Five foods that cause insomnia, do not eat them before bed

From explica.co

Unless you have a lot of work and want to stay awake, nights never seem like a good time to drink coffee, because its caffeine content just interferes with our states of drowsiness, and at night we do not want that.

But coffee is not the only thing you should avoid if you want to sleep well.

Chocolates

This is a food that really makes us happy, because it contains substances such as phenylethylamine, which in the brain produce a feeling of happiness and well-being.

But also has theobromine a stimulant of the nervous system that acts very similar to the caffeine, which is also found in chocolates: eating 100 grams of dark chocolate is equivalent to drinking half a cup of coffee.

Cheeses

Not only can caffeine interfere with your sleep, another compound that has that effect is tyramine, which is present in many foods, such as ripe cheeses.

Tyramine is also produced naturally in our body and is involved in the regulation of blood pressure, but a higher amount than normal in the body can cause headaches to sleep difficulties.

So avoid eating cheese at night or at least prefer a fresh cheese, which contains less tyramine.

Sausages

Many high-protein foods have tyramine, but the amount of this substance increases with the processes of maturation or fermentation.

Processed meats, but especially cold cuts and cured meats such as hams, salamis, and hot dogs, have a higher content of tyramine, which can interfere with your intentions to fall asleep early.

Spicy foods

In this case, the problem that you will find is not precisely associated with the spiciness or the spices themselves, but with the stomach irritation and indigestion that these types of foods can cause: no one can get a good night’s rest with a restless or bloated stomach.

In addition, the spicy contributes to increase your body temperature, which makes it more difficult to fall asleep, so do not eat anything spicy or spicy before your bedtime.

Alcoholic drinks

It is almost time to sleep and you think that having a glass of wine is a good idea, well every time you drink a little alcohol you feel sleepy and want to sleep. But think twice.

While it is true that alcohol induces sleep faster, in reality the quality of this will not be very good: you will have a light and shallow sleep, so the next day you will feel almost as if you had insomnia the night before.

So if you want to have a healthy sleep, you better not forget to say health, right before sleeping.

https://www.explica.co/five-foods-that-cause-insomnia-do-not-eat-them-before-bed/

Pregnant and Up All Night? Yep, You've Got a Case of Pregnancy Insomnia—Here's What to Know About It

From parade.com

There are things many of us “know” about pregnancy long before getting pregnant. We might be nauseous. We’ll probably be tired. Our feet might swell, and we’ll have to skip the wine for nine months. One thing we’re not talking about enough, though, is pregnancy insomnia.

According to an observational study conducted on nearly 3 million women over a five-year period, a lot of women suffer from insomnia during pregnancy—at least 50%. “Known as one of the most common complication of pregnancy, on the precipice of motherhood, it is natural to feel worried,” explains Dr. Jessica Zucker, PhD, a Los Angeles-based psychologist specializing in reproductive and maternal mental health and author of the forthcoming book I Had a Miscarriage: A Memoir, a Movement.

While a sleepless night is bearable from time to time, persistent insomnia can be excruciating—especially when your body is working so hard to grow a human. Here’s everything you need to know about pregnancy insomnia, and what to do about it.

What causes insomnia during pregnancy?

As you stare at the clock at 3 a.m., you’re probably wondering, Why is this happening to me? While there are plenty of potential reasons, doctors believe that hormones and discomfort are largely to blame.

“The pregnancy hormonal changes, as well as pressure from the growing uterus, can contribute to increased urge and frequency of needing to urinate,” explains Dr. Lucky Sekhon, MD, fertility specialist and board-certified OB/GYN. “This can lead to multiple wakings throughout the night and it can be difficult to fall back asleep. The growing uterus can cause cramping which can be painful and wake women up from their sleep.”

And as your pregnancy progresses, foetal movement can keep you up at night. “Other sources of discomfort in pregnancy—heartburn, breast tenderness, abdominal discomfort, leg cramps, shortness of breath when lying down—can prevent women from being able to fall asleep easily and also contribute to waking up in the middle of the night,” notes Dr. Sekhon.

Dr. Zucker adds that anxiety is another source of sleeplessness during pregnancy. “From a psychological perspective, sleep disturbance may be a symptom of depression or anxiety,” she says.

What can I take for insomnia during pregnancy?

Unfortunately, pregnancy takes many medications off the table, so Dr. Sekhon suggests starting by figuring out what’s actually causing insomnia in the first place.

For example:

Heartburn

“If heartburn is keeping you up at night, avoid spicy foods and other triggers, eat a smaller dinner and make sure you have time to digest your food before lying down to sleep, drink a glass of milk to neutralize stomach acid, and if needed use over the counter solutions such as TUMS or, if advised by your doctor, more aggressive medical therapies to combat gastric acid reflux,” Dr. Sekhon says. “Eat a healthy dinner before bedtime, and eat slowly to try and reduce the risk of indigestion and heartburn. Having a high protein diet will help you stay full longer, and also avoid night-time hunger or cravings which could also keep you up.”

Back pain or pressure

“Sleeping with a pregnancy pillow can help to alleviate strain and pressure on the lower back,” she says. “It is safe to take Tylenol during pregnancy to treat aches and pains.”

Peeing all the time

“There may not be much you can do about this, but symptoms can be minimized by avoiding caffeine and not drinking large volumes of fluid close to bedtime,” Dr. Sekhon notes. 

Stress

“Anxiety and stress may contribute to insomnia,” she says. “Meditation, exercise, and talking about your feelings with your support system and a licensed mental health professional may all help to address anxiety or stress that could be keeping you up at night.”

Also, don’t forget to practice good sleep hygiene: Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, avoid screens before bedtime, and keep your room cool and dark.

“If these measures are not helpful and you have persistent insomnia in pregnancy which is impacting your ability to function or is making you feel unwell, your doctor may recommend sleep-inducing supplements or medications which are deemed safe in pregnancy (ie. Benadryl),” Dr. Skekhon says. “But you should always consult your OB before taking anything to help you sleep while pregnant.”

How long does insomnia in pregnancy last?

While the duration and severity of pregnancy insomnia vary from person to person, “most women will experience more sleep issues during the first trimester (due to adjusting to hormonal changes and pelvic cramping) and the third trimester (where aches and pains and urinary symptoms are much more prevalent),” says Dr. Sekhon.

While there’s no question that insomnia is a common, not-so-fun side effect of pregnancy, there is quite a bit you can do about it—so get started today and start catching those Zzs.

https://parade.com/1169201/leighweingus/pregnancy-insomnia/

Can’t sleep? Everything you need to know about insomnia

From uk.style.yahoo.com

Sleep is essential, and most of us drift off into slumber without a second thought. But if you have an uneasy relationship with sleep, you've likely experienced endless nights troubled by insomnia. Aside from feeling exhausted, the accumulated effects of sleep deprivation can be significant.

Understanding the causes of insomnia and how you can best manage sleep patterns can help resolve this exasperating problem. To find out more about insomnia causes, symptoms and treatment, we spoke to Sleep Psychologist Katherine Hall.

What is insomnia?

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that most people experience at one time or another. 'If you struggle with insomnia, you might find it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep - or both!' says Hall.

Insomnia occurs on a sliding scale, affecting individuals differently. 'Symptoms can vary for someone over time, depending on external factors and how proactive they are in treating their insomnia,' she adds.

It's not only night-time symptoms that be problematic. During the day, you may have trouble with your usual activities due to the lack of sleep. 'You aren't getting the sleep you need for your mind and body to function optimally,' explains Hall.

