All about women's insomnia and the fight against it, or how to fall asleep without counting sheep

General understanding of insomnia

Insomnia is a group of disorders characterized by poor quality and short duration of sleep.
In some cases, these signs occur separately. We can talk about insomnia if the process is repeated for a long time, otherwise doctors note a transient disorder associated with external factors. The disorder is quite common - about 40% of the adult population of the planet suffers from parasomnia. The main criteria by which this pathology can be determined are:

• prolonged process of falling asleep;
• superficial intermittent sleep;
• frequent awakenings (more than 4 times);
• short duration of sleep (going to bed late at night, a person wakes up early in the morning);
• fatigue and weakness, lack of strength and energy;
• decreased performance.

It is important to know! Insomnia can be either situational (short-term) or last for a long period of time. According to statistics, in 10-15% of people it causes clinical changes in the condition that worsen the quality of life.

Fear of night and sleep

Phobias negatively affect the normal sleep of women. One of the most common types of fears that directly affects proper rest is hypnophobia. A state of poorly controlled fear of sleep, when a person is afraid to fall asleep for a number of specific reasons.

Often, fear of the night and sleep appears in childhood after an unpleasant event that happened while falling asleep. A nightly horror movie, rape or other psychophysical trauma causes such a deep-seated reaction of rejection that it can haunt a representative of the fair sex for decades.

The only solution to this problem is to contact a specialist and conduct cognitive therapy. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe individual medications.

Insomnia that occurs in women and its characteristics

It has been established that most often the female half of the population suffers from insomnia. This is due to the fact that by their nature women are more emotional and react violently to the occurrence of any non-standard situation. In addition, the development of the disorder is associated with the physiological characteristics of the female body: changes in hormonal levels and the functioning of the nervous system.

Mudras are an effective remedy for female insomnia

From an energetic point of view, healthy sleep is primarily a healthy energy exchange. Mudra is the ritual placement of the hands. It helps to cope with insomnia at home. To do this, you need to turn your face to the east and tune in to relaxation. The hands should be crossed on the chest (the right hand is the upper one), and the fingers should be folded into a special position called mudras. For insomnia, the “Strengthening the nervous system” and “Knowledge” mudras will be successful.

There are sleepy spots on the hands. Correctly pressing them normalizes sleep during insomnia. Sleeping points are placed symmetrically: in the corners of the little fingernails, under the elbows on the outside and in the crease area between the thumb and index finger.

Symptoms and signs

Insomnia is difficult to miss - it manifests itself either in the inability to fall asleep, or in frequent awakenings, or in restless shallow sleep, or in a feeling of fatigue and weakness upon awakening.

During the daytime, insomnia manifests itself in mental and physical lethargy, inhibited thinking, irritability, decreased concentration, and sudden mood swings. Often there are complaints of severe headaches and problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

Diagnosis of insomnia by a doctor includes analysis of the duration of the symptoms described above, determination of existing somatic and mental diseases, lifestyle analysis, sometimes MRI of the head, passing special tests and questionnaires, neurological examination and recording of brain activity during sleep using special devices.

Massage and gymnastics against insomnia

A pleasant and safe method of treating insomnia is a relaxing massage. So, foot massage can be mastered and used at home for 20 minutes twice a day. There are no contraindications to reflex massage. Chinese gymnastics can be a good help in the fight against insomnia. Gymnastics for insomnia are carried out 10 minutes before bedtime and include a massage of the head, ears, neck, abdomen and feet. On the Internet you can find video lessons on how to perform such gymnastics.

Breathing exercises before bed will help you fall asleep faster. Rhythmic breathing has a positive effect on the abdominal muscles, stabilizes the gastrointestinal tract and blood supply to the brain. Breathing exercises are great not only for young people, but also for older patients with insomnia. You cannot do a large set of breathing exercises at once; the load should be reasonable and enjoyable. When performing exercises, remember that you need to breathe through your nose and exhale should be longer than inhalation. Breathing should be rhythmic, for this you can count mentally. Meditation also has a similar beneficial effect.

Causes

If a person wakes up at night and tosses around in bed for a long time to fall asleep, we can talk about the development of insomnia.

Women are more emotional than men, so they are more likely to be violated. It is more difficult for them to abstract themselves from problems and relax their nervous system. In addition to psychological reasons, there are other prerequisites for the development of pathology.

