How to fight insomnia and stress

From thefrisky.com

During our modern lives and busy workdays, we tend to spend a lot of energy on tasks and problems all around us. And at some point, we get completely drained out because the human body can take so much. Each one of us has something that is really important and requires attention during the day. Be it work, kids or other everyday problems that we all face, they are there, and they require our energy.
In order to remain sane and be able to deal with all of these stressful situations, we need to sleep and re-fill our energy for the upcoming day. Now you might be thinking that everybody knows this and there’s no point in mentioning it, but here comes the harsh reality. Not a lot of people are able to sleep properly and get the rest they need for the next day. And the reason for this? Insomnia.

This article will be dedicated to fighting Insomnia and Stress that prevents us from sleeping and resting the way we should, so if you are currently suffering from a similar condition or you simply want to learn more about the topic, feel free to continue reading until the end. Here’s what you need to know.

How to fight Insomnia and Stress

                                                                            Source: Sleepify

Knowledge is power, and knowledge is really valuable. This applies in medicine and everyday life as well, so a person who’s suffering from Insomnia might not know what to do about it, and the problem can quickly turn into something much larger. Luckily, we’re here to help.
There are many natural ways that you can fight Insomnia and Stress, and we are going to list them just below.

Fixing your bio-rhythm aka Body Clock

Believe it or not, no matter how tired and sleepy you are, you won’t be able to fall asleep if your body thinks that it is not the time for sleeping yet. A big part of having a quality sleep is having a quality schedule which includes going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. If you manage to train your body to know when the time for sleeping and waking up is, you will have a much easier time resting and waking up full of energy. One of the greatest causes of Insomnia is having a really irregular sleep/wake cycle, and the truth is that about sixty percent of young people have such a messy schedule.

Try Natural Remedies

People used natural remedies such as Teas and other herbs in order to sleep better since the prehistoric age. Simply ask your doctor for something that will improve the production of your hormones that regulate sleep and you will be good to go.

Consult a doctor

The best way and the most mature is to go to the doctor’s. You will get a professional opinion on your problem and how to fix it. Usually, they prescribe medication that can help you solve the issue and one of the common pills is Ativan.

Fix your lifestyle

                                                        Source: Garda Trentino

Starting at a computer screen for a long period of time, especially before going to bed is going to do harm. Many experts that are specialized in sleeping and sleeping conditions suggest that you should not be looking at a computer or phone screen at least one and a half hour before going to bed. Leave social media and video games for some other time, your sleep is really important and you must do everything in order to get it right.

Last but not least, and we cannot stress this enough, physical exercise. There is not a doctor, medical expert or simply a person with common sense that wouldn’t recommend you do regular physical exercise, especially if you are someone that can’t seem to go to sleep easily. We are not even going to start with all of the benefits of physical exercise since they are way too much to list, so we’ll just mention that being tired before going to bed will greatly increase the chances of you falling asleep and waking up refreshed early in the morning.

https://thefrisky.com/how-to-fight-insomnia-and-stress/

How to cure insomnia: The natural ways to improve sleep disorders

From womanandhome.com/health-and-wellbeing

Want to cure insomnia without resorting to sleeping pills? Try these natural remedies for the common sleep disorders and sleep more soundly tonight.

Sleep rebuilds us and keeps us young. High-quality sleep fortifies our immune system, balances hormones, boosts metabolism, increases physical energy and improves brain function. But, like everything else in life, sleep patterns change as you age.

“Sleep is an emotional issue,” says The Sleep Geek, James Wilson, “and, while you often get more sensitive to the effects of caffeine and alcohol as you age, you’ve also weathered the worst of the yo-yo hormonal issues around chaotic sleep, life is stable and you have a consistent bedtime routine, so your sleep may actually improve.”
And even if you are one of the 50 per cent of Britons with insomnia, you can learn to sleep better.

“Even poor sleepers can improve by getting into the right routine, eating well, exercising mildly and having a relaxing pre-bed routine,” says James.
And that means one that is tailored for you. “I find that couples are often attracted to their opposite sleep type, so my advice is not to fight your owl or lark tendencies, but to find a rhythm that works for you.”
He also advises not getting anxious on nights when sleep isn’t forthcoming.
“Get out of bed and start your relax routine again – you’ll eventually get drowsy.”