As a low estimate, 10% to 30% of adults live with chronic insomnia, although this figure jumps to 30% to 48% in older people and is as high as 50% among pregnant women. It can be a short-term issue, lasting up to three months. Or, for the unlucky few, it's a chronic problem, lasting much longer.

Photo credit: Prostock-Studio - Getty Images

What causes insomnia?

There's a range of factors that may bring on a sleepless night, from having a lot on your mind through to underlying medical conditions. Some people find sleeping in a room that's too hot or cold, alcohol, caffeine, and drugs can cause insomnia. Other insomnia causes include the following:

• Stress

When we experience stress in our lives, particularly when it's over a long period, it can lead to insomnia, says Hall. 'When you're stressed, your body and mind are on high alert, looking for danger and ready to take action,' she adds. 'This fight or flight state is important for human survival, but it's not helpful when you need to sleep!

• Work schedule or jet lag

Your circadian rhythm, or body clock, regulates many functions like hunger, temperature, hormone production, and sleep. If your circadian rhythm gets disrupted, so does your rest. 'Those who work shifts are likely to find their circadian rhythm is disrupted,' says Hall. 'They may work long hours, which change regularly, meaning the time when they sleep varies.'

A consistent bedtime is vital for restful sleep. Your body doesn't like it when it can't sleep at the same time each night. The same happens with jet lag. If you fly into a different time-zone, your body may have trouble adjusting, and sleep suffers.

• Poor sleep hygiene

Sleep hygiene has nothing to do with being dirty or clean. 'It refers to positive habits we use to help us sleep. Poor sleep hygiene can lead to issues trying to sleep,' says Hall.

Good sleep hygiene means having an environment and schedule that promotes regular, uninterrupted sleep. Having an inconsistent bedtime and waking up at any old time are poor behaviours as your body prefers a routine.

Make your bedroom a relaxation palace, free of distractions. This means no brain-stimulating activities, like watching TV or playing on your phone.

'You can become accustomed to being awake in the bedroom, rather than associating it with sleep, which keeps the cycle of insomnia going,' adds Hall. Instead, follow a relaxing pre-bed routine, like having a bath and reading a book.

• Mental health

Sleep disorders are common in people who have mental health issues. 'Mental illnesses of any kind can make it difficult to fall asleep at night. This can include anxiety, depression, mood disorders such as bipolar disorder, and more,' says Hall.

'It's difficult to relax when you're stuck in a tense state or have a lot on your mind, and at night, when there are no distractions and when everything else is quiet, it can sometimes cause your thoughts to feel louder and overwhelm you.'

Medications used to treat conditions like depression and anxiety can also cause insomnia.

• Health conditions

Some health problems can cause and significantly worsen insomnia. These include chronic pain, sleep apnea, overactive thyroid, gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

'Individual symptoms of the conditions can interrupt sleep, such as needing to get up to go to the toilet or having disorders that cause uncontrollable movements or pain,' says Hall.

• Pregnancy insomnia

Both the hormonal changes and practical considerations of expecting a baby can lead to pregnancy insomnia.

'When you're pregnant, you're likely to struggle with a frequent need to urinate, even during the night,' says Hall. 'Leg cramps are common, along with an increase in the chance of restless leg syndrome. That's not even considering the worries and stress about the prospect of being a mother!'

Insomnia symptoms

The primary insomnia symptom is disrupted sleep, although you could also experience the following:

• Problems getting to sleep or staying asleep.

• Poor sleep quality.

• Fatigue or sleepiness during the day.

• Low energy and motivation.

• Concentration, focus, memory, and attention span are affected.

• Worries and anxiety about sleep.

• Headaches and gastrointestinal symptoms.

• Mood disturbances like feeling low, irritability, anger, increased stress, or impulsiveness.

People may turn to alcohol or medications to help them sleep. They may also be more accident-prone or even have car accidents.

How much sleep do we need?

The answer to how much sleep people need depends on the individual. 'As we grow from babies to adults, we're constantly developing and learning,' says Hall.

At different life stages, we need varying amounts of sleep, but according to Hall we need roughly the following amounts:

• Babies: infants have the most extreme needs, sleeping as much as 17 hours a day until they're six months old. Then, they get by on 14 or so.

• Toddlers: older babies need around 12-15 hours sleep.

• School-aged children: older children need 10-12 hours sleep.

• Teenagers: teens need around 8-10 hours sleep.

• Adults: most adults need 7-9 hours sleep.

The older we get, the less sleep we require. Fundamentally, as individuals with unique lives, our sleep needs vary.

Home remedies to beat insomnia

Insomnia usually improves by changing your sleep habits. 'The key to getting the best sleep possible is to allow yourself adequate total sleep time,' says Hall.

Here are some things you can do to improve your sleep:

✔️ Consistency is key

Get up at the same time every morning. If you do this for a sufficient number of days, you will adjust your inner clock and get tired when you need to. 'Establishing a routine is essential,' says Hall. 'You should keep your bedtime and wake time as consistent as possible. Yes, even on weekends!'

✔️ Technology cut-off time

If you're working from home, the line between work and downtime can be blurred. Constantly checking emails and scrolling through social media can amount to excessive screen time. 'Give yourself a technology cut-off time - I'd recommend at least 60 minutes before bed,' recommends Hall.

✔️ Exposure to natural light

Getting outside in the natural light is beneficial for regulating your circadian rhythm and your sleep. Try to spend time outside every day, even in the cold and rain.

✔️ Exercise

Take regular exercise, but avoid exercising shortly before bed. 'Exercising, ideally a few hours before sleep, to wear your body and mind out healthily can help with sleep,' says Hall.

✔️ Sleep environment

Make your bedroom a calming space, optimised for sleep, with a comfortable, supportive bed. A simple, economical step is to add a mattress topper to increase your comfort levels.

✔️ Avoid stimulants

Coffee, tea, and other caffeinated drinks are stimulating. 'The general rule is to try not to have anything containing caffeine six hours before going to bed. If you do fancy a hot drink during this period, try herbal teas or decaffeinated drinks instead,' advises Hall.

✔️ Herbal sleep remedies

Some people find herbal remedies get them off to sleep better than other treatments – for example using passiflora, valerian or lavender aromatic oils as aromatherapy can aid relaxation prior to sleep.

Insomnia treatment from your doctor

Most people can overcome insomnia by changing their sleeping habits. If this doesn’t work and you still have regular sleep problems or find you're frequently struggling to stay awake during the day, make an appointment to see your doctor.

A GP will try to find out what is causing the insomnia to make sure you receive the right treatment. They may refer you to a therapist for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to improve the thoughts and behaviours preventing you from sleeping. 'CBT for insomnia is the first line of treatment for insomnia,' says Hall. This psychological therapy helps address thinking patterns and behaviours that contribute to insomnia.

Other treatment options may include counselling, medication, and melatonin, although not generally recommended.

Insomnia and sleeping tablets

Sleeping tablets are sedatives that are sometimes prescribed if you suffer from insomnia. They can be helpful in the short term but it is important not to use sleeping pills too often or for too long, as you may become dependent on the medicine and find it very difficult to stop taking the tablets. For more on sleep read our guide to beating insomnia and the 12 best sleep apps.

https://uk.style.yahoo.com/t-sleep-everything-know-insomnia-124300777.html

Dr Michael Mosley: Why your sleep tracker could sabotage your shut-eye

From sciencefocus.com

By Michael Mosley

Many of us are keen to get a good night’s rest, but can this quest for perfect sleep turn into an unhealthy obsession?

Do you suffer from orthosomnia, an unhealthy obsession with getting the right amount of ‘healthy’ sleep each night?