Poor sleep hygiene

External factors influence how quickly you fall asleep. To prevent insomnia at night, it is important to create an atmosphere in the bedroom that is conducive to rest. Proper sleep hygiene is of great importance . It includes:

• Comfortable bed. For a comfortable rest, you need an orthopedic mattress, a small pillow, and linen made from natural materials. You should choose a blanket according to the season. It should not be cold under it in winter, and hot in summer.
• Temperature indicators. The bedroom needs to be ventilated every evening. Fresh air is the key to a sound, restful sleep. The room should not be damp. If the air is too dry, you need to use humidifiers.
• Silence and absence of light. To relax, you need to remove extraneous sounds, close the curtains in the bedroom tightly, and turn off the lighting sources.

Failure to follow these recommendations significantly worsens the quality of sleep.

Nutrition and its regime

An incorrect approach to nutrition can cause insomnia. Fatty dishes, marinades, and fast food overload the stomach and cause swelling. To fall asleep easily, it is recommended to eat small portions at a time and enrich your diet:

• fresh herbs;
• fiber;
• vegetables;
• boiled meat;
• fish.

You need to give up late dinners. The last meal can be 4 hours before bedtime.

In the evenings, you should not drink strong tea and coffee. These drinks excite the nervous system and cause insomnia even in women under 30 years of age.

Jet lag

Often the problem develops due to a failure of the biological clock. This happens when a person wants to sleep outside of school hours. With the onset of darkness, the body produces melatonin, a hormone that causes drowsiness. If, under the influence of external and internal factors, the production of melatonin decreases, insomnia begins to worry.

It is useful for a woman to get more rest, refuse to work at night, do exercises every day and carefully observe the daily routine, going to bed and waking up at a precisely set hour.

If the biological clock is disrupted, medical attention is required, which is prescribed on an individual basis..

Taking medications

Medications can disrupt sleep. Tranquilizers pose a great threat. They affect the nervous system and, with prolonged use, provoke insomnia. Prominent representatives of such drugs are amphetamines and inhibitors of the nervous system. Other medications also cause unpleasant symptoms:

• first generation antihistamines;
• antidepressants;
• drugs to lower blood pressure;
• codeine cough tablets;
• corticosteroids;
• bronchodilators.

Night terrors

Some people experience uncontrollable fear in the dark. They are afraid to fall asleep and dream. The condition is called hypnophobia. A prerequisite for the development of pathology is often the impressionability of women who are afraid of nightmares or are afraid of dying in their sleep.

The root cause of psychological illness in most cases lies in childhood. Domestic violence and scary books and movies can leave an imprint that will haunt you for years to come. Therapy for hypnophobia occurs under the guidance of a psychologist on an individual basis.

Snore

Snoring occurs not only in men, but also in women. It develops under the influence of:

• curvature of the nasal septum;
• excess weight;
• malocclusion;
• hormonal disorders;
• birth defects;
• severe fatigue.

Often snoring in women after 40 years of age appears due to age-related changes. Muscle tone weakens, tissues lose elasticity, and the airways become narrower . This causes snoring, sometimes accompanied by a short cessation of breathing. This condition does not allow you to fully rest and threatens insomnia.

Anxiety and stress

Nervous strain is considered the main factor for insomnia. To get rid of stress, some women uncontrollably take antidepressants and tranquilizers and only worsen the problem.

To get a good night's sleep, it is important to calm down. While lying in bed, you should not scroll through unpleasant life situations in your head. It's better to think about the good.

Walking in the fresh air can help cope with excessive excitement and stress. Before going to bed, you can take a warm bath with essential oils, drink chamomile tea or milk with honey.

Impact of diseases

Sleep is a physiological process. Any disturbances in the functioning of the body can provoke disruptions leading to insomnia. Most often, the inability to fall asleep at night is a consequence of a mental disorder . Pathologies also contribute to:

• traumatic brain injuries;
• diseases of the nervous system;
• apnea syndrome.

Somatic diseases impair the functioning of the entire body and disrupt sleep. Signs of insomnia are observed in patients suffering from hypothyroidism, gastrointestinal pathologies, and bronchial asthma.

Elderly age

In older years, melatonin production is weaker, and chronic diseases worry us.

After menopause, many women suffer from insomnia, the treatment of which requires a comprehensive approach. It includes physical therapy, diet, and taking medications aimed at eliminating the symptoms of menopause and chronic diseases.