The science of sleep

In his book Why We Sleep, neuroscientist Matthew Walker says we should aim for eight hours’ quality sleep each night.
We sleep in cycles of roughly 90 minutes, during which the brain flushes out metabolic by-products including a protein called beta amyloid – thought to be a major factor in Alzheimer’s.

Why do so many of us have sleep disorders?

Walker believes the West is experiencing an “epidemic of sleeplessness”, caused by work patterns, drinking too much caffeine and alcohol, and our fondness for gadgets – known to interfere with the production of sleep hormone melatonin.
There’s no doubt that a balanced diet helps us fight stress, helping our bodies relax. Omega-3 fatty acids, tryptophan and some carbohydrates reduce levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), thus helping our bodies prepare for a good night’s sleep.

The most common sleep disorders

• Sleep apnea
• Snoring
• Sleepwalking
• Insomnia
• Sleep paralysis
• Melatonin
• Night sweats

Natural sleep remedies

Mario Rauter of Simba Mattresses advises the following

• Make your bedroom a haven and remove any clutter.
• Think before you make that last cuppa – caffeine sipped at 5pm will still be in your system at 10pm.
• Try four early nights a week – pre-midnight sleep is deeply restorative.
• Check your tog rating – your body cools down by 1-2°C during the night while you sleep, so it’s important that your mattress and bedding don’t keep you hot.

Cure insomnia by changing your diet

• Oily fish for vital omega-3 fatty acids
• Lean meat a source of b12 and b6
• Dairy rich in calcium and b12
• Eggs provide a great source of tryptophan and b12
• Nuts, seeds and legumes provide tryptophan, b6, and magnesium
• Green leafy vegetables contain magnesium and folate
• Wholegrains full of complex carbohydrates and magnesium
• Fermented foods such as yogurt, kimchi and komboucha promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria

Written by Jane Druker

https://www.womanandhome.com/health-and-wellbeing/health/cure-insomnia-natural-ways-to-improve-sleep-disorders-306188/

Suffering From Insomnia? Make Sure To Avoid These Foods

From doctor.ndtv.com/living-healthy

Multiple factors play a role behind insomnia. Let us look at foods which can result in insomnia and which food you should go for curing insomnia.

Facing difficulty falling asleep? Do you often wake up in the middle of the night and find it difficult to go back to sleep? You might be insomniac. Insomnia is a common problem nowadays. The number of people facing this disorder is increasing steadily. From medical to psychiatric conditions, there are multiple factors associated with insomnia. Unhealthy sleep patterns and certain biological factors can also be the reason behind insomnia. But ever wondered if your diet can cause insomnia? There are certain foods that promote good sleep, but there are certain foods which can do just the opposite. Let's have a look at foods which you should avoid to discourage insomnia.

1. Foods and drinks with caffeine content: Your coffee contains caffeine. The energy drinks you go for instant recharge are loaded with caffeine. These drinks are made for providing an instant kick to keep you away from the tired feeling. Drinking caffeine after lunch (and especially near bedtime) is not recommended, as it can interfere with your sleep (by keeping your mind overactive). Foods like dark chocolate should be avoided late in the day, as dark chocolate also contains caffeine.

2. Alcohol: Alcohol often disrupts your sleep and can distract you from entering the much needed deeper phases of sleep cycles.

3. Heavy meals before bedtime: Moderation is the key, when it comes to most things in life. Eating a heavy dinner before bed can result in sleep loss as well. This is because your body focuses on digestion. A light snack is recommended if you find yourself hungry before bedtime. Go for light snacks like chana, puffed rice.

4. Spicy foods: Eating spicy foods before bedtime can be a very bad idea. They can cause indigestion, acid reflux and heartburn. Heartburn can get worse while lying down as it allows the acids to slip into the oesophagus and burn the sensitive lining.

5. High fat foods: High fat foods have been linked to poor sleep. This is because fat triggers the digestive processes. This results in a build-up of stomach acids, which can go into the oesophagus (while lying down), causing discomfort. A high fat diet also messes with orexin production, one of the neurotransmitters that helps regulate your sleep/wake cycle along with melatonin.

6. High protein foods: Protein rich foods can also disrupt your sleep when eaten before bedtime. Proteins are tougher for digestive system to break down. Eating protein rich meals near bedtime causes the body to spend more time working on digestion. As a result, the body is not able to focus on sleeping.

7. Foods with high water content: Celery and watermelon are natural diuretics which help push water through your system. Eating these types of foods, drinking anything too close to bedtime can result in sleep loss.

