BAD NIGHT SLEEP

Have you been turning at night? falling asleep? disturbed sleep? restlessness? if you have these symptoms you must have insomnia or sleeplessness.

Most of the people now a days have sleeping problem. It has assumed alarming proportions in present times, especially among the upper class in urban areas.

Sleep is a periodic state of rest of the body which is essential for its efficient functioning. It gives relief from tension, rests the brain and body.

Melatonin is a hormone that regulates sleep/wake cycle, a pacemaker that controls timing and drives for sleep.it lowers down body temperature, causes drowsiness and puts the body into sleep mode.

TYPES OF INSOMNIA

• TRANSIENT INSOMNIA- Last for less than a week, and can be caused by environment changes, change in timing of sleep, stress, depression and another disorders.

• ACUTE INSOMNIA - Sleeplessness for less than a month, also known as short term or stress related insomnia. Usually caused by a life event such as change in job, often travelling, etc. it resolves by time without any treatment.  

• CHRONIC INSOMNIA - Chronic insomnia is when sleeplessness occurs for more than a month. It can be caused by chronic diseases, or high stress hormone level or shifts in the level of cytokines.

CAUSES OF INSOMNIA

• DEPRESSION/ ANXIETY
• CHRONIC STRESS
• PAIN OR DISCOMFORT
• POOR SLEEP HYGIENE
• MEDICAL CONDITIONS
• DRUG INDUCED
• HORMONE SHIFTS LIKE MENSTRUATION AND MENOPAUSE.
• MENTAL DISORDERS
• NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS.
• EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCES.

SYMPTOMS OF INSOMNIA

• NIGHT TIME SYMPTOMS - 

1. Frequent falling asleep.
2. Episodes of waking up and difficulty in falling back to sleep.
3. Waking early in the morning.
4. Headache.

• DAY TIME SYMPTOMS - 

1. Fatigue.
2. Sleepiness.
3. Irritation.
4. Depression.
5. Impair attention
6. Anxiety.

NATURAL SLEEP SOLUTIONS

THERE ARE TWO METHODS TO IMPROVE YOUR SLEEPING HABITS AND RESOLVE YOUR SLEEPING PROBLEMS NATURALLY.

• DIET
• LIFESTYLE CHANGES

DIET

All fruit diet for 3-5 days, three meals course a day  or fresh fruits at every 5 hours interval.Thereafter adopt a well balanced diet programme as follows - 

• Upon Rising - One glass of  lukewarm water with one teaspoon of honey and freshly squeezed lime.
• Breakfast - Fresh fruit,a glass of milk sweetened with honey and some nuts, preferably almonds.
• Lunch - A bowl of freshly prepared steamed vegetables, 2-3 whole wheat chappatis and a glass of buttermilk.
• Mid-afternoon - A glass of fresh fruit juice or vegetable juice preferably lettuce juice.
• Dinner - A good sized raw vegetable salad and sprouts with lime juice dressing, followed by hot course if desired.
• Bed time - A glass of milk sweetened with honey.

RULES REGARDING EATING

• Do not take water with meals, but half an hour before and after a meal.
• Eat very slowly and chew your food as thoroughly as possibles.
• Never eat to full stomach.

AVOID

• Tea
• Coffee
• Sugar
• White flour and products
• Refined food
• Fried food
• Canned or preserved food.

LIFESTYLE CHANGES 

1. Basic Changes- 

• Physical exercise or yoga - Yogasana like Tadasana(palm tree pose), Utthanasana(forward fold pose), Utkatasana(chair pose), Parvatasana(mountain pose), Marjariasna(cat pose) and Brisk walk for half an hour daily will keep your body and mind active during day time and actively promotes good night sleep.

• Avoid day naps - Day nap more than half an hour or after 3 pm make it harder to fall asleep at night.try to avoid nap or limit them to get good night sleep.

• Check your medication - Take your medicines on time and avoid taking medicines which contain caffeine or other stimulant, consult your doctor to see if your medicines contain insomnia contributing agents.

• Avoid caffeine,alcohol and nicotine - These stimulant make you sleep harder at night, avoid taking coffee after lunch and alcohol and cigarettes after dinner, these causes restlessness and makes you fall asleep.

• Stick to sleep schedule - Keep your sleeping and waking time regular and scheduled, follow them hardly and get habitual.

2. Bedtime Changes -

• Avoid large meal and beverages before bed - it is suggested to avoid large meal before bed and liquid too so one should not go urine at mid night. also take food before 3 hours to bed, so digestion process and other metabolic changes doesn't hinder your sleep.

• Use your bedroom only for sleeping - don't use your bedroom for eating, watching tv, reading, working over computers etc. as these interfere your sleep cycle and difficulty in falling asleep.

• Maintain your sleep hygiene - sleep hygiene is recommended for good quality sleep.arrange the sleep environment quite, calm, cool and dark, noise, light and uncomfortable temperature disrupt your sleep.

• Try to relax yourself - relaxation doesn't only mean physical but also mental. Try to calm down your mind by putting your worries and plans aside before going to bed. some of the activities creates relaxing bedtime rituals like prayer, mantra chanting, breathing practise, soft music. Also take warm bath or hot foot bath( immersion of foot to hot water) followed by light oil massage to soul.