Sleep disorders in pregnant women

Every second pregnant woman experiences insomnia during pregnancy. Lack of night rest immediately affects the well-being of the expectant mother. With regular sleep disturbances, chronic fatigue develops, which makes it difficult to do even household chores.

Insomnia during pregnancy reduces alertness, which is why a pregnant woman can easily get injured , for example, while walking or taking a shower.

Sleep disturbances are often accompanied by irritability due to the inability to fully rest at night.

Treatment for insomnia in pregnant women includes:

• Refusal of daytime sleep . If you sleep during the day and have difficulty falling asleep in the evening, avoid taking an afternoon nap. Rest during the day disrupts natural sleep patterns. Therefore, if you want to take a nap after lunch, overpower yourself, wait until 20-21 pm and go to bed.
• We protect ourselves and the baby from stress . There is no need to quarrel with anyone during pregnancy. In addition, do not talk about emotional topics with family members and do not watch heartbreaking melodramas before bed. Both of these are not conducive to good sleep.
• Less fluid at night . During pregnancy, the fetus puts pressure on the bladder, which is why the woman often goes to the toilet in the last stages. So, to avoid frequently having to get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, drink less fluid before bed.
• Sleep in a comfortable position . The correct sleeping position is the key to energy the next day. Read about the best position to sleep in in this article.

What diseases cause insomnia?

Insomnia in women can be caused not only by physiological reasons and external factors, but also by disease. The most well-known provoking pathologies, diseases and syndromes are usually:

• Mental disorders . The next stage of psychosocial stress and anxiety is systemic progressive depression;
• Neurological diseases . This includes dementia, Parkinson's disease and other wide-spectrum pathologies;
• Traumatic brain injuries with disruption of the central nervous system and peripheral nerves;
• Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome . Brief pauses in breathing during the night's rest are a very serious cause that is usually not noticed due to the classic external manifestation (snoring);
• Somatic diseases . This includes a huge range of “bodily” diseases, from various dysfunctions of the thyroid gland and diseases of the bronchopulmonary system to disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, nocturnal myoclonus and even pain syndrome of a wide etiology.

We recommend reading: All possible causes of red eyes after sleep

Somatic diseases

This type of disease is characterized by disruptions in the normal functioning of human systems and organs, is caused by internal or external influences, and can cause insomnia in a woman.

The above-described pathologies are not associated with the mental activity of the fair sex, and when conducting a high-quality comprehensive diagnosis, the cause of sleep disturbance is often accurately established.

• Bronchopulmonary system . Typically, insomnia affects women who are diagnosed with bronchial asthma, as well as chronic pathologies associated with respiratory obstruction;
• Gastrointestinal disorders . The most common provoking factor is esophageal reflux;
• Problems with the thyroid gland . Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can cause problems falling and staying asleep;
• Pain syndrome . Fibromyalgia, migraines and other similar conditions often cause insomnia;
• Neuroscience Disorders and Trauma . Almost all neurological diseases, as well as direct injuries to the skull and spine, develop negative symptoms with multiple sleep disturbances;
• Special syndromes . Pickwick syndrome and restless legs, myoclonus, central system apnea and much more.

Snoring and sleep apnea syndrome

Among the fair sex there is an opinion that snoring is only the lot of men. This is not at all true; women are susceptible to all possible causes of the formation of this syndrome (here you can read more about snoring in women), as well as its complex form in the form of obstructive sleep apnea, although to a lesser extent.

The narrowing of the upper respiratory tract in the area of ​​the nasopharynx causes difficulty in airflow in this area - during this process, turbulence is formed and a characteristic low sound of a certain repeating frequency occurs.

In some cases, the pathology is accompanied by swelling of the above area and a decrease in smooth muscle tone, which provokes partial or complete closure of the respiratory channels during sleep with short-term pauses in breathing. With this type of pathology, called obstructive apnea, the risks of developing cardiovascular diseases , pulmonary hypertension, oxygen starvation with insufficient nutrition of brain structures, as well as other serious problems increase significantly.

A woman who regularly snores or a representative of the fair sex with OSA syndrome often suffers from insomnia, does not get enough sleep and feels “broken” most of the daylight hours. The solution to the problem is to find and eliminate the cause of the syndrome.

