About one-third of adults experience acute insomnia, which means they have bouts of sleep loss that last a few days at a time. But one in 10 suffer from chronic insomnia, which lasts for more than three nights a week for three or more months.
Common causes of chronic insomnia include: Stress. Concerns about work, school, health, finances or family can keep your mind active at night, making it difficult to sleep. Stressful life events or trauma — such as the death or illness of a loved one, divorce, or a job loss — also may lead to insomnia.
It's not always clear what triggers insomnia, but it's often associated with: stress and anxiety. a poor sleeping environment – such as an uncomfortable bed, or a bedroom that's too light, noisy, hot or cold. lifestyle factors – such as jet lag, shift work, or drinking alcohol or caffeine before going to bed.
Melatonin plays an important role in regulating human sleep.
Several of the most popular natural sleep aids include melatonin, GABA, tryptophan, 5-HTP, CBD and THC, valerian root and lavender.
Close your mouth and quietly inhale through your nose to a mental count of four. Hold your breath for a count of seven. Exhale through your mouth, making a whoosh sound for a count of eight. Repeat the process three more times for a total of four breath cycles.
Treating insomnia typically involves sleep-inducing medication, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-i), or a combination of both of these measures. Positive lifestyle changes may alleviate symptoms for some people, as well.
Can My Insomnia Be Cured? Absolutely. It may not be easy though, as curing insomnia often means improving your sleep hygiene and establishing habits that are more conducive to good sleep. And habits, especially routines you follow every day, can be tough to break.
Eating a well balanced diet, getting regular exercise, staying mentally active, and keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check will improve sleep as well. You can also tackle any sleep problems by training your brain for better sleep.
A sleep expert can help you learn the causes of your insomnia and recommend a plan to treat it. “But you still may need months to get to a better place,” she says. “The good news is that the research shows you can get past insomnia with the help of your health care providers.”
Moderate insomnia is always associated with feelings of restlessness, irritability, anxiety, daytime fatigue, and tiredness. Severe insomnia: This term describes a nightly complaint of an insufficient amount of sleep or not feeling rested after the habitual sleep episode.
3 hours before bed: No more food or alcohol. 2 hours before bed: No more work. 1 hour before bed: No more screen time (shut off all phones, TVs and computers). 0: The number of times you'll need to hit snooze in the AM.
Conclusion. A 2021 study suggests that sleeping between 10 p.m and 11 p.m. makes for an optimum bedtime, as it lowers the risk of heart disease. The findings indicate that the risk is higher in women. The results show that earlier or later bedtimes may be more likely to disrupt the body clock or the circadian rhythm.
Cherries
Cherries (especially sour cherries like the Montmorency variety) are one of the only (and highest) natural food sources of melatonin.
Melatonin is a hormone your body produces naturally that signals to your brain that it's time to sleep ( 9 ). Time of day influences this hormone's cycle of production and release — melatonin levels naturally rise in the evening and fall in the morning.
Research has shown that maintaining sufficient levels of Vitamins B3, B5, B6, B9 and B12 may help achieve good sleep. Best food sources of vitamin B includes whole grains, meat, eggs, seeds and nuts as well as dark leafy vegetables.
Eggs and fish are higher melatonin-containing food groups in animal foods, whereas in plant foods, nuts are with the highest content of melatonin. Some kinds of mushrooms, cereals and germinated legumes or seeds are also good dietary sources of melatonin.
Exercise boosts the effect of natural sleep hormones such as melatonin. A study in the journal Sleep found that postmenopausal women who exercised for about three-and-a-half hours a week had an easier time falling asleep than women who exercised less often. Just watch the timing of your workouts.
Known as the “relaxing hormone,” progesterone has a mildly sedative effect.