Harmful Effects of Insomnia

Insomnia: The Word that Sends Dread Straight to Your Bed

Most of us have been plagued with insomnia at some point in our lives. While it’s nothing new, it can feel like the most frustrating thing ever. Whether you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, or both… it’s dreadful and can even cause anxiety at bedtime, making it worse!

Kinds of Insomnia

Acute insomnia usually indicates a short-lived problem with sleep and will generally go away when the stress factors go away. This type of insomnia tends to be linked with the death of a loved one, loss of a job, or some other highly stressful life event. Chronic insomnia is the kind that just goes on and on, regardless of what is happening in your life. It’s is often linked with depression, chronic pain, or chronic stress. No matter what type you have, it’s a problem and can affect everything else in your life.

Effects of Insomnia

So what does insomnia do besides leave you feeling tired? Lots of things. It can make you feel irritable, short-tempered, and just generally not like yourself. You might find yourself snapping at people and immediately wondering right after what is wrong with you. It can affect your short-term memory and focus, thereby affecting your work.

How to Help Treat Insomnia Naturally

Whether you have acute or chronic insomnia, help is available. There are several kinds of natural sleep therapies that can help you relax, in turn helping you fall asleep and stay asleep.

Good Habits to Get Into to Help You Sleep

• Keep a tight schedule – One of the key things to a good night’s sleep is a tight schedule, but not the kind you are probably used to. An absolute must for good sleep is to go to bed at the same time every night. You have to condition your body to know when it’s time to relax and let the day’s troubles drift away for a while.
• Disconnect – Remove yourself from electronics and communication two hours before your bedtime. If you want to be asleep by 10:00 p.m., shut down your phone, computer, and TV no later than 8:00 p.m. You still may not be able to fall asleep right at 10, but by lying in bed and reading a book, you are forcing your brain to take a break and decompress, which prepares your body for sleep.
• Decaffeinate – Avoid caffeine later in the day. If you want to enjoy a nice cup of tea while you’re reading this evening, go for it! Just make sure you choose an herbal, caffeine-free tea. Try something with chamomile, lavender, and rosemary for an added layer of relaxation.
• Pick your noise – Something many of us know we need is white noise. If you haven’t tried it, give it a shot. Whether it’s the soft whir of a fan or a bedside machine that plays the sound of raindrops on a tin roof, there’s bound to be a calming, rhythmic sound that soothes your soul.
• Take your vitamins – It’s absolutely essential to get your body what it needs. This means drinking your standard 8 glasses or more of water each day, taking a daily vitamin and get your minerals too. If you aren’t eating lots of green leafy vegetables every day, chances are you are lacking some very important minerals your body needs to function properly, including sleep.
• Natural Insomnia Remedies – Lucky there are many natural insomnia remedies on the market. These usually consist of either melatonin alone, or oftentimes, melatonin with combination of various herbs, such as Sleep Already, known to help relax the mind.

Also, see our Sleep Tips