. This reduces decision making and reaction time.

 

Hey, the survey has shown that it also reduces self-control.

Research on learning and memory has shown that lack of sleep reduces productivity.

 

Sleep and health

 

Lack of sleep does not only damage the work. There is a lot of damage to health.

The National Health Service (NHS) of England has interpreted it as:

 

Lack of regular sleep increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, and shortens life expectancy.

 

Seriously, isn’t it? Details are given below.

 

  1. Insomnia reduces immunity, aging is more.
  2. Insomnia causes hormonal imbalance. The result is weight gain.
  3. Long-term insomnia causes mood disorders and depression.
  4. People who sleep less than 5 hours a day have a much higher risk of developing diabetes.
  5. Insomnia reduces sexual desire.
  6. Long-term insomnia causes high blood pressure and heart disease.
  7. It leads to reduced productivity and the possibility of impotence due to hormonal imbalance.

 

So what is the way to escape from these? In the next section, we will see how to cure insomnia.

 

  1. What to do if you can’t sleep

 

Advice on sleep covers all two main topics:

 

  1. What to do when sleep does not come.
  2. And if you practice in daily life, sleep will be better.

 

There will be no benefit if you have a cup of tea or coffee before going to bed and then browse the internet for how sleep will come. So from today, you will take care of two situations. First, we will see what the short term solution is. Then we will see the long term solution.

 

When you can’t sleep, you can follow these 6 tricks given below:

 

  1. Stop trying

 

If you constantly think about how sleep will come, you will not fall asleep due to tension. Try to relax by eliminating these thoughts.

 

Try something relaxing, like reading a book, listening to music, etc. You will also get long term benefits from this short term practice.

 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has a thing called paradoxical intent that is used to treat insomnia. Try to stay awake, it often leads to sleep!

 

  1. Exclude Judgment

 

Eliminate the thought of what will be the problem if you cannot sleep.

It never brings any good results. Try to brake this bike.

 

  1. Meditation

 

Studies have shown that meditation improves sleep quality. Even if you are not interested in meditation, try simple breathing exercises.

 

I use an app called Buddhifai which is specially made to help you sleep. But there is no need to go into so much complexity. All you have to do is close your eyes and focus on breathing in and out. There are many books, websites, and apps on meditation. You can take the help of those.

 

  1. Read books

 

Do you have memories of falling asleep listening to stories as a child? Reading a book is a lot like that.

 

So make it a habit to read books before going to bed. It similarly indicates to your body that it is time to sleep.

 

  1. Write down your concerns

 

Many times a person is so worried that he cannot sleep. When you write these down on paper, it often makes sense that you have not forgotten about them. They can be solved in time.

 

  1. Take a hot bath

Bathing in hot water can relax. Then the body temperature drops, which helps to fall asleep.

 

  1. Think of a relaxing scenario

 

Surely you have heard of Gona in your mind? Does it help you fall asleep?

Research at Oxford University has shown that it does not work. However, the same study has shown that instead of counting, thinking about a relaxing place or scene works.

 

  1. Lifestyle change

Short-term solutions we saw a few. Now let’s look at some long-term solutions.

 

 

  • such solutions are discussed below:

 

  1. Remove the electronic device

 

Many people watch TV to relax or do something on their mobile or tablet.

 

  • But this habit stimulates the brain.
  • Which disturbs sleep.
  • If you do this while sitting in bed, you will not fall asleep easily.

 

So stop using such devices. Can do something else instead.

 

  1. Maintain routine

 

If you have a tied routine, sleep will come in time by following the routine.

By doing this, your brain will know in advance when to sleep, and when to prepare for sleep. So reserve that place just for sleeping without doing anything else in bed.

  1. Keep the temperature right

 

Sleep does not come at unfavorable temperatures. And even if you sleep, it wakes you up. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 25 to 30 degrees Celsius is the ideal temperature for sleeping. Keep this temperature in the room where you sleep.

 

  1. Lay the egg light beforehand

 

A 2011 survey found that electronic devices produce a hormone called melatonin, which can cause sleep problems. So put all the eggs in the light sometime before going to sleep, it will help your body to prepare for sleep.

  1. Reduce caffeinated beverages

 

Stop drinking tea or coffee a few hours before bedtime.

This will stop sleep disturbances due to the presence of caffeine.

Make a habit of eating milk, green tea, etc. instead of tea and coffee.

  1. Stop drinking

 

Although alcohol helps to temporarily fall asleep, the quality of that sleep is not good. Lack of deep sleep makes people tired.