But you go for these foods as they can help you to cure insomnia:

1. Calcium: Yogurt, sardines, okra, broccoli, soya-beans contain calcium. This helps in production of melatonin.

2. Tryptophan: Seafoods (like shrimp, salmon), nuts and seeds (like pumpkin, sunflower, peanuts, almonds, walnuts), legumes (like kidney beans, chickpeas), fruits and vegetables (like apples, onions), grains (like rice, wheat) are rich in tryptophan. This amino acid converts into neurotransmitter serotonin after ingestion and later converts into the hormone melatonin.

3. Magnesium: This powerful mineral is a natural relaxant as it helps in deactivating adrenaline. Excellent sources include avocados, banana.

4. Vitamin B6: Vitamin B6 also helps in converting tryptophan into melatonin. High sources of vitamin B6 include pistachio nuts, spinach.

5. Drinks: Many drinks contain essential minerals and vitamins that help you with sleep. Examples include warm milk, chamomile tea, almond milk.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

https://doctor.ndtv.com/living-healthy/got-insomnia-you-might-need-to-consider-a-dietary-change-2044122

Insomnia Symptoms, Shorter Sleep Time In Children Linked To Screen Time

From studyfinds.org

BALTIMORE — Parents of children who struggle with sleeping problems may want to consider cutting back on the iPad and Netflix time. A recent study found a positive correlation between screen time and insomnia symptoms, as well as overall shorter duration of sleep in adolescents.
Researchers say the greater the total time spent social messaging, web surfing, and TV/movie watching in a day, the more insomnia symptoms — which, in effect, also led to more depressive symptoms in children.

                                                        (© Yalana - stock.adobe.com)

The study used data from 2,865 adolescents, about 15-16 years old on average, who participated in Princeton and Columbia universities’ Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Researchers keyed on in data that monitored sleep struggles and symptoms of depression in participants.
Teens in the study reported their typical daily time spent on four screen-based activities in hours. The four main screen-based activities were social messaging, web surfing, television and movies, and gaming.

“These results suggest that parents, educators and health care professionals could consider educating adolescents and regulating their screen time, as possible interventions for improving sleep health and reducing depression,” says principal investigator Dr. Lauren Hale, Professor of Family, Population, and Preventive Medicine at Stony Brook University Medicine, in a statement.  “We’re very interested to see whether the adverse influences of social media and screen use on sleep and mental health persist during the transition to adulthood.”
The research was presented at the 32nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC (APSS) in Baltimore, a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society.

https://www.studyfinds.org/insomnia-symptoms-shorter-sleep-time-children-linked-screen-time/

The link between Vitamin D and insomnia

From click2houston.com/news

HOUSTON - Sleepless nights happen to all of us, but if you toss and turn every night, it can be a sign of a bigger health issue.
Your body may be Vitamin D deficient.

Debra Kerr is the picture of health. The 56-year old grandmother loves working out and staying active. However, that wasn't always the case.
A boating accident in 2011 left her with several broken bones. After her body healed, Kerr was left with insomnia and overwhelming fatigue.
"This chronic exhaustion never went away. I thought it was a lot of work or a lot of travel. But, working with Dr. Gisele I realized there was a significant deficiency in Vitamin D," Kerr said.
"Vitamin D is vital for every function from bone health to brain health," Dr. Gisele Leon-Ritch said.
Being in sunlight is one way to get the Vitamin D we need, but with more people wearing sunscreen, doctors say many people, especially people with darker skin, are Vitamin D deficient.
"I would say in my practice 50% of my patients are Vitamin D deficient. In Debra's case, when she came to me,  she had chronic inflammation and insomnia," Leon-Ritch said.

For Kerr, finding out she was Vitamin D deficient was the real game changer.
A recent study showed a direct link between Vitamin D and better quality and quantity of sleep.
Once Kerr started taking Vitamin D supplements, things improved.
"My energy is there. I am high energy. I am always on the go. I don't have that level of fatigue that I used to have," Kerr said.
Sunlight is just one way to get a dose of Vitamin D. You also get Vitamin D in higher amounts from fatty fish like salmon, trout, and tuna or from fortified foods, such as milk and yogurt.

