Quality and deep sleep is necessary for every person. Indeed, without a normal 8-hour rest, it is impossible to restore lost strength, relax the body, maintain its working condition, beauty and he alth.
But sometimes the night for a person turns into a nightmare. He hears the ticking of seconds on the clock hand, the time on which inexorably indicates the approach to the morning rise, but he can’t sleep at all.
Those people who have never encountered such a phenomenon as insomnia treat it with a certain amount of irony. However, such a seemingly harmless disease, which in medicine is called "insomnia", can cause enormous harm to he alth. Insomnia, like any other ailment, has its causes. However, finding them is sometimes very problematic.
Chronic insomnia
This form of the disease is spoken of when, over a period of more than a month, it is difficult for a person to fall asleep, but if he succeeds, then sleep is still short and shallow. For a long period of time, patients cannot have a good rest. They do not get enough sleep without plunging into dreamscompletely.
Chronic insomnia most often occurs due to certain factors. Among them are the following:
- change of environment (occurrence of annoying factors, moving, etc.);
- change of activity, work;
- depression;
- mental disorders arising from a recent illness or injury;
- pathology of the heart;
- diseases manifesting as physical pain;
- diseases of the kidneys, in which there is a frequent urge to urinate;
- bronchial asthma;
- apnea;
- drinking large doses of alcohol or coffee;
- substance abuse.
It should be borne in mind that chronic insomnia occurs due to existing serious he alth problems. In such cases, self-medication is not recommended because of the risk of further aggravation of the patient's condition.
Insomnia in children
Based on statistics, every fifth child has problems with sleep. Fortunately, children's nocturnal insomnia, as a rule, is temporary and is expressed only in violation of the regimen. But sometimes a sleep disorder still has its negative impact on the he alth of the child. He becomes weak and tired, dizzy and restless, and his brain activity slows down.
The causes of this disease depend on the age category of the little patient. So, starting from birth and ending with a year of life, the baby often confuses the day andnight due to imperfection of the nervous system. Gradually growing up, children begin to get used to the correct mode, in connection with which their sleep returns to normal. If the baby is awake at night and disturbs the parents with tears or other manifestations of discontent, then it is necessary to seek the advice of a pediatrician in order to exclude:
- ear pain;
- discomfort and colic in the tummy;
- weathering, irritation and diaper rash.
Sometimes a baby is disturbed by noise or light. The child is uncomfortable with heat and dry air in the room where his bed is located. These factors also have a negative impact on the occurrence of shallow and restless sleep.
Children aged 3-6 cannot sleep properly at night due to:
- thinking about the information they received during the day;
- overexcited after watching cartoons;
- developing colds.
Students keep awake at night:
- experience for academic performance and study;
- fear of upcoming exams or tests;
- experiencing after a fight with your best friend or girlfriend;
- restriction of freedom, which is noted by parents who impose their point of view;
- the occurrence of serious he alth problems.
In the event that sleep disturbance in children has taken a chronic form, a visit to the doctor is mandatory.
Insomnia in teenagers
Night rest at this age has its own characteristics. After all, in the bodyteenagers do not have enough melatonin. This is the hormone responsible for human sleep. That is why young people so easily disrupt the normal schedule of their holidays for the most insignificant reasons. Factors in teenage insomnia can be:
- lack of physical activity;
- acquired bad habits;
- malnutrition or dieting;
- complicated school program requiring great mental effort;
- first love and emotional experiences;
- natural age-related physiological changes.
If a teenager begins to experience a lack of quality sleep, then he becomes moody, irritable and aggressive. He has a feeling of constant fatigue and memory deterioration, which makes the learning process incredibly difficult.
If there is teenage insomnia, what should parents do? In order to return their son or daughter to normal life, they must forbid him (her):
- late meal;
- watching TV and playing computer games in the evening.
In addition, it is important for adults to be able to create a comfortable and cozy atmosphere in the house, and also not to sort things out with a teenager before going to bed. You just have to talk with your child, find out his problems and experiences, trying to support a young, not yet experienced person.
If, nevertheless, the measures taken against teenage insomnia did not help, what to do in this case? An illness that has taken on a chronic form will require an appeal to a psychologist. Only a specialist canfind out the true causes of the disorder.
Female insomnia
Today, sleep disorders are observed in many of the fairer sex. Women acquire this ailment in connection with the following:
- conflicts at work;
- shift work schedule;
- emerging depressions;
- problems in the family and in personal relationships;
- drinking lots of chocolate, tea and coffee;
- dissatisfaction with one's own life;
- uncontrolled use of sleeping pills;
- drinking alcohol in the evening;
- development of pathologies that are accompanied by painful symptoms.
