Insomnia or disturbed sleep affects our health and mental state. It makes us irritable and ineffective at work. Restlessness, anxiety, fatigue, etc. are signs of disrupted sleep.

Humans need an average of 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night to be considered adequate. Getting enough sleep helps us feel healthy and helps the brain system work effectively. Regularly not getting enough sleep will cause many health and mental problems for us. Not getting enough sleep makes us tired, stressed and weakens the immune system, thereby making us susceptible to illness.

How to get rid of sleep disorders?

Sleep disorders are difficult to treat because most people don’t know why they have trouble sleeping. Some people suffer from insomnia, while others sleep too much (what experts call hypersomnia). Having either of these sleep disorders can cause problems for people. That’s why it’s important to manage them. We can use medications, medical procedures, or develop good habits to maintain this balance.

Make a sleep schedule. Set a bedtime and wake-up time and stick to it. This will help your body get used to the sleep and wake-up schedule. Once your body gets used to it, it will do it automatically without much effort on your part. A soft mattress or a comfortable place to lie down will also help you sleep better.

Avoid taking medications before bed, especially those that have side effects that keep us awake. Also, avoid drinking too much water before bed, as water can make us feel heavier and cause us to urinate at night.

If you are addicted to coffee, try to get rid of its temptation. Because coffee is one of the drinks that makes our sleep “intermittent”. If you are a regular coffee drinker, suddenly stopping can make you uncomfortable. So, overcome your coffee addiction by gradually reducing your intake.

As we age, our sleep becomes less deep and is more easily interrupted by surrounding noises. This is also the reason why older people are more easily awakened by outside noises than younger people.

Furthermore, as people age, they will encounter many health problems such as menopause, respiratory diseases, joint pain and have to take medication to treat these diseases. These also make sleep more difficult. The hormone melatonin plays a role in creating good sleep and creating alertness. However, in the elderly, the body does not produce much of this hormone, thereby increasing sleep disorders.

To overcome that, drink a glass of warm milk before going to bed, it will help you fall asleep easier. Milk is an easily digestible drink, and milk also contains tryptophan, a substance that has been proven to have a sleep-inducing effect.

Remember, sleep is a necessity, not an option. It's just as important as nutrition and regular exercise.

Translated from Gracegla - NT