Vitamin D sources

Vitamin D is found in a variety of the foods we eat. Fatty fish, such as tuna, salmon, cod and mackerel, all contain high levels. Other foods, like milk and orange juice, can be fortified with it. There are also over-the-counter supplements you can take; however, some of them contain well over the recommended daily intake, and research has called their effectiveness into question. But the easiest way to obtain vitamin D is to just go outside on a sunny day.
A kind of cholesterol present throughout your skin naturally absorbs UVB radiation from the sun and converts it into a form of vitamin D.

Dr. Clifford Rosen, a professor of medicine at the Tufts University School of Medicine and senior scientist at Maine Medical Center, said it's generally better to get vitamin D from the sun and food than from supplements.
Besides the fact that the sun is free while bottles of supplements are not, it is possible to take too much vitamin D, which could increase the risk of kidney stones and other health issues, Rosen said. The patients he sees who typically have excess vitamin D take daily supplements containing 5,000 to 10,000 units of the vitamin, significantly above the recommended daily amount.
On the other hand, biochemical pathways in our body prevent us from producing too much vitamin D from sun exposure, so it's not possible to "overdose" that way, said Paul Thomas, a scientific consultant for the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements.

How much vitamin D is enough?

In 2010, a committee from the Institute of Medicine, now known as the National Academy of Medicine, recommended new guidelines for vitamin D intake and adequate blood serum levels of a vitamin D biomarker. Rosen, who served on the committee, said that people are typically at risk for developing deficiency if their serum level of the biomarker is less than 12 nanograms per millilitre, far below the adequate level of 20 ng/mL.

It is counterproductive to talk about vitamin D inadequacy or insufficiency because these levels are often relative, Rosen said, and can lead to conclusions that most of the US population is deficient or a small minority is, depending on the value chosen as "inadequate."

To attain the 20 ng/mL blood serum level of the vitamin D biomarker, the National Institutes of Health recommends an average daily amount that varies from 400 to 800 International Units of the vitamin, depending on one's age.
Thomas said there is "a range in which you can play," from the mid-hundreds to around 4,000 units of the vitamin per day, the safe upper limit according to the National Academy of Medicine.

https://www.click2houston.com/news/the-link-between-vitamin-d-and-insomnia

Your Smartphone Can Affect Sleeping Pattern: Here's How

From ndtv.com/health

Smartphone usage rate is increasing rapidly. This has also led to the rise of insomnia, especially in teenagers. Here's how your smartphone can hamper your sleeping pattern, on a daily basis.

A study recently took place which found out that limiting smartphone usage can improve sleep. It is common for teenagers to have a smartphone these days. While this has benefited them to a certain extent, it has also backfired in terms of causing some worrying health outcomes. Heavy usage of smartphones usage can result in sleep problems and may cause difficulty in sleep or insomnia. Smartphones emit an evening blue-light - which is the main culprit that causes obesity, sleep disturbances and much more. Lack of sleep occurs because of suppression of melatonin, a hormone which controls the sleep/wake cycle rate.
The study concluded that limiting exposure to blue-light emitting screens can reverse sleep problems after just one week.

The researchers, for their study, went for a randomised controlled trial among a small group of smartphone users to assess the effects of blocking blue light with no screen time during the evening, and using glasses and on the sleep pattern. A reduction in reported symptoms of sleep loss in participants was visible in a week after this blue light was blocked with glasses.

This research is alarming, as insomnia is a serious issue, where people tend to ignore the first signs, namely:
1. Waking up during the night
2. Difficulty falling asleep at night
3. Waking up too early
4. Daytime tiredness or sleepiness
5. Irritability, depression or anxiety
6. Not feeling well-rested after a night's sleep
7. Increased errors or accidents
8. Ongoing worries about sleep
9. Difficulty paying attention, focusing on tasks or remembering

Let's look at some ways you can follow to improve your night sleep:

1. Increase bright light exposure during the day
2. Reduce blue light exposure in the evening
3. Don't drink alcohol
4. Don't consume caffeine late in the day
5. Reduce irregular or long daytime naps
6. Get a comfortable bed, mattress and pillow
7. Exercise regularly - but not before bed
8. Don't drink any liquids before bed
9. Don't eat late in the evening
10. Take a relaxing bath or shower
11. Try to sleep and wake at consistent times
12. In the evening, relax and clean your mind.
(With inputs from IANS)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

https://www.ndtv.com/health/your-smartphone-can-affect-sleeping-pattern-heres-how-2040619

Light and the circadian rhythm: The key to a good night's sleep?