During lockdown, there is evidence of rising rates of insomnia, particularly in health care workers, but orthosomnia is different. It applies to people who are more than a little bit obsessed by what their sleep trackers are telling them, and who rely on those trackers to tell them if they’ve had a ‘good’ night’s sleep.

The term ‘orthosomnia’ was first coined by sleep researchers from the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, who in 2017 wrote a paper called ‘Orthosomnia: are some patients taking the quantified self too far?’, which was published in the Journal Of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

As they explain in their paper’s introduction, with more and more people buying sleep trackers, they had started seeing patients whose quest for a better sleep had led to sleep problems.

They created the name ‘orthosomnia’, from ‘ortho’ meaning correct, and ‘somnia’ meaning sleep. They also chose this word “because the perfectionist quest to achieve perfect sleep is similar to the unhealthy preoccupation with healthy eating, termed orthorexia”.

© Jason Raish

One of the case studies they describe in the paper, Ms B, was a 27-year-old woman who had difficulty sleeping because of restless legs syndrome.

She was treated and seemed to improve. But a couple of months later she was back, still complaining of poor sleep. So they kept her in the lab.

But despite being told that the equipment had shown that she slept deeply, her response was, “Then why does my fitness tracker say I am sleeping poorly?” Although she was offered a course of CBT-I (cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia), she couldn’t afford it and didn’t return.

Does orthosomnia matter? The problem is that some people who are obsessed by their sleep trackers then spend extra time in bed, desperately trying to hit their sleep targets. A bit like trying to do 10,000 steps a day.

But if you try to do this with sleep, it can be counterproductive. In fact, as I’ve discovered while researching my books, one of the best ways to combat insomnia is to restrict the amount of time you spend in bed.

I confess that I have a sleep tracker, but I don’t obsess over it. The best way of telling if you had a good night’s sleep is not the device on your wrist but whether you feel tired or not.

https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/michael-mosley-sleep-tracker/

How much sleep do you need and how can you cure insomnia?

From independent.co.uk

Is there a way to stop waking up in the middle of the night?

How much sleep should you be getting? Ask a room of adults and you are likely to get a variety of different answers depending on personal preference, your body clock and whether or not you have toddlers at home.

Sleep, like food and water, is something humans need to function but in an increasingly busy and switched-on world, ensuring you’re getting enough isn’t always easy.

According to the NHS most adults need between six and nine hours sleep per night, but surveys have found as many as 33 per cent of British adults are regularly getting fewer than six hours shut eye.

Long-term, this level of poor sleep puts you at risk of serious medical conditions such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes – and shortens your life expectancy, according to the NHS.

Whether this is because you suffer with insomnia, sleep apnoea, caffeine-induced restlessness or noisy neighbours, there are a few things you can do to help be better rested.

So what do you need to know about sleep and how can you improve your bedroom habits if you’re left feeling exhausted when your alarm goes off in the morning?

How much sleep should I be getting?

Lisa Artis from The Sleep Council, a body raising awareness on the importance of sleep, says the general consensus is around seven to nine hours although it does vary across our lifetime in relation to other factors. “It is important to remember that one size doesn’t fit all and if you get slightly less than seven hours and feel fine, then chances are you sleeping enough for you. It’s also about quality of sleep and not just quantity," she says.

It’s not just about the length of sleep but the number of rapid eye movement sleep cycles.

Artis explains: “Each sleep cycle lasts around 90 minutes and consists of four stages NREM 1, NREM 2, NREM 3 and then REM, and we need to experience all four stages in order to wake up rested. A good night’s sleep consists of four or five cycles, disturbed sleep consists of far fewer.”

Alison Gardiner, behavioural psychologist and founder of Sleepstation, an NHS-affiliated sleep programme to overcome insomnia, says: “Adults obtain most of our deep slow wave sleep in the first half of the night and most of our dream sleep in the second half.”

Gardiner says the best indication of whether you’re getting enough sleep is to “assess how you feel” the next day, about two hours after waking up. “If you’re feeling well rested then you’re probably getting enough sleep,” she says.

Alternatively if you feel like you could easily fall back to sleep then you’re likely not getting the right amount of sleep.

What time should I go to bed?

It can be tempting to stay up watching Netflix, especially if you don’t feel tired yet, but when should you be going to bed to ensure you’re optimising your sleep?

Gardiner says: “You should give yourself at least enough opportunity to get the right amount of sleep for you. If you need nine hours sleep to feel good the next day and you need to be up at 8am for work, then you need to make sure you’re getting into bed (with the intention of sleeping) no later than 11pm.”

She highlights that you shouldn’t base your sleep around when your partner goes to bed as their needs may be different from yours.

“Consistency is key but the focus should be on the getting up time, not the bedtime,” Gardiner says. “Getting into bed before you’re ready to sleep will likely result in you lying there awake and frustrated until the time you would have fallen asleep anyway, but with added frustration.”

How can I switch off before bed?

Gardiner says during sleep we are vulnerable and therefore humans have evolved to need to feel safe, secure and relaxed to sleep (unless we’re really sleep deprived) so you need to have an environment that makes you feel this way.

This means having a cool, quiet, dark room as well as relaxing before bed.

“The best way to relax is to do what you find relaxing. Everyone is different; what might relax one person may not be relaxing at all for another. So, whatever you do to relax doesn’t matter – it just matters that you do something,” she says.

Artis says we should be doing this for between 30 minutes to one hour before our scheduled bedtime – during this period we should also be wary of using electronics if we sleep badly.

This is because of the blue light from our smartphones and other devices, which can damage our quality of sleep. 

(iStock)

Artis explains: “The blue light from these devices has the capacity to prevent the hormones that make us sleepy from being produced. Importantly, it is not just the light that can affect our sleep but most activities that we use our devices for can keep us awake and alert which we don’t want to do at bedtime.”

And although it is tempting – try not to drink alcohol to induce sleep. “No to the nightcap,” says Artis.

“Although alcohol is a sedative, it can have a significant impact on the quality and quantity of your sleep. Our sleep tends to become fragile and light when we have a lot of alcohol.”

How can I improve my sleep routine?

Few people manage to stick to a strict bedtime routine all the time so don’t worry too much. “This is not much of a problem for most people,” the NHS explains.

But it becomes a problem when either you’re suffering with insomnia or you’re feeling poorly rested. “For people with insomnia, irregular sleeping hours are unhelpful. Your routine depends on what works for you, but the most important thing is working out a routine and sticking to it.”

If you’re trying to improve your sleep routine, start slow. “Starting on a weekend try to add on an extra hour or two of sleep a night. The way to do this is to go to bed when you’re tired and allow your body to wake you in the morning (no alarm clocks). Expect to sleep for upwards of 10 hours at first. After a while, the amount of sleep will gradually decrease to a normal level.

“Don’t rely on caffeine or energy drinks as a short-term pick me up. They may boost your energy and concentration temporarily, but can disrupt your sleep patterns even further in the long term.”

The NHS says: “It won’t happen with a single early night. If you’ve had months of restricted sleep, you’ll have built up a significant sleep debt, so expect recovery to take several weeks.”

What can be done about insomnia?

Insomnia means you regularly have problems sleeping: you probably have insomnia if you find it hard to go to sleep, wake up several times during the night, lie awake at night, still feel tired after waking up and find it hard to concentrate during the day.

Fortunately insomnia can often be corrected by changing your sleeping habits and being more mindful about your habits before bed.

The NHS recommends going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, relaxing for at least one hour before bed, making sure your bedroom is dark and quiet, exercising regularly during the day and making sure your mattress, pillows and covers are comfortable.

