Remedies for insomnia and stress

• What is considered insomnia?
• Causes of insomnia
• Organizing your day to overcome insomnia
• What should dinner be like for a person suffering from insomnia?
• Organization of a sleeping place
• Folk remedies for insomnia
• Medications for insomnia

High-quality and complete sleep is the basis of health at any age. The modern rhythm of life often causes sleep disorders, manifested by the inability to fall asleep at the required time and, conversely, a craving for a pillow during active times of the day. Sleep disorders become the reason for choosing a variety of remedies for insomnia , since the problem is quite noticeable and requires a solution.

What is considered insomnia?

Insomnia is the most popular sleep disorder, which affects one in three people on a regular basis. Insomnia manifests itself in the fact that over a certain period of time a person loses the opportunity to get a good night's sleep, because either his sleep is not long or is not of sufficient quality. It has been scientifically proven that different people need different amounts of time to get enough sleep and then feel rested and ready for further activity. It is also possible that at a certain stage of life a person may not have the opportunity to get enough sleep, however, even in this not entirely favorable case, the time allotted for sleep should be enough to restore a tired body. We talk about insomnia when a significant part of the time allotted for sleep is spent on “counting sheep” or when sleep turns out to be so intermittent and superficial that, no matter how long it lasts, after waking up a person sometimes feels more exhausted than the day before.

To draw conclusions about the presence of insomnia, a full anamnesis is required, an analysis of the clinical picture taking into account the chronobiological stereotype and its correspondence to lifestyle.

It is fair to talk about insomnia with a certain combination of the following manifestations:

• sleep disorders observed three times a week for a month or more;
• superficiality and fragmentation of sleep;
• poor, long-term falling asleep - both initially during the night and again in case of awakening;
• frequent awakenings at night;
• lack of feeling of vigor during the day, impaired social and professional functioning due to poor sleep;
• during the day, concern about lack of sleep.

Before you go to see a neurologist, and even more so before you start self-medicating, analyze whether in a particular case you can talk about insomnia. Of the following signs, at least four should be observed on a regular basis:

• drowsiness and irritability while awake, throughout the day;
• Driving, as well as reading and watching TV, encourage you to sleep;
• difficulty concentrating;
• constant feeling of fatigue;
• slow response;
• difficulties arise in managing emotions;
• every day from time to time there is a desire to take a nap;
• There is a need for tonic drinks to maintain vigor and performance.

Causes of insomnia

It is extremely rare (which, however, does happen) that insomnia develops as an independent disease or an idiopathic (causeless) disorder. However, much more often it is based on very obvious problems in the organization of the working day, psycho-emotional stress or physiological diseases.

The most common causes of insomnia include:

• unfavorable environment in which a person intends to sleep - noise level, temperature conditions, interior furnishings of the sleeping place;
• circumstances of acclimatization - for example, during travel or change of residence;
• high levels of stress - at home or at work;
• anxiety or depression;
• physiological disorders, the manifestations of which are difficulty breathing or a frequent urge to urinate, which forces a person to wake up quite often during the night.

Chronic lack of sleep causes oxidative stress, which negatively affects learning processes, short-term and long-term memory. In addition, the person becomes irritable, chronic fatigue syndrome develops, and performance decreases.

4. Glycine

Sold for 20 rubles. Release form: tablets.

One of the best sedatives, both in terms of price and safety of use, contains a useful amino acid-neurotransmitter, which the human body needs for the normal course of inhibition processes in the central nervous system.

"Glycine" is available in tablets to suit every taste and budget. Here you will find sublingual, instant, and for resorption, and with different flavors and vitamin supplements.

However, ease of use is not the only advantage of this drug. It is indicated for decreased mental performance in children and adults, sleep disturbances, increased nervous excitability and psycho-emotional stress in stressful situations at work and school.

An important advantage of Glycine is safety for children. It is prescribed even to children under one year old. Please note: this does not mean that you can prescribe Glycine to your child without consulting a doctor.

Disadvantages: not everyone experiences the effect of taking Glycine. This may be due to the fact that the body of a particular person does not lack this amino acid. And the cause of insomnia, irritability and anxiety has other reasons.

Organizing your day to overcome insomnia

There is a simple and, at the same time, correct algorithm of actions for a person faced with insomnia. Initially, you need to adjust your daily routine, normalize your diet, and minimize your stress level. At the same stage, it is permissible to use folk remedies that have a relaxing effect on the body. If insomnia continues, a consultation with a psychologist or neurologist is indicated, who will professionally assess the origins of your problem and help eliminate them. The most extreme solution to the problem of insomnia is to take medication.

Organization of the working day in order to overcome insomnia involves spending time in the evening:

• dinner should occur no later than three hours before bedtime;
• taking any medications other than sedatives before bed is contraindicated;
• if there is a lack of physical activity during the day, even with a certain feeling of fatigue, walking before bed is recommended;
• in the evening, especially 1-1.5 hours before bedtime, it is not recommended to work with office equipment or watch TV;
• in the evening, relaxing baths have a beneficial effect on the body, which is recommended to be taken 1-1.5 hours before bedtime, upon returning from a walk;
• avoid daytime naps;
• It is recommended to ensure a strict regime of falling asleep and waking up, which ensures the body’s biorhythms - it is recommended to fall asleep before midnight, and ideally at 9-10 pm.