From bbc.co.uk

The cycle of sleep and wakefulness is one of the key human behaviours.

We spend about a third of our lives asleep and cannot survive without it.
When asleep, our brain memorises and processes information. Our body clears toxins and repairs itself, allowing us to function properly when awake.
Even short-term sleep deprivation significantly affects our wellbeing. Most of us begin to fall apart after just one night without sleep and after three nights of missed sleep, we are functioning way below par.
One study suggested that after 17-19 hours of staying awake, performance on cognitive tasks may be similar to having had too much to drink.

These effects worsen over time. The longest documented period without sleep of just more than 11 days prompted serious cognitive and behavioural changes, problems with concentration and short term memory, paranoia and hallucinations.
But while scientists have long understood the importance of getting enough sleep, the key part played by light exposure can sometimes be overlooked.

Setting the body clock

The reason light is so important is that it sets our circadian rhythm, or body clock, via specialised light sensors within the eye.
Our eye detects the light and dark cycle within our environment and adjusts the body's circadian rhythm so that the internal and external day coincide.
This is so powerful that that people who have very severe eye damage can find their body clock is thrown off, leading to sleep problems.

                                                                     Getty Images

Without any access to light, the human body clock appears to drift, adding about half an hour on to its 24 hour cycle for each day of darkness.
Jetlag is the most obvious example of the effect light can have. Exposure to light in the new time zone helps reset our body clock to local time, telling us the right time to sleep.
In 1800, most people across the world worked outside and were exposed to the change from day to night. Today, many of us miss out on these environmental cues as we work inside. Agriculture and fishing, for example, now make up just 1% of jobs in the UK.
We have become a light deprived species, and this has far reaching consequences for the quality of our sleep, and consequently our wellbeing. The optimum amount varies from person to person, but we do know that our bodies need exposure to very bright light that the majority of indoor lighting does not provide.
One notable side effect is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a form of depression thought to affect 2-8% of Europeans, which is linked to lack of sunlight exposure.

And there are many other areas where lack of natural light has caused problems.

Working the nightshift

While many of us aren't getting enough natural light, for nightshift workers it is a particular issue.
They have to work at a time when the body clock has prepared the body for sleep, and alertness and performance ability are low. They may try to make up on sleep during the day, but it will usually be shorter and of poorer quality.
In effect, they work when they are sleepy and sleep when they are not, and the negative health effects of this are only just being fully realised.

In the short term, it can prompt abnormal emotional responses and an inability to process information correctly.
Over the long term, many aspects of health can be affected by nightshift working, which may shorten life spans by up to six years.
As many as 97% of nightshift workers fail to adapt to the demands of their work pattern, regardless of how many years they have been doing the job.

They are unable to shift their biology because the artificial light found in an office or factory is very dim compared to environmental light; by noon on a sunny day, natural light can be 250 times brighter than the light in an office.
When a night shift worker leaves to go home they are often exposed to this bright natural light, sending signals to their internal timing system that it is time to wake up.
In a Harvard study, night shift workers became completely nocturnal after being exposed to bright light in the workplace and then totally shielded from natural light during the day. But this is not a practical solution for most people.

Natural light boost

Nursing home residents also often suffer from lack of sunlight.
Indoor light can be dim while residents often experience very little natural light, meaning poor quality sleep is a common complaint.
A Dutch study increased the light in the communal areas of a nursing home, while attempting to make bedrooms as dark as possible.
This appeared to reduce daytime napping and stabilise night-time sleep, which improved mental ability and sense of wellbeing.
Light deprivation is not just about the loss of bright natural light; it is also about the timing of light exposure.
Dusk light delays our body clock, making us get up later the next day. Morning light advances the clock, which makes us get up earlier.
When we worked outside this was not a problem; we were exposed to both dawn and dusk and so the two cancelled each other out.

                                                                        Getty Images

But today many of us only experience part of the dawn-dusk cycle. This can be particularly true for university students, who tend to start the day later, and then spend more time outside in the early evening.
The dusk light delays their body clocks, meaning they are likely to get up and go to bed later. This is compounded by hormonal changes in adolescence and early adulthood which delay the body clock by about two hours.

