Insomnia might sound distant to some of you, but it is a type of sleep disorder that troubles 30%-50% of the world population. If you have repeated difficulties to fall asleep or tend to become wide awake at 3 am, you have already fallen victim of insomnia without knowing it. Chronic insomnia poses a even bigger threat since our brain and body use the sleep time to repair damaged tissues, and without enough rest, it is the poor quality of life that you will face- and yes, insomnia can kill, too!
What causes insomnia?
There are many factors in your sleep environment and bad habits that can cause insomnia, such as exercise before bedtime, staying up, smartphone addiction, stress, excitement, noise, respiratory issues, substance abuse, too many caffeinated beverages, daytime naps, hot weather, and even a unfit mattress that makes your body aches all over.
The consequences of insomnia
Insomnia does not only bring suffering to your sleep but constant fatigue to daily life. Your body does not get the rest it deserves at night, and it results in headache, dizziness, lack of strength, drowsiness, memory impairment, and irritability throughout the day. Sleep deprivation has direct impacts on your work and productivity, too. Tiredness just makes you want to take more days off, or else you are prone to accidents, either on or off the work site, and ill-tempered toward those around you. Road accidents are most common in such case; in Thailand, over 4,000 people are killed by drowsy driving per year and billions of Thai Baht lost.
How to cure insomnia
- Use a standard mattress that fits your body well. It must absorb odors well, is easy to clean, and has the appropriate size. It must be wide enough for you to stretch comfortably, not be too soft, and not too firm. Also, soundproof your bedroom to make sure there is no noise to disturb your night time.
- Turn off various communication devices that will disrupt your sleep. You shouldn’t leave the light on, either, because this is another reason for insomnia.
- Quit daytime napping. It makes you hard to fall asleep at night.
- Avoid caffeinated beverages. Instead, have a glass of warm milk before bed. It helps you to sleep more comfortably.
- Try to sleep on time every day. Don’t stay up. The body will remember the cycle and fall asleep more and more easily.
- Exercise regularly. It relaxes the body and makes sleeping easier. But refrain yourself from doing any exercise before bed, or otherwise, increased heartbeat and body temperature will leave your brain too stimulated to rest.
All in all, insomnia is not a disease and can be remedied by natural means. No medication is necessary since it might cause physical harm in the long run. Simply adapt your way of life to be more organized and balanced, which is the best way to escape from insomnia, and, hopefully, you will be able to go back to a good night’s sleep and wake up bright and fresh for the day.
Sleep tight!