Do not smoke, drink alcohol, coffee or tea in the six hours before going to bed, do not eat a big meal late at night, do not exercise less than four hours before bed, do not watch TV or use devices just before bed, do not nap during the nap and do not sleep in after a bad night’s rest.

And Artis says, if you do wake up in the middle of the night try to avoid clock watching, which can create “anxiety” and make it harder to go back to sleep.

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/how-much-sleep-do-i-need-b1804043.html

Suffering from insomnia? Try these tips to fall asleep tonight

From today.com

These strategies can help you sleep better in spite of the pandemic

Can’t sleep these days? It’s not just you. “We know that people are sleeping differently now than they did in the pre-pandemic era,” Jennifer Martin, PhD, author of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of insomnia and a professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, told TODAY. She said studies have found that during the pandemic, people are spending more time in bed, but the quality of their sleep is worse.

What is insomnia?

According to the National Institutes of Health, when you have insomnia, you may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or getting good sleep. Short-term insomnia can be caused by stress or changes in routine and can last for a few days or weeks. Chronic insomnia happens over a longer period of time — three or more nights per week and lasts more than three months — and can't be explained by a medical condition.

If lack of sleep is making it hard for you to function, talk to your primary care doctor.

TODAY Illustration / Getty Images / Shutterstock

“It’s normal that we struggle with sleep when we’re under stress. We’re wired to remain awake in the face of danger,” she said. But just because it’s normal, doesn’t mean you have to live with it.

By now you’ve probably tried the standard advice for sleeping better:

• Keep your room cool, dark and quiet
• Minimize naps
• Exercise during the day
• Get some morning sunlight

4 ways insomnia sabotages a good night's sleep

These days, though, those strategies might not be enough. Here’s how insomnia sabotages your sleep, and what you can do about it.

1. Your schedule is chaotic

The lack of a routine is a big driver behind pandemic sleep struggles. If you don’t have to be at work at a certain time and there’s not a bus rolling through your neighbourhood to pick up your kids, your morning routine can get out of whack. And your morning routine is what drives your bedtime routine.

“Your brain doesn’t know when you want to be asleep and when you want to be awake because you’re not keeping a regular schedule,” Sanjay Patel, MD, medical director of the comprehensive sleep disorders program at University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre, told TODAY.

How to beat it: Replicate your old routine or build a new one. Martin struggled with maintaining her routine when she wasn’t going into work every day, so she started to get up, get dressed, walk her dog, and have her coffee to start her day. You don’t have to wake up early if you don’t need to, but you want to wake up at the same time every day and go to bed at the same time every day.

2. You're obsessing over the world’s problems.

“A lot of things going on don’t really put our mind at ease, whether that’s the pandemic, social unrest or political issues,” Martin said. “There’s a natural tendency at the end of the day to go over these issues one more time then put your head on your pillow.”

How to beat it: Spend the last 30 to 60 minutes of your day reading something fun, light or interesting — that break can help separate your mind from the things that are keeping it active. And stay off your phone. “If you feel you must look at your phone, scroll through your photos of your last vacation,” Martin said.

3. You're self-medicating to get to sleep.

These days, people are turning to over-the-counter sleep aids and alcohol to help them sleep. “Over-the-counter sleep aids are OK to use once in a while, Patel said. But if you’re using them frequently, they’re masking an underlying problem. And alcohol might help you fall asleep, but it wears off in a few hours, so you’ll wake up during the night. It can also worsen sleep problems like sleep apnoea.

How to beat it: Try cognitive behavioural therapy. A therapist can help you change your thinking about sleep, develop relaxation techniques, reduce sleep stressors and minimize the amount of time you lie in bed awake.

4. You're working all the time.

Standard sleep advice says to only use your bedroom for sleep and intimacy. But your bedroom might be the only quiet space to work from home. And that proximity between your work space and your sleep space can keep deadlines and work questions spinning through your head at night.

How to beat it: If you must work from your bedroom, sit at a desk or chair rather than working from your bed. “That will help create that psychological separation that when you're lying in bed it’s time for your brain to turn off,” Patel said.

When should you seek expert help for insomnia?

If lack of sleep is making it hard for you to function, talk to your primary care doctor. Your doctor can either treat you or refer you to a sleep specialist. Even if you’re functioning OK, if you’re having trouble sleeping at least three times a week for three months it’s worth getting professional help, according to Martin.

And if you’re not having trouble falling asleep but you’re waking up in the night and struggling to return to sleep, talk to your doctor. “That could be a sign of an underlying sleep disorder,” Patel said.

For help treating insomnia, you can also try these resources:

• The Insomnia Coach app from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
• The CBT-i Coach app, also from the VA, designed to be used alongside therapy

https://www.today.com/health/4-tips-help-you-beat-insomnia-fall-asleep-today-t209017

How a Pair of Old Socks Cured My Insomnia

From nytimes.com/wirecutter

By Joanne Chen

Surely you’ve met people like me, and you may be one yourself—that person who is always cold. I’m the one pleading with the waiter (pre-pandemic) to turn down the AC. And yes, that’s me wearing a wool sweater in the office in the middle of July.

Night time can be especially awful. My husband has always been thoroughly supportive of my thermoregulatory needs, whether in restaurants or movie theatres. But once he moved in after we got married, I could no longer in good conscience keep the thermostat at the “near sauna” levels (his description, not mine) I was accustomed to. Fortunately, a few years ago, I made a discovery: socks at bedtime.

I wasn’t accustomed to wearing socks to sleep. Sure, my feet were cold, but so was the rest of me. I’d been piling layers upon layers of blankets on my body, burrowing my bare feet into my sheets, waiting impatiently for comfort and sleep to happen. Sometimes it would take more than an hour before I'd finally pass out.

Photo: Sarah Kobos

The circumstances surrounding the aha moment are mundane. One night, after tossing and turning and realizing that my feet were especially cold, I willed myself to leave my bed and rummage through my drawer for a comfortable pair of cotton socks. To my delight, I somehow felt instantly grounded when I put them on and soon fell asleep. I’ve been wearing socks to bed ever since.

It turns out that a few small, not-necessarily-relevant-to-me studies suggest that the improvement was not all in my head. A 2018 Korean study involving six men in their 20s found that they fell asleep, on average, in 7½ minutes when they wore socks, compared with about 15 minutes when they didn’t. The study also suggested that the socks allowed the men to sleep longer and wake up less during the night (though I personally haven’t experienced those benefits). In a 2007 Dutch paper, eight subjects with no sleep issues who were between the ages of 21 to 39 fell asleep, on average, in about 11 minutes, compared with 16 minutes when they wore socks to bed. The improvement was a bit less dramatic in a group of eight older healthy sleepers (ages 56 to 80), likely because age impacts how you sense temperature and temperature shifts.

As Roy Raymann, PhD, lead author of the 2007 paper (and now chief scientific officer at SleepScore, the company that makes our sleep-tracking pick) explained, when the skin is warm, information from temperature sensors ends up in an area of the brain that’s involved in both sleep and temperature regulation. There, he said, warm skin is construed as sleep-permissive and cool skin equals wake-promoting. “That’s why, in part, it’s so easy to fall asleep on the beach on a warm summer day [despite] plenty of sunlight.” In a cool bedroom, warm skin also triggers sleep by encouraging heat to dissipate into the air, resulting in a drop in core temperature that’s important for drifting off.

