INSOMNIA

Insomnia

Easy meaning = Sleeplessness.

The signs of pathological insomnia are dramatic changes in the duration and quality of sleep, persistent changes in sleep patterns, lapses of memory and lack of concentration during the day. Other symptoms are emotional instability, loss of coordination, confusion and a lingering feeling of indifference. Now we know how the insomniac people always behave, but what causes them to be like that?

Causes

Most common cause of sleeplessness is mental tension brought by anxiety, worries, overwork and overexcitement. Suppressed feelings of resentment, anger and bitterness may also cause Constipation, dyspepsia, over-eating at night, excessive intake of tea or

coffee and going to bed hungry are among the other causes. Smoking is another unsuspected cause of insomnia as it irritates the nervous system, especially the nerves of the digestive system. Often, worrying about falling asleep is enough to keep one awake.

Okay now we discuss about the Cure for Insomniac people.

How about taking sleeping pills?,

My suggestion is NO, Sleeping pills are no remedy for sleeplessness. They are habit forming and become less effective when taken continuously. They lower the I.Q., dull the brain and can prove fatal if taken in excess or before or after alcohol. The side-effects of sleeping pills include indigestion, skin rashes, lowered resistance to infection, circulatory and respiratory problems, poor appetite, high blood pressure, kidney and liver problems and mental confusion.

To overcome the problem, one should adhere to a regular sleeping schedule, going to bed at a fixed time each night and getting up at a fixed time each morning. Early to bed and early to rise is a good rule. Two hours of sleep before midnight are more beneficial than four after. It is sheer folly for students, at examination times, to keep awake till long after midnight, drinking one cup of tea after another, as that is only apt to cause blackness and inability to concentrate in the examination hall.

Research has shown that people with chronic insomnia almost invariably marked deficiencies of such key nutrients as B-complex vitamins, and vitamin C and D as also calcium,magnesium, manganese, potassium and zinc. The sleep mechanism is unable to function efficiently unless each of these nutrients is present in adequate amounts in the diet.

Eating pattern must be modified, coffee, tea, fatty foods, coloring and flavoring, excessive use of salt and strong condiments must be excluded. In the modified eating pattern, breakfast should consist of fresh and dried fruits, whole cereals,

seeds and yogurt. Of the two main meals, one should consist of a large mixed salad and the other should be protein-based. A cup of milk sweetened with honey at bedtime is helpful as the amino-acid tryptophan contained in milk induces sleep.

Sleep is often elusive. Any attempt to force it only drives it further away. It is better to divert the mind with soft music or light reading. While going to bed, visualise a blank black wall occupying the entire field of vision. Turn your thoughts to light and cheerful matters. Use light bed clothes and relax. Do not lie on your back, put on your side with one or both knees brought well up and the head and shoulders slightly forward. During the night, the position of the arms and legs should be changed frequently and a healthy sleeper usually shifts from one side to the other several times in the course of the night.

Controlled breathing is also a great help in inducing sleep. The method is to lie on your side in bed, and then take three deep breaths expanding the abdomen completely. Then hold your brath as long as you can. Next, take three more breaths and repeat the breath-holding. While you hold your breath, carbon dioxide accumulates in the body and induces natural sleep. Regular, active exercising during the day and mild exercise at bedtime enhances the quantity and the quality of sleep. Exercise stimulates the elimination of lactic acid from the body which correlates with stress and muscular tension.

Regular exercise also produces hormonal changes which are beneficial to the body and to the sleep pattern. Walking, jogging, skipping, swimming are all ideal exercises. Vigorous exercise should, however, be avoided at night as this can be over-stimulating.

RELATED LINKS =

STRESS
MOOD FOODS
IMPROVE MOOD
EXERCISING
THE VALUE OF SLEEP