  1. Don’t eat too late

 

Avoid heavy meals just before bed. This increases the secretion of digestive juices. The body feels uncomfortable, resulting in sleep problems.

 

  1. Exercise

 

Studies have shown that just 10 minutes of exercise improves sleep quality. But just refrain from exercising before going to bed. Do it in the morning or the afternoon. Exercise reduces stress, brings fatigue, and helps you fall asleep.

  1. Avoid all of the above suggestions

 

Some researchers think that following too many rules for sleep can be counterproductive. It is better to cure it naturally.

 

So if none of the above tricks help you, then there is no need to force them. Forget everything.

 

When to consult a doctor

 

Although many people benefit from these tricks, not everyone will be the solution. If you have insomnia due to depression or any other illness,

But it is better to solve it with the advice of a doctor.

Otherwise, there will be no solution, but other health and work risks will increase.

 

Insomnia is a temporary problem for many people. If you have this problem for a long time, you must consult a doctor.

 

 

Manage work-life

 

The next step in fixing the sleep cycle is to increase productivity. If you want to know about this, you can read the articles of our productivity tutorial series.

 

 

Is sleep less regularly? Problems are waiting for you if you are not careful!

 

  1. Increases the problem of high blood pressure: If you do not get enough sleep during the day or if you have less, the problem of high blood pressure may increase. According to doctors, the ‘living organisms’ of our body cannot function properly if we do not sleep. The hormonal balance of the body can be disturbed. Problems like high blood pressure, hypertension can increase.

 

  1. Increases heart problems: When we sleep, our heart and blood vessels get at least some rest. But if you do not sleep or less, cardiovascular problems continue to increase. As a result, heart problems continue to increase.

 

 

  1. Increases the risk of diabetes: Prolonged sleep deprivation or insufficient insulin production is impaired. As a result, the risk of developing diabetes increases.

 

  1. Destroys the body’s immune system: Sleep is a way to compensate for the damage to our body and save energy. When we sleep, the ‘living organisms’ responsible for our body’s immune system begins to function. But these ‘living organisms’ can’t work unless we sleep. As a result, our body’s immune system gradually decreases.

 

 

  1. Mental health is lost: The brain has a neurotransmitter called Orexin which helps to keep the brain active. Orexin production slows down if you don’t get enough sleep every day. The working capacity of the brain tends to decrease. When the brain does not get enough rest, multiple problems like excessive depression, hallucinations, amnesia can occur. The ability to analyze one’s judgment may also disappear day by day.

 

 

 

(1)Milk

 

Drink a glass of lukewarm milk before going to bed at night. The amino acids in milk make the brain a substance called serotonin which helps to bring sleep. Milk also contains calcium which reduces stress and calms the nerves. You can also eat tokadai and cheese instead of milk.

 

(2) Banana

Nutritionist biochemist Shawn Talbot says, “Eat a banana instead of sleep. Banana potassium helps the brain to relax.” Collar magnesium is also particularly effective in relaxing our muscles. You can make a smoothie by mixing a ripe banana with a cup of milk. Drink this smoothie regularly one hour before going to bed at night.

 

(3) Almonds

Research in the Journal of Orthomolecular Studies has shown that low levels of magnesium in the body can lead to insomnia. Almonds contain a lot of magnesium which will give you a good night’s sleep and cure your headaches.

 

(4) Cherry fruit juice

 

A glass of cherry fruit juice will make you fall asleep faster. Try drinking a glass of cherry fruit juice on the dinner menu.

(5) Sweet potato

 

Sweet potatoes are one of the best sources of potassium which works to relax our muscles and nerves. Nutritional biochemist Shawn Talbot said, “Only half a sweet potato is good for sleep because it contains potassium.”

(6) Mushrooms

 

Mushrooms are rich in vitamin D, potassium, and selenium. Half a cup of cooked mushrooms fills up 1/3 of the daily selenium. It also contains vitamin B2 and vitamin B3. It helps to sleep while meeting nutritional needs.

 

(6) Honey

 

Pure honey contains a lot of glucose which affects a substance called orexin in your brain. Which helps you relax and sleep. However, refrain from eating extra honey. One tablespoon of honey is enough for sleeping.

Conclusion

 

Getting a good night’s sleep is important for both well-being and quality of work. As we have seen in this tutorial, what can we do to cure sleep problems? We hope you find these tips and tricks useful. And this will solve your sleep problems.

 

But why the delay? Try these tips and tricks today! Proper sleep will increase the energy to work during the day, and sleep at night will also become a routine.