Fighting Insomnia – Learn how to deal with it

Do you dread the sound of your alarm clock every morning? If you are one of those who get up groggy, grumpy and feeling blue day after day, thanks to all the tossing and turning you do at night, you are not alone! Close to 50% of the general population is believed to suffer from insomnia, inability or total lack of sleep. Women, thanks to the rise and fall of hormones, and older adults are the likely victims. But, given the modern day stressors, and graveyard shifts at work, men are just as vulnerable.

You can halt the vicious cycle of insomnia by being proactive and planning your day well.  Natural remedies, age old wisdom of yoga, and physical activity can all be the answers to the insomniac’s prayers. Let’s analyze some of them.

Exercise, exercise, exercise!

Can the benefits of exercise be stressed enough? In a study done on 15 sleep-deprived women, aged between 40 and 63, vigorous aerobic activity five times a week for five weeks was prescribed. At the end of the study, all the women were sleeping more soundly, and had stopped dependency on sleep medications at the end of the study period. Interesting side effect – the women had shed close to 3 kilos after five weeks!

The yoga way

It’s the age old Indian wisdom, handed down by the gurus down generations. Yoga helps calm down the nerves, improves blood supply to the brain and helps control the mind and the racing thoughts.  A study published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research found that insomniacs, who practiced yoga for 6 months, fell asleep ten minutes faster, slept an hour longer and woke up feeling more refreshed than those who did not take up yoga.

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A lighter, earlier meal

The old saying about eating breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper is fool proof as far as sleep is concerned. Heavy, fat laden meals take a long time to digest and stress the digestive and circulation system. This is likely to cause heartburn and acidity, not to mention a heavy bloated feeling, which make it difficult to fall asleep. Eating at least 3 hours before bed time will ensure digestion process is completed before hitting the sack.

Natural remedies

A glass of warm milk with honey is known to be a sleep inducer. Valerian root extract, or chamomile tea, and passion flower extract can all promote relaxation and reduce stress, making it easier to fall asleep.

Sleep-friendly room

Turn off harsh lights, make the room as sound proof as possible. Play a soothing melody and light some aromatherapy candles. Soothing all the senses will mean less anxiety and more restful sleep!

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There are numerous yoga and aerobics classes conducted and online portals like Gympik make the search easier and help you locate centres near you. Certified yoga instructors and personal trainers are available too whose expert services will help you steer in the right direction towards getting that long-awaited good sleep. We hope this article helps you fight insomnia the right and healthy way. If it did help, then don’t forget to like and share. We’d love to hear your thoughts. Give us a buzz in the comment section below.