Other Possible Causes

There are many other reasons why a woman may suffer from insomnia. These include bad habits from alcohol abuse, smoking, and pregnancy with its global hormonal changes, as well as excess weight, endocrine, infectious, organic, parasitic diseases, kidney and liver damage with secondary unpleasant symptoms.

Any case that is not clearly diagnosed at home should be reviewed by a specialized specialist.

Only a comprehensive examination, differential analysis, instrumental and laboratory diagnostic methods can reveal the true cause of insomnia, and after prescribed therapy, help get rid of unpleasant pathologies.

Diseases associated with insomnia

Sleep disturbances are rarely associated with any illness. However, there are pathologies that are accompanied by insomnia in women. Let's list the main diseases:

• Depression . Consequence of chronic or acute stress. Almost always leads to sleep disturbances.
• Sleep apnea . Characterized by frequent pauses in breathing during sleep. Intermittent breathing at night ultimately leads to hypoxia, due to which brain function does not recover overnight.
• Diseases of the nervous system and traumatic brain injuries . Diseases and injuries in most cases disrupt brain function. This in turn provokes the development of insomnia. The most common diseases that are accompanied by sleep problems are dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, central nervous system tumors, etc.
• Hormonal diseases . Sleep disturbances occur in diseases of the thyroid gland, gynecological problems, diseases of the adrenal glands and other ailments of the endocrine system.
• Bronchial asthma and respiratory pathologies . Impaired respiratory function contributes to the development of insomnia.
• Gastrointestinal diseases . Heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux (reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus) and ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract indirectly disrupt sleep.
• Migraine . Recurrent headaches can lead to insomnia.
• Restless legs syndrome . Involuntary leg movements make falling asleep worse.

Difficulties by period of life

Throughout their lives, women very often face the problem of night rest during the menstrual cycle and before it.
Doctors explain this process by strong hormonal changes during these periods of time. Very often, difficulties with sleep are also accompanied by other disturbances in a woman’s psychological activity: body fatigue, nerves, stress, worries, difficulties with her significant other. Experts associate the presence of proper and deep sleep with the production of a special hormone by the human body. Before the age of forty, it is reproduced in the required quantity, in which case other reasons will affect the quality of sleep. After forty years, the disorder begins to acquire physiological factors - a lack of hormone production.

Experts have identified groups of sleep disorders depending on the woman’s age group. The reasons for the development of malaise in girls under the age of thirty include:

1. Spending a long time at the computer or TV screen in the evenings. As a result, this leads to disturbances in time orientation, so the body simply does not have time to fully prepare for a night's rest.
2. During pregnancy. When carrying a baby, a woman's hormones begin to be produced differently. In this case, there are regular mood swings, as well as difficulty going to bed.

Factors that influence sleep disturbances in women under the age of thirty include difficulties at home, irregularities in the menstrual cycle, regular stress, very tight nightgowns, and excessive physical activity during the day. Factors that are expressed in the excitation of the central nervous system, the woman’s experiences, and the level of the hormone in the body are within normal limits.

At the age of thirty to forty years, insomnia occurs due to personal experiences, they cannot be attributed to problems with hormonal levels:

• difficulties at work, unfulfilled dreams, scandals in relationships with your man or in the family;
• a midlife crisis occurs. At this time, a woman begins to reconsider all her priorities in life and changes her values.

Insomnia before menstruation occurs in a more pronounced form.

The causes of insomnia in women over 40 years old are considered more physiological than mental:

1. The production of hormones deteriorates; their quantity is simply insufficient for proper rest.
2. A woman’s reproductive function decreases; during menopause, difficulties arise with the reproduction of hormones.
3. The well-being of women worsens, their health is impaired, and somatic and neurological diseases occur.

Psychological factors include severe anxiety and stress.

Causes of insomnia in women over 50 years of age:

• reduced immunity;
• increased irritability and stress;
• emotional instability.

At this time, the amount of the hormone continues to actively fall, due to worries, the development of physical ailments becomes even clearer.

Apnea and snoring are factors of insomnia

Both pathologies are observed in women no less often than in men. And most often, snoring or apnea occurs in older women, as well as in overweight women.

Apnea is a condition in which a person stops breathing several times during the night. Moreover, one can hold one’s breath up to 400 times during the entire sleep period . The causes of apnea are usually associated with the anatomical features of the upper respiratory tract, weakening of the muscles of the palate, obesity, etc.