Insomnia is a very depressing effect on a woman. She becomes irritable and fatigued. In addition, the lady is able to fall into a nap right in the middle of the day, and no matter where she is at this time - in public transport, at the workplace or at a responsible meeting. To give vigor, women begin to drink a lot of coffee, thereby forming a vicious circle.
Insomnia in pregnancy
The future mother's body is in a special state. After all, inside it is the birth and development of a new life. The role of women in this process is difficult to overestimate. The he alth and psycho-emotional state of the future man will depend on her behavior and lifestyle.
However, sometimes the period of pregnancy is overshadowed by insomnia. Moreover, this can happen at any time due to:
- heartburn, toxicosis and stomach discomfort;
- frequent calls tourination;
- pain in the lumbar region;
- forced uncomfortable sleeping position;
- cramps that bring legs together in the calf area;
- lack of oxygen;
- restless thoughts about the baby's well-being and the upcoming birth;
- anxiety and nightmares.
However, peace does not always come from discomfort or discomfort. The causes of insomnia in women during pregnancy sometimes lie in the attempt of the future mother's body to prepare for the birth of a child. Indeed, after the birth of a baby, a woman will be forced to sleep lightly and wake up for nightly feedings.
Insomnia during menopause
Sleep disorders often accompany the decline of a woman's reproductive function. It is simply necessary to fight this phenomenon in this period so that later the disease does not take on a chronic form.
The causes of insomnia in women are as follows:
- night tides;
- growing feelings of fear and anxiety;
- rapid heartbeat;
- very irritable.
If insomnia occurs during menopause, what should a woman do in this case? You will need to see a doctor. The doctor will most likely give recommendations on taking medications that allow a course of hormone replacement therapy. Such treatment will allow a woman to get rid of those unpleasant consequences that are associated with such a period.
Insomnia in men
Sleep disturbance is often observed in those who make their choice in favor of work, ignoring normal rest. A man is prevented from going to bed on time by such reasons as:
- smoking and alcohol abuse;
- computer games and TV;
- stress condition;
- drinking coffee or tea just before bedtime;
- depression;
- shift work;
- exercise in the evening;
- small waste of energy with a sedentary lifestyle.
It is worth noting that insomnia has a literally devastating effect on a man's body. First of all, such a phenomenon leads to a slowdown or cessation of the production of testosterone, a sex hormone that affects potency.
A man who does not get enough sleep becomes aggressive and irritable. He has constant drowsiness, often leading to accidents or car accidents. In addition, in the blood of a man who constantly cannot sleep, the level of sugar gradually rises. This causes diabetes and obesity.
Insomnia in the elderly
Often, people who have reached a respectable age begin to complain of sleep disturbance. Insomnia occurs in more than 50% of people over 65 years of age and is associated with brain dysfunction. Sometimes psychogenic, medical and social factors exacerbate this situation.
In old age, insomnia that has begun for a short time acquires its chronic form. Its causes are pain in the legs, ischemia, neurological disorders,heart failure, angina pectoris, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, bronchial asthma.
Insomnia in old age often occurs in people who are depressed. They are characterized by difficulty falling asleep, restless sleep, a feeling of defenselessness and helplessness, early awakening.
How to deal with insomnia in old age? To do this, you must, first of all, consult a doctor so that he identifies the cause of this phenomenon and prescribes a course of drug therapy to eliminate it.
Methods to restore normal sleep
If a person suffers from insomnia, what should he do in this case? A similar phenomenon is treated with the help of medications, hypnosis, as well as folk remedies.
Therapy using: helps get rid of insomnia
- Sleeping pills. However, these medications remove the symptoms of the disease, but do not treat its root cause. They should not be taken for more than two weeks in a row, as this can lead to drug dependence.
- Tranquilizers. Such drugs help the patient to relax, getting rid of disturbing and obsessive thoughts. However, this group of pharmacological agents is highly addictive and sometimes causes serious mental disorders.
- Melatonin. It is recommended only in the most advanced cases in order to regulate the sleep cycle. It is worth noting that this drug has a lot of negative side effects.
- Homeopathic remedies. Their appointmentcarried out only by an appropriate specialist. A homeopathic doctor recommends a medicine from a list of medicines, which should have the necessary effect on the mental state of the patient.
Sometimes the treatment of insomnia is carried out with the help of hypnosis. This is what psychotherapists do. After just a few sessions, an experienced professional is able to achieve maximum effect and cure the disease.