The health consequences of smoking, alcohol and unprotected sex are well publicised, but the importance of sleep and the critical role played by light is arguably less well known.
Further research and greater awareness in this area could help individuals to make informed choices about prioritising their own sleep and getting enough sunlight. It could also influence the way that policies are developed by governments, educational institutions and workplaces.Minimising light exposure before you go to bed, and trying to get us much morning light as possible, are simple steps that could help most people to regulate and improve their sleep.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-48268110

People Are Turning To 'Ear Seeds' To Beat Anxiety And Insomnia

From pretty52.com

An ancient Chinese remedy known as 'ear seeds' is gaining popularity as people turn to the trend to help with insomnia, stress, and anxiety.
The treatment, which resembles tiny gold piercings, is thought to stimulate the reflex centres in the ear to help boost energy, relieve stress and jet lag, and soothe other aches and pains.

Working in a similar way to acupuncture but without the use of needles, the 'seeds', which are a type of auriculotherapy (ear therapy) also promise to help boost mood and help achieve a sense of calm.

There's no need to head to an acupuncture expert, as you can try this remedy at home yourself - Cult Beauty, among other companies, is selling kits for £29.
Described as a 'must-try treatment straight out of LA', Cult Beauty claims the seeds "stimulate the reflex centres in the ear to help alleviate issues, boost energy and achieve a sense of calm relaxation".
They add: "Part of the reflexology family, these 24k gold-plated ion seeds create a continuous and long-lasting compression on different points of the ear and can help relieve stress, jet lag, aches and pains as well as boosting your mood."

The seeds are stuck onto clean and dry skin, and can be pressed throughout the day, supposedly to stimulate their health benefits.
They can be left on for up to a week, although experts say it's best to change them every two to three days and consult a practitioner before using them if you're unsure.
Chinese medicine and acupuncture practitioner Olivia Inge told Cult Beauty: "Placing these seeds on specific acupuncture points, stimulates the nervous system and causes the release of neurochemical messenger molecules which influence the body's homeostatic mechanisms (your personalised pharmacy!)."

"This is the process your body goes through in order to heal itself," she adds. "One of the advantages to using these seeds is that they are pain-free. They work well on needle-phobic patients, frequent fliers, babies and children, those with addictions or weak constitutions."

While people are raving about the benefits, the jury is still out on how effective they are.
A 2017 study at the University of São Paulo, which looked at treating anxiety in nurses using auriculotherapy, found that acupuncture needles were more effective than seeds, but didn't completely rule out their effectiveness.

http://www.pretty52.com/stylish/hair-and-beauty-people-are-turning-to-ear-seeds-to-beat-anxiety-and-insomnia-20190516

Tips to beat insomnia

From vanguardngr.com

Insomnia is the lack of sleep or inability to sleep. If you have insomnia, there are many steps you can take to change behaviours and lifestyle to help you get to sleep.

One thing that you can do is to wake up at the same time each day, including weekends. If you suffer from insomnia you should get up at the same time every day to train your body to wake at a consistent time. Avoid alcohol and stimulants like nicotine and caffeine. While caffeine may not only cause difficulty initiating sleep, it may also cause frequent awakenings. Alcohol may have a sedative effect for the first few hours but can then lead to frequent arousals and a non-restful night’s sleep.

Limit day time naps if you want to establish and maintain a regular sleep pattern. Napping can affect the quality of night-time sleep. Exercise regularly but at least three hours before you plan to retire for the night. Limit activities in bed. The bed is primarily for sleeping. If you suffer from insomnia, do not attempt office work while in bed or even in the bedroom, and avoid watching television or listening to the radio. A late dinner or snacking before going to bed can activate the digestive system and keep you up. Avoid eating and drinking right before bed to minimise frequent visits to the restroom that disturb your sleep.

Make your sleeping environment comfortable. Your bed should feel comfortable and your pillows too. Try relaxation therapies and stress reduction methods to relax your mind and body before going to bed.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/05/tips-to-beat-insomnia/

How stress can affect your sleep

From chron.com/neighborhood/bellaire/events

Stress not only harms your well-being but it also can prevent you from getting a reasonable amount of sleep. A Baylor College of Medicine sleep expert explains how stress can interfere with your night-time schedule and ways you can sleep more when life becomes busy.

“Stress can affect sleep in different ways,” said Dr. Annise Wilson, assistant professor of neurology and of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine. “What we commonly see is insomnia.”

Wilson explains that people who are stressed think excessively about responsibilities such as work, family and finances. For teens and young adults in school, this stress often focuses on exams and other important assignments. When one attempts to fall asleep, those thoughts continue and cause numerous disruptions in sleep patterns.