Snoring often precedes apnea. Snoring itself occurs due to narrowing of the airways in the nasopharynx. When air passes through this anatomical area, vibration occurs, which is accompanied by a characteristic sound.

Snoring often leads to swelling of the nasopharynx, which is precisely the cause of apnea in women. Obstructive apnea , in which the airways are blocked, increases the risk of developing cardiovascular pathologies. For example, frequent pauses in breathing during sleep provoke the appearance of hypertension, coronary heart disease, and angina pectoris . And these diseases, in turn, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

The causes of insomnia in women in the form of snoring and apnea, among other things, worsen their well-being during the day. Due to daytime sleepiness, performance and motivation for any activity decrease.

Treatment of apnea in women should be comprehensive and include: consultation with a somnologist, polysomnography, normalization of body weight, increased physical activity, etc.

Read more about how to get rid of apnea in this article.

Diagnosis

Problems with night rest can serve as evidence of the presence of various diseases, and quite serious ones at that.

Diagnosis of such disorders is prescribed for difficulty breathing, snoring, abnormal behavior in children, difficulty getting out of bed, fear, talking in sleep, enuresis, narcolepsy, ADHD syndrome, developmental pathologies, apnea, epilepsy and insomnia.

To find out the reasons why there are difficulties with falling asleep and resting in the dark, you should resort to polysomnography (PSG).

PSG is a diagnostic method that includes recording an EEG (4 channels), an oculogram, an ECG, a myogram, recording the oxygen content in the blood, recording the movements of the arms and legs, measuring respiration and humidity.

How to treat insomnia?

Insomnia can be treated using traditional methods or by going to the clinic. When treating yourself, it is important not to harm your health even more and not to use strong psychotropic and hypnotic drugs on your own.

You should consult a doctor if you notice:

• inability to fall asleep after 30 minutes to an hour of being in bed without light sources around;
• frequent awakening without further opportunity to fall back to sleep;
• feel tired after waking up;
• symptoms last longer than a week or two.

We recommend reading: Sleep paralysis - what is it, its causes and is it dangerous?

There are three methods of treating insomnia that are combined with each other. Replacement therapy involves taking hormones in the form of tablets, which are taken before falling asleep and help normalize sleep. Psychotherapy and sleeping pills, which are prescribed by the doctor after a complete examination of the patient.

Treatments for hormone-induced insomnia

Although insomnia occurs for different reasons in women than in men, treatment methods are similar. This means that this problem is universal and relevant for both sexes. As for women themselves, during menstruation they should ensure nervous calm, eliminate stress, and ensure a calm start to sleep. Sometimes during menstruation the pain is so severe that it prevents you from sleeping. Then it is recommended to consult a gynecologist to solve this problem.

If insomnia accompanies pregnancy, of course, taking sleeping pills is prohibited. Here you need to focus on the right lifestyle, change your diet, start doing gymnastics and other permissible physical activities to make the body want to sleep. This will tone the entire body, normalize its metabolism and return melatonin levels to normal.

How to treat insomnia not associated with hormonal changes

If insomnia is not related to your period or pregnancy, it is usually much easier to treat. When sleep problems are not supported by hormonal changes in the body, it is enough to eliminate the factor that caused them, and night life will return to normal. First of all, it is necessary to normalize your sleep pattern. You need to make it a rule to go to bed before 23:00, or better before 22:00.

To have healthy sleep, it is important not to lose sight of not only the recommended amount of exercise, but also sex. This is an important part of a normal life. If a woman lives in a marriage and notices that after sex she cannot fall asleep for a long time, it is necessary to choose other favorable hours for this activity.

Physical activity can be practiced at any hour of the day. But it is recommended that exercise should not be done immediately before bedtime. It is better to maintain an interval of 3 hours. Not everyone can find time for the gym, fitness, or aerobics, but walking in the fresh air is a great alternative to this. Usually, after such a time before bed, insomnia goes away faster.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies that can help normalize not too advanced cases of insomnia:

• dried bay leaves are added to the pillow on which a person suffering from insomnia sleeps;
• eating a small amount of onion half an hour before bedtime;
• drinking tincture of dill seeds or hop cones;
• 250 ml of warmed milk with honey before resting.

Are medications needed?

Medications should only be prescribed by a doctor and in severe cases of insomnia. They have a number of side effects that should be monitored by specialists. Many of the medications carry the risk of dependence and addiction.