Organization of a sleeping place

Doctors recommend that people who need remedies for insomnia , before getting used to them, properly arrange their bedroom. First of all, it is important to assume that the bedroom should be a separate room with an appropriately decorated atmosphere. If possible (even if the apartment is one-room), minimize the negative effects on healthy sleep in one room. For this:

• remove household appliances and equipment from the bedroom, which today abound in modern living quarters; the sleeping area should be equipped with sockets, wires, and electronic devices at a minimum; these create magnetic fields that are unfavorable for the body in general and for sleep in particular;
• the bedroom should be decorated in neutral or soothing colors, avoid irritating colors and gloomy colors - pastel colors, blue and green, white are considered favorable;
• it is easier and healthier to fall asleep in a dark or at least a darkened room - this way melatonin, a special substance that is a natural sleeping pill and ensures healthy sleep, is more actively produced; try to adjust your work schedule so that you fall asleep and wake up at sunset and sunrise, but this is not always possible, so be sure to have blackout curtains or blinds in the bedroom;
• The temperature of the room for sleeping and the freshness of the air here are not least important in a favorable fall asleep - be sure to ventilate the room before going to bed, the air temperature should not exceed 21-22 ° C, and the need to use a warm blanket is not excluded;
• The place to sleep should also be comfortable - a medium-hard mattress, a pillow that promotes the natural position of the spine and back during sleep, a warm but not hot blanket; choose a bed made from natural fabrics.

Folk remedies for insomnia

The high effectiveness of folk remedies for this disorder has always been considered an advantage in solving problems with insomnia. If sleep disorders do not lie behind deep functional impairments or severe stress, then herbal teas and baths, which have relaxing and calming properties for the nervous system, are a sufficient remedy for insomnia . Massages using essential oils and aromatherapy are also advisable.

Classic herbal remedies for insomnia

• lemon balm - recommended for use in baths (cotton bags are stuffed with it and placed directly into the bathtub), as well as for brewing tea;
• valerian - requires systematic use for 2-3 weeks after which a noticeable effect can be expected;
• hops - can be used as an infusion in combination with valerian (in equal proportions), and can also be used for bathing;
• chamomile - tea from it has not only a calming and relaxing effect, but also a healing effect on the entire body;
• jasmine - this is combined with green tea, if insomnia is not too severe, then the use of this combination is allowed; otherwise, it is recommended to use jasmine inflorescences and leaves for preparing baths and decorating the bedroom interior;
• California poppy - its extract provides a sedative effect, as well as anesthetizes and normalizes mental balance;
• lavender – eliminates insomnia and relieves overexcitement, stabilizes the functioning of the nervous system, is suitable both for adding in small quantities to teas and for preparing relaxing baths.

For massage and the same soothing baths, it is recommended to use essential oils in the amount of a few drops:

• lavender,
• chamomile,
• lemon balm,
• jasmine

Lavender bags can be used in the bedroom interior.

What medications should I take to calm down?

All proposed anti-stress medications can be divided into several groups:

1. Antidepressants . These are drugs that do not cause any addiction in the patient, calm the nervous system and help restore sleep.
2. Neuroleptics . These are strong drugs for nerves and stress. They are not addictive and relieve the patient from depression.
3. Nootropics . Provide assistance in case of constant fatigue. Any remedy in this group improves blood flow to the brain. Medicines are absolutely safe for health.
4. Tranquilizers. This group can be addictive to the patient. The tablets are aimed at relieving fatigue, anxiety and insomnia.

When choosing a remedy for nerves, you need to pay attention to the composition of the drug. Preference should be given to medication whose composition is natural. If you choose a medicine with a synthetic composition, addiction may occur.

It is important to combine taking medications with a proper daily routine. You need to beware of stressful situations and irritating factors. The medicine prescribed by the doctor will have the following effects:

• getting rid of excessive anxiety,
• increasing endurance against nervous breakdowns,
• stable mood without rapid changes.

Remedies and medications for insomnia and stress are selected for each patient individually. It all depends on the symptoms that arise and the whole situation.

Medications for insomnia

Medications for insomnia , which are essentially sleeping pills, must be taken with extreme caution and are recommended in accordance with the prescriptions of professional doctors. The peculiarity of this kind of drugs is that after a few weeks or months they become addictive, and cessation of their use is accompanied by withdrawal syndrome.

Any remedy for insomnia should be taken in accordance with the rules, preferably in short courses and in a minimal dose, then a decrease in sensitivity is least likely.

Among the popular, proven effective remedies for insomnia are the same soothing herbal remedies (Sedasen, Persen), however, doctors strongly recommend combining their use with proper sleep hygiene, otherwise the effect will be minimal. The group of drugs of non-herbal origin includes the so-called Z-hypnotics (Zolpidem), however, by inhibiting the brain centers, they not only provide quality sleep, but rather cause depression of consciousness during the period of activity. Today, among medical professionals, there is an established opinion that the treatment of insomnia should occur without the use of drug therapy, but only by eliminating the causes of insomnia, working with a psychologist, taking folk remedies, and, in extreme cases, herbal remedies.

7. Persen

The average price is 300 rubles. Available in tablets and capsules.

The selection of the best sedatives opens with the popular “Persen”, the active ingredients of which are only herbal ingredients. There are only three of them:

1. valerian extract,
2. mint extract,
3. lemon balm extract.

Of these, two components - mint and lemon balm extracts - also have an antispasmodic effect, that is, they suppress muscle spasms and relax smooth muscles.

"Persen" is recommended for those who suffer from irritability, sleep disturbances and increased nervous excitability. After stopping its use, there is no withdrawal syndrome. It is not recommended to take the drug for longer than 2 months.

According to reviews, this sedative acts quickly (after 20 minutes), does not make you sleepy after taking it, and your mood improves.

Disadvantages: high price, some users complain of mild allergy symptoms. This may be due to individual intolerance to any of the ingredients in Persen.