So what does this have to do with socks? Feet are burgeoning with special vessels (called AVAs—arterio-venous anastomoses) that connect small arteries with small veins. This allows for an impressive amount of blood flow close to the skin, which, in turn, aids in the warming of it. Pulling on socks is more effective than piling on blankets because socks are a layer of insulation that stays in place even as you shift your feet. “They make sure your feet stay warm, and there’s a constant signal going to the brain that it is safe to sleep,” said Raymann. (Incidentally, mittens on hands work the same way, though it’s easier to tuck your hands beneath your pillow or body.)

The idea of dedicated bed socks is not new. The White Company has sold its cashmere bed socks since 1996, and they’ve been a best seller year-round ever since (despite their $50 price tag). I’ve never tried them, so I’m not in a position to recommend them, though I imagine they are more luxurious than the cotton socks I wear. Mine are simply old socks, and that makes them good bed socks. As long as socks are made mostly with breathable material, such as cotton or wool, imperfect elasticity makes them more comfortable around the ankles, and years in the wash have greatly softened them. Before the pandemic, I’d save precious seconds in the morning by wearing my long-discontinued Adidas socks to bed at night—so I could just throw on workout clothes and sneakers and head to the gym upon waking.

Now, in the thick of a pandemic winter and with no desire to go anywhere, much less the gym, I’m partial to my boot socks. They’re just loose and warm enough, without being suffocating. Admittedly, I wouldn’t have chosen this look back when my husband and I were first dating. But we’ve been married for 11 years, so it’s fine. He’s just happy he’s no longer throwing aside excess piles of blankets. Though I suspect he misses seeing those socks worn as they were meant to be—out to a too-cold restaurant where we’d spend way too much time deciding which table was farthest from the vents.

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/old-socks-cured-my-insomnia/

Teacher’s Diary: Clear Guidelines Against Sleeping in Class

From thisdaylive.com

There is absolute need to reiterate the guidelines against the temptation of sleeping in class especially given what COVID-19 has foisted on the world!

The following is a checklist of the ideal things to do at the end of the day. Which ones apply to you?

1) Turning off the television and radio
2) Emptying your bladder and bowels before bed, so you don’t need to get up for the toilet in the night
3) Sleeping on a firm mattress and pillows to avert body aches and pains
4) Dimming the light in your bedroom or turning it off at bedtime
5) Taking a relaxing shower or bath before bed
6) Taking a light warm cup of chocolate drink which some find relaxes them at bedtime
7) Leaving a party early to catch a good night sleep
8) Keeping your surroundings mosquito and rodents-free

What would make a teacher constantly drop his/her head on the table in the staff room and sleep off? Worse still what would make you doze off during staff meetings whilst important matters are being discussed? Why are you not addressing the constant humiliation you suffer, when your students catch you sleeping or dozing in class?

A common culprit in this matter is insomnia. Insomnia refers to repeated or recurrent experiences of inadequate sleep. Sleep is an essential part of good health and wellbeing. A good night’s sleep helps you feel good, look healthy, work effectively and think clearly.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/02/17/teachers-diary-7/

The link between insomnia and alcohol consumption gets a fresh look

From columbiamissourian.com

Mary Beth Miller remembers her clinical rotation at the Providence VA Medical Centre in Rhode Island.

It was her first experience working with patients who have chronic relapsing alcohol and other substance use disorders. In conversations with the patients, sleep was mentioned frequently.

“They talked about it in a way as if it were more important than their substance use disorder,” said Miller, MU assistant professor and clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry. “That really triggered my interest.”

She began looking at the data to see if there was a connection between drinking and sleep. What she found was a lot of research showing that drinking alcohol impacts sleep. There was not as much research indicating the opposite, which gave her a new direction.

It prompted her to ask: “If we treat the sleep, does that lead to fewer alcohol problems?”

A 2015 study had found that trouble falling asleep positively predicted alcohol-related interpersonal problems. The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health looked at three waves of data from 1994 until 2002 among 6,504 adolescents.

Also, a review of 13 studies of 3,173 alcohol-dependent patients found that approximately 58% of them had insomnia.

While investigating the connection between drinking and sleep, she noticed that less sleep or lower-quality sleep seemed to affect the number of problems people reported as a result of drinking.

Basis for study

In July 2017, Miller came to MU determined to answer that question by focusing on young adults who engage in drinking behaviour that can lead to long-term consequences. She wondered if there was a way to reduce the problem without telling people they could never drink again.

“You try telling a young adult they can never drink again,” Miller said. “It’s not feasible for a lot of people.”

She believed insomnia treatment would be more appealing to those who suffer from addiction.

“A lot of people don’t want substance use treatment because it’s highly stigmatized,” Miller said. “Offering people a different avenue for treatment that is less stigmatized could be really impactful.”

A public survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in 2014 found that 10% of respondents reported that they did not seek care for their substance use disorder because it might cause neighbours or the community to have a negative opinion of them.

Pilot study

Miller conducted a pilot study in 2018 that looked at the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy in treating insomnia for binge drinkers and whether that treatment reduced the number of alcohol-related issues they experienced.

She completed her study two years later and discovered that improvements in insomnia were associated with a reduction in alcohol-related problems.

Christina McCrae, director of the Mizzou Sleep Research Lab, began collaborating with Miller in 2017 before she came to MU. Over the last couple of years, McCrae has served as a mentor and said she has observed Miller’s growth as an investigator.

She said she is struck by the way Miller connected her experiences at the VA to her current research.

“She merged her initial interest in addiction with sleep,” McCrae said. “She has picked the ball back up and is running with it.”

Study design

Miller made several important decisions when designing her experiment to ensure the validity of her findings.

She wanted to recruit a sample that wasn’t limited to college students. To do so, she paid for a Facebook advertisement that explained she was looking for young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 who drink alcohol and have insomnia.

Those who clicked were routed to a screen survey that vetted candidates to see if they qualified. She ended up having mostly, but not exclusively, college students in the study.

Those who qualified were invited to do a baseline assessment that consisted of a clinical interview, a Qualtrics self-report survey and a worksheet to record the amount of alcohol consumed during the past month.

After completing the baseline assessment, participants were given Actiwatches and instructed to wear them 24/7 for one week to monitor their sleep. Participants also needed to complete daily sleep surveys.

After one week, the research team looked over the Actiwatch data, as well as responses to the daily sleep surveys to determine who among the initial group was eligible to continue the study. The information gleaned from the sleep surveys was used to confirm data tracked by the watches.

A requirement in the study was spending more than 30 minutes lying in bed awake for at least three days out of the week. Also, to ensure there were no confounding variables, those with severe symptoms of sleep apnoea were excluded from the study.

Those who qualified were randomly assigned to two groups. One group would receive cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia, while the other would receive a treatment Miller knew shouldn’t be as effective. The American College of Physicians recommends using cognitive behavioural therapy as a first-line treatment for adults with chronic insomnia.

Study sessions

The group with therapy received five sessions of in-person treatment for insomnia over a five-week period, one session per week, led by MU graduate research assistants studying either clinical psychology or counselling psychology.

In the first session, participants heard about the science behind their treatment and received a list of sleep hygiene recommendations.

The second session centred on behavioural techniques. Those in the study were asked to cut the number of hours they spent in bed to improve the quality of their sleep. They were also asked to use their beds only for sleep.

In the third session, they learned relaxation techniques. They sat in a brown recliner chair in a “relaxation room” while practicing breathing exercises and visualizing places where they felt relaxed.

The fourth session looked at cognitive techniques. Participants discussed their thoughts and underlying assumptions about sleep. They worked on reframing the thoughts that stopped them from getting quality sleep.

In the final session, research assistants discussed with participants relapse prevention and warning signs that indicate their insomnia might be returning.