Natural herbal medicines that have a mild sedative effect have a milder effect - these are valerian, motherwort tincture, Menovazin, Persen or Novo-passit. They can be used independently, but also with extreme caution and analysis of the instructions with contraindications.

Zolpidem and Zaleplon have virtually no side effects and help you fall asleep quickly.

Under no circumstances should this condition be treated by drinking alcohol.

Psychotherapy

In the arsenal of psychotherapists there are many methods designed to cure the manifestations of insomnia. The patient may be offered:

• auto-trainings;
• relaxation methods;
• Ericksonian hypnosis;
• stimulant control therapy;
• cognitive treatment.

To achieve success, it is necessary to combine therapy with medication. In most cases, a properly selected course allows you to get rid of insomnia in 2 weeks.

Gymnastics and massage for insomnia for women

One of the safest and most enjoyable ways to treat sleep disorders is massage. It is quite effective for insomnia that is not too severe, especially with aromatic oils.

Lavender oil is applied to the temples and lightly massaged into this area before bed. You can knead your feet with light circular movements for 20 minutes before falling asleep and when waking up.

Acupressure can be performed by anyone who does not have vascular pathologies, rashes or other skin damage, tumors or thrombophlebitis. This method involves massaging sleepy points on the body.

The duration of the method on one zone is up to three minutes. There should be no pain during the procedure.

The point located between the eyebrows, about 1 cm above the bridge of the nose, is warmed up. You need to press on it for a minute or two. The second point is located on the outside of the wrist near the little finger at the end of the wrist fold. It can be found by the depression between the tendons.

Chinese gymnastics is good for insomnia 10 minutes before falling asleep. Leaning on your back, you need to extend your arms and place them in different directions. Legs bend at the knees. You need to cross your knees and then place your left knee on top of your right. Take 10 smooth breaths on one side and the other.

Treatment of chronic insomnia

Before treating the insomnia itself, doctors will need to determine the cause. If the primary form occurs, sleep disturbance will be treated. But in the presence of secondary insomnia, it will be necessary to first eliminate those pathologies that led to the formation of insomnia in the patient. The person’s situation in this case is complicated by the fact that secondary type insomnia, which lasted more than 3 months, begins to develop as an independent pathological process. It does not disappear if the underlying disease is treated.

How to cure chronic insomnia with medications?

If you have chronic insomnia, you should not take medications on your own. Even those that can be bought without a doctor's prescription must be prescribed and taken in the prescribed dosage. Treating a chronic condition with sleeping pills is less effective than treating short-term cases.

There are rules that every doctor must follow when prescribing medications to his patient, these are:

• minimum dosage;
• intermittent doses of 1 drug;
• short course of medication;
• constant dose reduction and gradual withdrawal of prescribed medications;
• elimination of the rebound effect after drug withdrawal.

Most often, medications are prescribed for the primary form of the disease if psychotherapy sessions do not help. To speed up sleep, the drugs Zolpidem and Zaleplon are prescribed. To eliminate episodes of awakening at night, benzodiazepines are recommended.

The duration of action of the drugs is selected based on the most common time of waking up:

• for sleep problems, medications with a short duration of action are prescribed in the first half of the night;
• if the patient wakes up in the second half of the night, then he is recommended to take medications with an average duration of action.

The disadvantage of benzodiazepines is that they become quickly addictive and have side effects (drowsiness, amnesia, etc.). More often, safer cyclopyrrolones (Zopiclone, etc.) or imidazopyridines (Zolpidem, etc.) are prescribed. To normalize the circadian rhythm, adaptogens (for example, melatonin preparations) are used.

How to get rid of chronic insomnia using non-drug methods?

The use of medications is accompanied by recommendations on sleep hygiene and non-drug treatment methods. The doctor must explain to the patient in detail what to do for chronic insomnia:

• avoid drinking alcohol, smoking, do not overeat and do not go to bed hungry;
• stop intense mental activity 1 hour before bedtime, switch to a quiet activity;
• stop physical activity 2-4 hours before;
• don't sleep during the day.

If falling asleep does not occur within 15 minutes, it is recommended to get up and continue quiet activities. You can try again after about 30 minutes. Sometimes by this time a person already begins to feel drowsy.

To eliminate anxious expectations and prejudices regarding sleep, the patient is prescribed cognitive therapy sessions. He learns to correctly assess the need for sleep, distances himself from the desire to fall asleep and from attaching excessive importance to this.