There are also folk remedies for insomnia. However, their use is justified only in the case when the disease has not yet acquired a chronic form. So, herbal tea for insomnia will save a person only from an accidental failure that occurred in sleep mode.
Medications
Insomnia medication must be taken with caution. And this should be done only on the advice of a doctor. After all, any pharmacological remedy for insomnia has a large number of side effects and contraindications. After taking some of them, a strong addiction develops. From this, sleep without another “dose” never comes. Others may relax the respiratory function.
How to deal with insomnia with harmless means? To do this, drugs can be purchased at the pharmacy, sold without a doctor's prescription, which can be taken independently. These include:
- "Persen" and "Novopassit". These are multi-action herbal tablets.
- "Dormiplant". This drug is a two-component herbal sleeping pill. It contains valerian and lemon balm, the ratiowhich has a ratio of 2:1.
- Valerian and motherwort. These sleep aids are all natural and are made from herbal rhizomes.
- "Melaxen". This drug is a synthetic analogue of melatonin, the sleep hormone.
The above funds contribute to the provision of a calming effect, as a result of which they are often used for nervous excitability. Treatment of chronic insomnia with these drugs is not possible.
The following drugs can be purchased at the pharmacy by prescription:
- "Zopiklone", "Zaleplon", "Zolpidem" (sleeping pills classified in group "Z"). These are one of the safest pills that are not addictive and do not adversely affect respiratory function. However, the use of these funds can cause serious complications in case of overdose, which is why they are released only by prescription.
- Barbiturates. These drugs, created on the basis of barbituric acid, are classified as narcotic drugs. Their reception depresses the central nervous system, which has a sedative and hypnotic effect. These drugs are highly addictive.
- "Donormil". This drug is designed to quickly fall asleep. Its intake helps to relax all muscles, which is why the medicine is dangerous for people suffering from sleep apnea.
- Serax, Activan, Xanax, Restoril, Librium, Halcyon, Versed,"Paxpam" (benzodiazepimes). These are sedative drugs. When taking a small dosage of such drugs, a sedative effect is achieved, with a large dosage - sleeping pills. Drugs reduce anxiety by inhibiting brain activity.
How to cheat insomnia?
If it is impossible to fall asleep, what to do at home? Insomnia can be fooled in one of the following ways:
- reading a boring book with a detailed study of all the details and events described;
- walk before bed in the fresh air;
- a glass of warm milk before bed or a piece of cheese, which contains tryptophan, a substance that promotes feelings of relaxation, well-being and satisfaction;
- dreams of your own beautiful future with a detailed description of the ideal life;
- performed before bed massage of the face and hands for 7-10 minutes;
- mentally count up to one hundred identical objects (houses, chairs, tables or classic sheep).
These are the simplest and most affordable remedies for those who do not know what to do at home. Insomnia at the same time recedes for a short time. However, the desired effect can be achieved only in cases where a person does not suffer from pain and is not in a state of deepest depression.
There is another great and affordable remedy for insomnia. It `s music. Before going to sleep, she accompanies a person from the very first days of his life in the form of lullabies that singalmost all the mothers of the world to their babies. Calm rhythm and melody allow a person to relax in order to fall asleep as soon as possible.
Sleep music for insomnia is usually classical music. They allow you to relieve the tension that has accumulated throughout the hectic day at work. Music for sleep from insomnia is most often Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, Tchaikovsky's Evening Dreams, Schumann's Dreams. Other works by other authors may also be used. The main thing is that the selected motive allows a person to calm down and relax.
Folk remedies for insomnia. Recipes
For those who have not yet become chronic insomnia, it is recommended to restore normal rest with natural remedies.
- Herbs taken in equal amounts will help with insomnia, including dried chamomile and mint flowers. Valerian root and fennel are added to their mixture. Taken in a ratio of 1:1:1:1, the ingredients are boiled for half an hour. After that, the mixture is cooled and taken twice a day for half a glass.
- You can take from insomnia herbs valerian and motherwort, mint, and hops. The proportion of these ingredients should be 2:3:3:2. The prepared raw material is boiled for 15 minutes. After cooking, the broth should be cooled and take 2 tbsp. l. three times a day.
- Among the many recipes for insomnia, there is a fairly simple and affordable one. It involves taking a glass of kefir before bedtime, in which 1 tbsp was dissolved. honey.
An effective remedy is tea for insomnia fromlily of the valley herbs. For its preparation 1 tsp. raw materials are brewed in a glass of boiling water. Drink this tea 3-4 times throughout the day.