The second group received only a single session. In this session, a research assistant went over a one-page handout of sleep hygiene recommendations from the National Sleep Foundation website.

Participants in both groups completed daily surveys throughout the five weeks.

Study survey

After the five-week experimental period, participants from both groups were called in to complete a post-treatment survey. This consisted of a Qualtrics self-report survey and a worksheet to report the amount of alcohol they consumed in the past month.

After completing the post-treatment assessment, participants were again given Actiwatches and instructed to wear them for a week. They also responded to daily surveys for a week.

A month later, Miller wrapped up her study by asking participants to complete the same tasks they had for the post-treatment assessment.

Miller found that the CBT-I group, which received the five weeks of therapy, had bigger improvements in insomnia and that these improvements were connected to a reduction in alcohol-related problems.

Study findings

Her findings suggest that heavy drinking won’t diminish the efficacy of insomnia treatment.

“You don’t need to wait and make people be abstinent to give insomnia treatment,” Miller said. “If they have insomnia, treat it.”

However, she said her results may not apply to those with severe alcohol use disorders, and she acknowledges there is a lot of work left to be done.

“We don’t really know enough from this one study to make strong recommendations on treatment,” Miller said.

“I would eventually like to be able to say ‘Look if you have someone experiencing problems related to drinking, and they struggle with insomnia, consider starting with insomnia treatment.’”

Paul Korte, a clinical psychologist at the Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, has followed Miller’s research closely. He sees how it could be applied to primary care treatment for veterans.

“Expanding (cognitive behavioural therapy) for insomnia treatment, particularly among our younger veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, can reduce sleep difficulties and in turn, could curb any alcohol misuse,” Korte said.

“The VA is already offering CBT for insomnia, and, with increased attention to the benefits of this intervention, our health professionals will be able to offer additional information to help veterans manage their health.”

McCrae believes Miller’s work will have a larger application.

“Her research ultimately links back to how important sleep is for overall health,” McCrae said. “This is important because we probably have the worst sleep we have ever had as a society.”

https://www.columbiamissourian.com/innovations/health/the-link-between-insomnia-and-alcohol-consumption-gets-a-fresh-look/article_b0ae043a-35d6-11eb-b474-afb1d147354c.html

In Need of Beauty Sleep? 3 Natural Ways to Stop Insomnia

From lofficielusa.com

Insomnia is beauty sleep's worst enemy. Lucky, there are three natural ways to fight it and fall asleep easily

Do your nights often turn into a nightmare? Do you often find it difficult to throw yourself into the arms of slumber? You wake up in the morning with swollen eyes, hanging eyelids, or even wrinkles. Sleep is scientifically proven to help beauty, so the act of sleeping itself is very important. Here are some natural formulas to aid in falling asleep easily and ending insomnia. 

Essential oils

Certain essential oils are known to have calming and softening benefits. Lavender, chamomile, and even jasmine are particularly known for soothing properties. You can mix two drops of any of these essential oils with a spoon of vegetable oil and massage  onto the solar plexus (pit of your stomach) three to four ours before going to bed. 

Herbal teas

Certain plants are associated with relaxation and help improve the quality of sleep. For example, chamomile, lemon balm, jasmine, marjoram, valerian, hops, and passionflower is particularly recommended. As an infusion, they will definitely calm your restless mind. And if you're having trouble sleeping due to digestive issues, try artichoke, dandelion, or black radish.

Warm Feet

To enter the phase of sleep, the body increases its temperature by about one degree. Having icy feet obviously makes things more difficult. In this case, you will need to warm your feet using a hot water bottle. You can also take a foot bath right before going to bed. It soothes, relaxes ,and helps you get to sleep.

https://www.lofficielusa.com/wellness/stop-insomnia-naturally

The 3 best nuts to eat to help you sleep

From sbs.com.au

Snacking on these 3 kinds of nuts after dinner could be a healthy and simple way to get a better night’s sleep

If you’re desperate to sleep and need a nutritional nudge to help, then you may want to try having a handful of nuts before bed.

“People commonly turn to a warm glass of milk or perhaps steer clear of caffeine as a way to help them to sleep better,” says Accredited Practising Dietitian and program manager at Nuts For Life, Belinda Neville. “But snacking on nuts after dinner is actually a healthy way to get a better night’s sleep.”

Neville explains that although there are many types of nuts, there are several varieties rich in nutrients that have associated with improved sleep outcomes. “Nuts contain a wide range of nutrients that have been linked to falling asleep quicker, sleeping longer and reducing the severity of insomnia.”

Here are three types of nuts that Neville believes could help to induce some much-needed shut-eye. 

1. Pistachios

Eating foods that are rich in the hormone melatonin has been shown to assist with sleep. This is because melatonin helps to reset the body clock (otherwise known as our ‘circadian rhythm’) and improve sleeping disorders like insomnia.

“Among all plant foods nuts, and in particular pistachios, have the highest amount of melatonin,” Neville tells SBS.

Research shows that melatonin can help people sleep longer and fall asleep more quickly.

“Eating pistachios also provides our bodies with magnesium and calcium. These nutrients also work in combination with melatonin to aid muscle relaxation and sleep.”

Pistachios, although popular throughout Mediterranean Europe, actually originated in regions of Asia including present day Iran and Afghanistan.

The versatile nut can loan itself to many cuisines and can be used to make such dishes as French iced pistachio nougat, Greek baklava, Turkish pancakes with clotted cream, Jewish olive and pistachio chicken and Indian rice pilaf.

However, if you want to eat the nut as is, a handful of pistachios are also the ultimate healthy bedtime snack. Rich in protein (5.9 grams per 30 gram serve), pistachios can help you to feel full for longer and maintain satiety overnight.

2. Brazil nuts

Brazil nuts – found throughout the Amazonian forests of Brazil, Peru, Colombia and Ecuador – are one of the highest natural sources of selenium, a powerful antioxidant.

“Researchers have begun exploring links between sleep and selenium,” she says. “A large observational study found people who only slept five to six hours a day (short sleepers) had lower intakes of selenium, compared with people who slept seven to eight hours a day (‘normal’ sleepers).

Neville recommends consuming just three Brazil nuts a day to obtain 100 per cent of the recommended dietary intake of selenium.

Observational studies have also associated selenium with a wide range of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory health benefits and the production of active thyroid hormone, which can influence sleep if out of balance.

Brazil nuts are also high in magnesium and contain copper, zinc, vitamins E and B vitamins including niacin, folate, thiamin, and riboflavin.

3. Almonds

Almonds provide a double benefit, containing high amounts of both melatonin and magnesium: two key nutrients for a good night’s sleep.

“Almonds contain more magnesium that most nuts, second only to Brazil nuts. Why does this matter? Magnesium [along with melatonin and vitamin B] has been shown to help improve insomnia in clinical trials, especially among older people (nearly 50 per cent of older people suffer from insomnia).

“If you are older or have dentures, and find the thought of eating nuts daunting, try an almond butter. Now readily available at supermarkets, pure nut butters (those without added sugar, salt, oil and flavours) are full of the protein, fibre and nutrients you find in whole nuts.”

Almonds, which originate from Iran, date back to Greek mythology and the Christian bible.

Sugared and given as a bonbonniere at weddings in various cultures, almonds used to be considered a fertility charm and given to newlyweds in ancient Rome. For a less romantic use of the delicious nut, try almond recipes from Spanish, Moroccan, French, Iranian or Italian cuisines.

Neville notes that although nuts naturally play a vital role in many international cuisines – from peanuts and cashews in Asian food to almonds in Italian and French dishes – in Australia, where nut consumption is not as integral, people without nut allergies may need to work on incorporating a handful of nuts into their night-time ritual.