Physiotherapy methods include:

• electrophoresis with sleeping pills;
• galvanization;
• darsonvalization;
• oxygen therapy;
• aromatherapy;
• different types of massage.

How to overcome an illness and learn to fall asleep easily: help in healing?

Using sleeping pills to combat insomnia is not the best way to solve the problem, as addiction and dependence can occur.

Healthy sleep can be restored without resorting to medications.

How to quickly get rid of insomnia without medications at night? To do this you need to follow simple rules:

1. Correct mode . All people are different. Everyone has their own individual time, which is enough for proper sleep. Some sleep 8-10 hours, while others sleep half as much, and do not suffer from it at all. To get enough sleep and feel good, you need to fall asleep and wake up at the same time. You cannot sleep less than 6 hours and fall asleep after 23 hours.
2. Sleep on a comfortable bed. The mattress should be smooth and of medium hardness to avoid problems with the spine. The pillow should not be higher than 15 cm and too soft. It is better to choose an orthopedic pillow that follows the curves of the head, supports the neck and prevents pain during sleep.
3. Sleep on your side. Sleeping in the fetal position reduces stress on your back and does not cause snoring. You can also sleep on your back. The position on the stomach is not suitable, as it impedes the functioning of all organs and systems of the body.
4. Evening load mode. When a person has worked hard, he falls asleep well. But physical or mental fatigue does not contribute to healthy sleep. Household chores and sports training should end two hours before bedtime. It can be helpful to do something that encourages sleep, such as taking a walk in the fresh air or reading a book.
5. Don't overeat before bed . An organism overloaded with food is unable to fall asleep, since energy is spent on work (digesting food) and not on rest. Dinner should be light and a few hours before bedtime. But, if you really want to eat, then you need to drink a glass of fermented milk product or eat a vegetable salad. Drinking at night is not recommended. Alcoholic drinks also do not contribute to normal sleep, but only emotionally relax.
6. Ventilate the room. It is more pleasant to fall asleep in the fresh air, and sleep comes faster.

Now you know what and how to do to get rid of insomnia at night, including without medications, and fall asleep peacefully.

We recommend reading: Which doctor should you consult for insomnia and sleep problems: somnologists, neurologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, cardiologists, endocrinologists

Thus, insomnia is considered a very serious and quite common problem among patients especially susceptible to this disorder.

You can get rid of it by adhering to the right treatment regimen and monitoring your condition. If the form is advanced, it is not recommended to delay visiting a specialist.

How to properly prepare for bed?

The cause of insomnia in women may be the conditions in which sleep takes place. These include an uncomfortable mattress, bright light, noise, uncomfortable temperature in the bedroom, and an incorrectly selected blanket and pillow.

Proper organization of sleep will help solve the problem of insomnia. To begin, purchase an orthopedic pillow that supports your head and neck in the desired position. By choosing the right pillow, you will avoid neck pain in the morning. Read more about how to choose a pillow for sleeping here.

an orthopedic mattress is important . An even position of the spine on the mattress improves the quality of sleep and prevents back pain after getting up. What to do if your back hurts after sleep, read this article.

Bed linen should be made from natural materials, such as cotton or silk. As a rule, natural products are best suited for sound sleep.

Along with preparing the place to sleep, take care of the climate in the bedroom. The cause of insomnia in women may be too dry or excessively humid air. In the case of dry air, the problem will be solved by a special humidifier , which will automatically spray moisture in the bedroom. Ventilating the bedroom before going to bed works well to combat humid air. By the way, if it’s not too cold outside at night, sleep with the window open.

The temperature in the bedroom during sleep should be 16-20 degrees Celsius . This will ensure the most sound sleep possible. In this case, you need to sleep under a warm blanket so as not to freeze at night.

When it is very hot and stuffy at night, you can turn on the air conditioner, setting the recommended air temperature to 16-20 degrees. However, if you have a small child or often get colds, you still shouldn’t the air conditioner

Earplugs made of polypropylene, polyurethane or silicone will eliminate extraneous sounds. If you are bothered by excess light in the bedroom, buy thick curtains. By choosing the right curtains, you can sleep in complete darkness, even if the sun is shining brightly outside the window.

Eating at night is bad for sleep

Many representatives of the fair sex cannot sleep after a hearty dinner. However, poor diet is rarely the true cause of insomnia in women. Nutrition is just an additional factor that is often combined with more serious causes of insomnia.