“High levels of stress impair sleep by prolonging how long it takes to fall asleep and fragmenting sleep. Sleep loss triggers our body’s stress response system, leading to an elevation in stress hormones, namely cortisol, which further disrupts sleep,” Wilson explained. “Research has shown that sleep plays an important role in learning and memory. Chronic sleep deprivation also has been associated with decreased metabolism and endocrine dysfunction. ”

It can be difficult to reach the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep when your mind is still active from daily responsibilities. Modifying your night-time behaviours are the first step to feeling less stressed in the evenings and being able to fall asleep more efficiently, Wilson said.

“Stimulus control therapy and improving sleep hygiene are well-validated methods to enhance sleep,” Wilson said. “If you find it difficult to turn your mind off, one technique we recommend is jotting down your thoughts before bed. Also, there are a lot of apps that can guide you through meditation and breathing exercises.”

She also advises relaxing activities such as warm baths and yoga before bed to help you wind down after a long day. Other factors that can impact your sleep include screen time before bed, drinking caffeine late in the evening and excessive light exposure in the bedroom.

“Creating an optimal sleep environment is crucial,” Wilson said. “One modern issue is the blue light emitted from smartphones, tablets and other electronics, because that particular wavelength is quite activating and can affect melatonin secretion. There are blue light filter apps available, and on the iPhone there is a pre-installed setting to eliminate it. But ideally, just limit screen time.”

Wilson also advises carving out a sufficient amount of time for sleep and finding ways to offload daytime responsibilities when possible, such as using delivery services and strategic planning. She also notes the importance of keeping a consistent sleep schedule throughout the week by sleeping the same hours on weekdays and weekends.

While insomnia can be caused by excessive stress, Wilson notes that insomnia also can be related to other medical conditions, such as superimposed sleep apnea, mood disorders and chronic pain.

Not receiving an adequate amount of sleep throughout the night can cause daytime impairment, Wilson said, which can be dangerous when driving or operating heavy machinery. While many attempt over-the-counter remedies such as melatonin to address their sleeping troubles, Wilson advises visiting a professional when significant daytime impairment occurs or insomnia becomes a long-standing.

https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/bellaire/events/article/How-stress-can-affect-your-sleep-13832847.php

Breakthrough finding discovers cause of insomnia

From bigthink.com/mind-brain

Brain scans reveal why insomnia sufferers can't get sleep.

Dutch scientists compared the brain scans of people invoking shameful experiences.

Insomnia suffers can't neutralize distressing memories as well.

The anterior cingulate cortex is the part of the brain linked to insomnia.

---

New research from scientists at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience points to the underlying cause of insomnia – a sleep disorder affecting up to a half of all adults at some point. Sufferers from insomnia are unable to resolve experiences as neutralized memories while the good sleepers have no trouble doing so.
The experiment consisted of making 57 Dutch participants, 18-70 years of age, relive shameful experiences while their brains were getting MRI scanned. The memories were supposed to be from decades ago.
The brain scans showed that participants who slept well were able to turn shameful experiences into neutralized memories. The insomniacs, on the other hand, had trouble achieving the same neutralization of emotional disturbances.

This discovery fits well with what we already know about the purpose of sleep. It is the time for us to solidify the memories of important experiences but also to address emotionally-distressful aspects of such memories. During sleep, connections between brain cells are either strengthened or weakened, consolidating memories or getting rid of them. Those who are able to do such mental processing without trouble get better sleep.
Interestingly, the study builds upon previous research from the same team where the invoked shame related to making the subjects listen to their karaoke recordings. These were made previously without telling the subjects what they were for, while they had to wear headphones, making their singing even worse.

The study adds to the growing amount of evidence that insomnia risk genes are particularly linked to the limbic circuitry of the brain. More specifically – the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), known to regulate emotion. The researchers implicate this region in "insufficient long-term adaptation to emotional memory" among insomnia-sufferers. Without sleeping well, events that happened decades ago trigger emotional circuits as if they are taking place now.
The findings also relate to the fact that insomnia is a primary risk factor leading up to mood disorders, anxiety and PTSD.
You can read the study, led by Rick Wassing, Frans Schalkwijk and Eus van Someren in the scientific journal Brain.

https://bigthink.com/mind-brain/breakthrough-finding-discovers-cause-of-insomnia?rebelltitem=3#rebelltitem3