“Nuts have a large role to play in many traditional diets throughout the world. Take the Mediterranean diet for example – it’s one of the healthiest in the world and nuts feature as a strong component.

“I’d like to see people living in western countries like Australia, who are able to safely eat nuts, following international examples and incorporating more nuts into their diet. There are just so many health benefits associated with them, including sleep.”

https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/2021/02/15/3-best-nuts-eat-help-you-sleep

"I went from getting one hour of sleep a night to eight. Here's how I did it."

From mamamia.com.au

By Amy Smolcic

There was a time where I showed off my dark circles as if they were a badge of honour. 

"I can sleep when I’m dead," I would say whenever anyone would tell me I needed to sleep more. 

While most of the country was tucked away in bed, I was wide awake writing, working on assignments, or googling whatever random questions that popped up in my mind — there’s nothing quite like searching weird thoughts like ‘why do men have nipples?’ at 2am.

There were many nights where I would only get one hour of sleep, but often I averaged approximately four hours during my many years as a voluntary insomniac. 

While working at a bookstore, my boss gifted me a copy of Matthew Walker’s book Why We Sleep. Looking back, this was definitely a subtle message that she thought I wasn’t sleeping enough rather than a random gift. 

Thinking that I was about to learn some interesting facts about sleep and dreams, I was instead met with morbid evidence that I was slowly sending myself to an early grave. 

According to Walker, sleeping less than six hours regularly obliterates your immune system, doubles your risk of getting cancer and puts you on the fast track towards cardiovascular disease, including congestive heart failure and stroke. Even one week’s worth of poor sleeping could lead to you being classified as pre-diabetic. 

Easy. I could rectify this damage. All I needed to do was get more sleep. 

Turns out I was wrong. 

The years I spent not sleeping by choice led to me developing chronic insomnia and even if I was tired, falling asleep was proving to be extremely difficult — there wasn’t a sleepy-time tea in the world that could fix the mess I was in.

However, that didn’t stop me from trying just about every solution I could get my hands on — whether it was sleeping tablets prescribed by my doctor, four different teas, essential oils, a weighted blanket, various eye masks, meditation apps, or even listening to playlists featuring ocean waves and rainfall, I tried it all. 

My problem was that I despised sleep and had for many years. 

What I needed to do was learn how to fall in love with it instead. Sleep was my archenemy and I seriously needed to work on the negative relationship I had built with it during the majority of my 20s. The sleeping tablets prescribed by my doctor worked, but I knew this wasn’t a long-term solution. My attitude towards sleep desperately needed an overhaul. 

The first thing I did was reach for my journal and reflect on how I felt after a full eight hours with the help of sleep medication versus how sluggish I would feel on a regular basis after one to four hours of sleep. 

Seeing my thoughts in front of me reaffirmed that I actually enjoyed the effect sleep had on me. Instead of being up at a ridiculous hour working on a project, I could do it feeling refreshed in the morning. 

Having a deep and thorough assessment of my attitudes and acknowledging the many pros of sleep had a positive effect on my mindset. I began to look forward to switching off and not seeing the night as my enemy. 

Another thing I needed to work on was putting an end to the amount of effort I was spending trying to make it happen.  

Sleep is an involuntary physiological occurrence and it’s counterproductive to attempt to take control of it — if we do, it’s not going to happen and we're going to find ourselves back at square one.

When it hits 1am and you’re having an existential crisis or thinking about something extremely embarrassing you did years ago, the worst thing you could do is lay there amongst your thoughts and try and manage the crisis.  

Think back to when you reached a challenging maths problem at school. 

Was it more effective to stress and try to work it out while the minutes tick away and your anxiety levels soar? Or was it more productive to move onto another question that you could answer and then return to the difficult problem with a fresh mindset? 

The same can be said for sleep. 

If you focus too much on it, the hours will get away from you. Just like when you put effort into anything, it’s going to send a signal to your brain that it’s time to get to work.

If you still can’t switch off, get up and move onto something else that’s mindless or numbing — turn your thoughts off and put on Netflix instead. 

You’re going to feel tired and pretty ordinary the next morning regardless, so write it off as a bad night. The next night will be better.

It might not be what you want to hear, but the secret to falling asleep is to not try at all.

https://www.mamamia.com.au/how-to-fix-insomnia/

NHS advice on coping with a bad dream, nightmares and insomnia as lockdown continues to affect sleep

From dailypost.co.uk/news

'Coronasomnia' has even been coined in response to the impact of the pandemic on our sleeping patterns

Everyone has a restless night at some point, although you may have found this happening more often recently.

The pandemic has disrupted all aspects of life, so it's no surprise that our sleep has also been affected. There was increased Google search interest for "sleep" and "insomnia" last month, with recent data suggesting that the term "dream" is now at an all-time high in the UK as well.

It appears that the impact of coronavirus has indirectly altered the patterns and the quality of sleep.

In fact, the term "coronasomnia" has even been coined to refer to sleep trouble during the pandemic.

With this in mind, we've reviewed NHS information to provide some remedies to help deal with this.

Of course, it's not a substitute for direct medical advice, but these are tips for insomnia and dreams.

Insomnia

Insomnia refers to the inability to fall asleep as well as being unable to stay asleep during the night.

Most of us have experienced it at some point and it can often be the result of stress or poor health.

The NHS website offers a number of tips for reducing difficulties falling asleep, primarily suggesting that a regular bedtime routine can help tackle insomnia in many circumstances.

Firstly, you might want to consider keeping a sleep diary as this may uncover habits or activities that are contributing to your sleeplessness - which can then be dealt with directly.

In general though, a positive routine towards bedtime will adhere to the following pieces of NHS advice:

• Keep to regular 'going to bed' and 'wake up' times

• Reduce temperature, light and noise in the bedroom

• Avoid using electronic devices an hour before sleep

And there are a number of measures you can take prior to heading to bed, which may be of further benefit.

For example, whilst the NHS promotes moderate exercise on a regular basis throughout the day, it encourages avoiding excessive exercise too close to bedtime - as it may actually keep you awake.

It also recommends cutting down caffeine intake in the evening, as this stimulant "interferes with the process of falling asleep" and can prevent deep sleep. Instead, consider milk or herbal tea before bed.

You shouldn't "over-indulge" in eating or alcohol consumption at night either, with the NHS further warning against taking nicotine-based products in the hours leading up to sleep.

The hours before bed should instead be spent relaxing "your mind and body," such as by having a warm bath, listening to quiet music or doing some gentle yoga - rather than watching TV or exercising.

If you often lie in bed thinking, or worrying, about the next day then it's also advisable to set time aside before bedtime to go over any plans for tomorrow - to reduce the need for you to do so whilst trying to sleep.

The NHS further states that if you're struggling to fall asleep, you shouldn't lie in bed worrying about this. If you're awake for more than 20 minutes at night, consider getting up and doing something to relax until you feel sleepy again - which should hopefully lead to a better night's sleep.

And the NHS has also recently encouraged keeping the bedroom for sleep and intimacy, where possible.

With many of us now working from home, it's possible that your bedroom acts as your temporary office.

According to experts, you may want to rethink this setting, as the bedroom may become associated with stress and anxiety - making it harder to switch off at bedtime.

Nightmares

You may find that even if you are managing to fall asleep easily, that your sleep is disrupted by bad dreams.

The increase in searches about dreams and nightmares suggests that lots of people are experiencing this.

The NHS recently published information on this, specifically for those recovering from coronavirus itself.