However, it is better not to overeat at night and monitor your caloric intake. Eat 5-6 times a day in small portions. So, the body absorbs food better, which is good not only for sleep, but also for maintaining your figure. You should finish dinner 2 hours before going to bed. In this case, you will not go to bed with a full stomach and will not feel hungry while falling asleep.

To get rid of insomnia, it is better not to drink tea or coffee after lunch. In addition, it is not recommended to consume these drinks in the morning. Tea and coffee contain caffeine, a nervous system stimulant. Excess caffeine in the body increases brain activity, which makes it difficult to fall asleep.

Drinking heavily a few hours before bedtime also does not contribute to proper rest. A large amount of fluid in the body increases the functioning of the kidneys, which is why you will often get up to go to the toilet at night.

Sleep disturbance

Recently, the average daily sleep duration has begun to decrease. The reasons for this are low physical activity, stress, bad habits, etc. Accordingly, in order to improve the quality and duration of sleep, you should remove everything that has a bad effect on your night's rest.

To restore your sleep pattern, exercise at least 2 times a week for 30 minutes. Moreover, it is better to finish classes at least 2 hours before bed. If you complete your workouts close to bedtime, you may experience stress-induced insomnia.

Next, you should give up cigarettes, since tobacco smoke does not promote sleep.

It's good if you can afford a nap during the day. However, if you have insomnia, it is better not to sleep during the day.

The most important rule for disrupted sleep patterns is to go to bed and wake up at the same time . Moreover, you should follow the regime even on weekends, when you don’t need to go anywhere in the morning.

To avoid health problems and deterioration in appearance, experts recommend that women sleep 8 hours a day.

There is an opinion that sleep between 11:00 pm and 3:00 am is the most beneficial. However, if your work schedule does not allow you to sleep during these hours, it is not necessary to adjust your sleep to this time. It is much more important to sleep a certain number of hours at the right time.

Possible complications

Chronic sleep deficiency can lead to the development of the following complications and concomitant diseases of internal organs caused by the lack of proper rest at night:

• progression of the oxidative process inside brain cells, which leads to their faster death;
• deterioration of long-term and short-term memory;
• decreased thought process and functionality of all brain centers;
• increased risk of cardiovascular diseases such as ischemic cerebral stroke and myocardial infarction;
• disruption of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism, which over time leads to excess body weight gain, insulin resistance, and the development of diabetes mellitus;
• violation of osteogenesis (the process of bone tissue formation);
• drop in blood pressure, chronic hypotension;
• decreased concentration, drowsiness during the day, which can lead to an accident, car accident, or work injury;
• premature aging of the body.

Treatment of sleep disorders in adults should begin as early as possible.

Timely diagnosis and organization of the therapeutic process will prevent the occurrence of the above complications. Insomnia, hypersomnia and parasomnia are not complex diseases of a psychosomatic nature that can be successfully treated with medications and traditional medicine.

Is it possible to cure insomnia completely: prognosis?

Insomnia must be treated. It is possible to completely get rid of the disease, but this requires proper and long-term treatment.

Efficiency will depend on correctly identifying the causes of the disease and their complete elimination. It is difficult to predict the course of the disease, since factors affecting curability may change.

There are two types of forecast:

• Favorable . It has the following factors: male gender. This is due to the fact that women are more susceptible to insomnia due to greater emotionality;
• setting the patient to overcome the disease. Having motivation plays a big role on the path to recovery;
• insomnia as a clinical syndrome. When the disorder just begins to develop, treatment is much easier.

Sleepwalking and female insomnia

A woman’s head is often filled with various thoughts, not only positive, but also negative, which lead to nightmares. Plus, sleepwalking is added to this - a sleep disorder. They say that during the full moon, energy is released from the human body, and brain activity begins to work more actively, coming up with more and more interesting ideas.

Somnambulism (scientific name for sleepwalking) is a lunar effect on a person. In women who suffer from sleepwalking, the motor activity of the body is not inhibited during sleep. Usually, a couple of hours after falling asleep (in the slow-wave sleep phase), “sleepwalkers” can open their eyes, see what is happening around, hear and walk around the apartment, then after some time the person returns to normal sleep. It has not been proven at what period somnambulism manifests itself most clearly, however, scientists are inclined to believe that during the full moon there is an internal disruption of normal sleep in sleepwalkers.