Approximately 10-15% of Americans suffer from insomnia. The sleep aid industry has been profiting immensely and in the last few years alone, there has been a 100% increase in the use of sleeping pills. There are hundreds of different brands of sleep aids found at the pharmacy and more and more people are buying them every day.
While everyone does have the occasional trouble sleeping, there are those that have trouble sleeping almost every night. Some people do manage to fall asleep, but have trouble maintaining it. There are lot of reasons for insomnia, including:
Stress
Anxiety
Caffeine addiction
Pain or other illness
Alcohol (although some people drink alcohol to help them sleep, it is known to do the exact opposite)
Sedentary or inactive lifestyle lack of exercise
Erratic hours due to rotating work or by trying to juggle work and school at the same time
Environmental factors such as loud noises or lights
We are living hectic lives in a hectic world and the reasons that most people are kept from sleeping are innumerable. There are means to help people sleep more, other than just sleeping aid medication but unfortunately some people only rely on the medication and are sometimes so desperate to fall asleep that they could run the risk of overdosing and never waking up! Needless to say, you should be very careful if you use any type of sleep aid medicine.
Many people find yoga and meditation to be helpful when they have insomnia. These can relax the mind as well as the body and yoga classes are available almost everywhere. Try playing some light music at night and do some yoga right before you go to bed or ask a family member to give you a massage when you lie down at night. These may help you relax more as well.
Although it may be hard to do, you could also try cutting down on the caffeine, especially a few hours before going to bed. Some people find that drinking milk or an herbal tea before bedtime will help them relax more as well as a small snack that is low on sugar and protein eaten an hour before bedtime.
D not watch television before going to bed because you may find yourself thinking too much about it when trying to fall asleep. The same goes about reading an exciting book right before going to bed. Some people claim that a bit of light reading helps them relax more though, as well as having some relaxing music playing in the background.
Other tips on getting a good sleep include keeping regular hours, physical exercise throughout the day, lying on your back and concentrating on your breathing. Many of these tips may help you relax and sleep more but if you still have trouble with insomnia, you should consult a doctor. If you are given any medicine to help you fall asleep, please be careful with it and only take it when needed.
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