Its advice however may be beneficial to anyone struggling with bad dreams, even if you haven't had the virus, so it's worth at least trying out the technique to see if it provides any comfort.

The technique for managing the effects of nightmares is known as The Dream Completion Technique.

According to the NHS, the technique requires you to first think about your most recent experience of bad sleep, specifically focusing on the moment where you woke up.

Consider what you'd want to happen next in the dream that would make you feel positive or better.

It's about finding "a new direction for the dream to take," with the NHS reminding that the same rules as real life don't apply so your imagined solution doesn't need to be realistic or believable.

The solution should then be written down, read back and you should imagine the different ending.

The NHS explained: "Your dreams themselves may or may not change through this technique, but you can reduce their power over you by changing the ending of the dreams when you awake."

If you continue to struggle with sleeping after trying the technique - or the previously mentioned tips - then you should consider making an appointment with your GP to discuss further options.

This may include short-term medication or psychological therapy to deal with insomnia or any other issues.

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/health/nhs-advice-coping-bad-dream-19799367

If You Snooze, You Win

From inlander.com

What is the most important action we can take to have a healthy and long life? Exercise? Nutrition? While both are important, they take second place to another behaviour: good sleep.

We are the only animal on the planet that voluntarily deprives itself of sleep, and Mother Nature does not approve. Poor sleep makes it very hard to find the motivation to exercise. Poor sleep increases a hormone called ghrelin that leads to a craving for carbohydrates in large quantities. Poor sleep is hard on our hearts. A dramatic example of this is daylight saving time. The day after we "spring ahead," resulting in the loss of an hour of sleep, fatal heart attacks increase by 27 percent. The day after we switch back, fatal heart attacks are reduced by 22 percent. Poor sleep also increases the risk of diabetes, infertility and depression.

It's clear that our bodies react poorly to a lack of sleep. We know what to do: engage in quiet, non-electronic activities for an hour or more before bed, wake up at the same time each day, avoid caffeine after noon, get sunlight exposure in the morning, if only through a window, and eliminate alcohol. Eating the biggest meal at night is a frequent cause of insomnia. The body is turning food into fuel at the exact wrong time of day, making falling and staying asleep difficult.

If insomnia has been a problem for many years, a free app called CBT-I Coach, which was developed by the VA and Stanford, is very helpful.

The plea: Make sleep a priority. The extraordinary businessman Warren Buffet said it clearly, "When forced to choose, I will not trade even a night's sleep for a chance of extra profits."

https://www.inlander.com/spokane/if-you-snooze-you-win/Content?oid=21084746

Putting insomnia to sleep: The biggest piece of the health and wellness puzzle

From stgeorgeutah.com

By Bentley Murdock

We’ve all been there before, lying in bed, tossing and turning, rehearsing our mountainous to-do list for the next day. We’re inundated with mindless mental chatter: groceries, errands, worries, fears and a slew of details that keep our minds erratically cyclical. It becomes maddening, particularly when we look at the clock and… it’s morning.

Writing your way to sleep

Many influencing factors create this reality, and one incredibly helpful way we can all start preventing it is with a little activity I like to call “brain vomit.” When insomnia kicks in, take out a blank sheet of paper and write down everything on your mind – every list, worry, goal, fear, highlight, success, memory, failure, symptom, victory, irritation and pain point.

Try not to censor, edit or critique any aspect of your expressive writing. Let it come out of you organically and as genuinely raw as you possibly can allow it to be. Let it all out, and see what shows up. It just might be more productively therapeutic than a deep psychotherapy session (which we all might desperately need, especially surviving 2020).

When you have to start thinking hard about what to write next, you’re done. Look over the sheet and thank it all for arriving. Embrace it all equally and acknowledge each point as valid. This is crucial to the logical mind because it reassures us that all details can easily be referenced and addressed in the morning.

In a way, you’re tricking yourself into a dozen justifiable reasons to dismiss it all and to simply go to sleep. As you begin implementing this practice on a more regular basis, you’ll be amazed how differently you’ll feel going to sleep and waking up.

Waking with the dawn

When talking about resetting the sleep cycle, it’s mandatory that we bring up the body’s remarkable circadian rhythm – the natural time clock built into each of our pineal glands and subconscious brains. Believe it or not, our bodies and minds always know exactly what time it is, but our senses and logistical reasoning cause us to doubt this incredible ability.

We say things such as “It’s not that late” or “I don’t even feel tired yet.” We talk ourselves out of healthy sleep routines when we justify certain activities as more important than deep, nightly, critically reparative sleep, disregarding that its presence represents over one-third of our entire lives.

These behaviours shut down our own delicate circadian rhythm muscles and thus cause them to atrophy. Denying sunlight from your pineal gland (found in the centre of the forehead) actually tells the subconscious mind that the sun, in fact, has not risen yet, and careful readjustments to our internal clocks must be made.

Over time, we find ourselves sleeping all day and staying up all night for a hundred seemingly justifiable reasons. When the pineal gland receives brilliantly alerting blue light from abundant electrical sources and device screens of all kinds, it becomes undeniably certain that the sun is the source of this light and that it must be noonday. It then readjusts itself as if such were reality, and the cycle of madness continues.

One of the only sustainable remedies to this is to throw a massive wrench in the spokes and force yourself to wake up at dawn to greet the real sun. Let the morning sun’s rays interact with your pineal gland and acknowledge to yourself that this is the beginning of the day. The first few days of doing this will be rough, to say the least, but you’re fundamentally restructuring your perception of what your body needs. You’re getting back in touch with reality, allowing communication between you and your body to be fully reinstated.

In a short amount of time, you’ll find yourself collapsing in bed at around 9:30 or 10 p.m. because your body knows that it certainly cannot maintain its routine of waking up early to greet the sun while staying up all night. Something has to give, and if we secure a stronghold on those priceless morning hours, we’ll find our natural and healthy bedtime arriving when it should.

In time, you’ll find that you are more and more productive in those wee morning hours when most are still desperately trying to chase a few more minutes of frantic, unrestful sleep via the snooze button.

Balance your sleep debt each night

Another reason this time frame is so important is because when the body is trying to repair every night, it requires deep, rapid eye movement sleep cycles. If we’re awake during this window, it can’t happen. We start to rack up “sleep debt,” which is the body literally keeping a tally of how many hours it should have been allowed to sleep. 

Sooner or later, this debt has to be paid. This is why, all of a sudden, people get exasperatingly ill and end up sleeping for 18 hours straight. The body refuses to put up with the detrimental charade of pretending it can somehow get by on a few hours of sleep every night. We all know what it feels like when the body finally says, “Seriously? This is ridiculous, and I’m not putting up with it any longer.”

Other factors that are incredibly disruptive to general sleep health are what and when we choose to eat and drink. A late dinner with heavy, fatty meat followed by a decadent chocolate dessert and an alcoholic nightcap or a caffeinated drink while devouring hours of nightly news on a cell phone or iPad is quite possibly the worst pre-bedtime routine ever. It might actually take the body a full 24 hours to digest and fully process the meal alone, leaving no energy or fluids for the nightly cleanse and detox process that it’s trying desperately to maintain. 

A light and early dinner, positive relational interaction, a great book (the paper kind), warm tea, soft lights, no devices, no caffeine or alcohol, no heavy dessert, a little brain vomit or gratitude journal writing and a nice bath (with an early bedtime in mind all along) are all phenomenal ingredients for creating the ideal bedtime routine.

https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2021/02/08/prc-sgh-putting-insomnia-to-sleep-the-biggest-piece-of-the-health-and-wellness-puzzle/#.YCLZwrp2ud5