What to take to fall asleep quickly. Sleep medications. Recipes for sleep

A person spends a third of his life sleeping. And this is good. After all, sleep is a natural physiological process necessary for normal functioning body. In our sleep, we restore strength, “digest” the information accumulated during the day and fight diseases.

1. Lights out

Not only children, but also adults should maintain a sleep-wake schedule. Determine for yourself optimal time“lights out” and strictly adhere to it, even on weekends.

2. Rise

Set not only the “lights out” time, but also the rise time. Otherwise the balance will be disrupted. Laid in bed an hour longer? Fall asleep in right time it will be very difficult.

3. Diary

One of the main reasons bad sleep– this is stress. We go to bed with a lot of bad thoughts in our heads. Because of this, we cannot fall asleep for a long time and sleep very restlessly. To improve the situation, start and at the end of the day “tell” him about everything that worries or upsets you. Psychologists have proven that keeping a diary helps you focus on the positive rather than negative aspects life.

4. Magnesium

Another factor that affects our sleep is magnesium. Its deficiency leads to sleep disturbances. This is why it is recommended to eat foods rich in magnesium. For example, spinach or pumpkin seeds.

5. First aid kit

Sometimes medications can cause poor sleep. If you are taking any pills and notice that you are sleeping worse, carefully study the instructions. Are there insomnia among the side effects?

6. Coffee

Caffeine reduces adenosine levels, which makes it difficult for a person to calm down and fall asleep quickly. A cup of coffee with dinner can lead to insomnia or poor sleep quality. Therefore, try to drink coffee only in the morning.

7. Technology

To understand what exactly is preventing you from sleeping well, contact modern technologies. Exist mobile applications and special devices (Zeo Personal Sleep Coach, Wakemate and others) that help track the duration and quality of sleep. For example, for iOS there is an application Sleep Cycle, and for Android SleepBot.

8. Sleep norm

The optimal duration of sleep varies from person to person. But on average, it is believed that 7-8 hours are enough for normal life. Disturbance in sleep norms leads to increased levels of cortisol (the death hormone) and various serious illnesses. Therefore, try to get at least 7 hours of sleep a day.

9. Bonus

Having a tough week? Did you go to bed after midnight? Give yourself the bonus of an extra hour of sleep to rejuvenate and get back into your daily routine.

10. Siesta

A short afternoon nap is very good for your health. But only short - no more than 30 minutes. If you doze longer, your body will fall into deep stages of sleep - it will be difficult to wake up and return to business.

11. Yula

Can't sleep? Don't turn from side to side like a spinning top. Instead, get out of bed and do some quiet activity. For example, read or listen to lounge music.

12. Pets

Many people like to sleep with their loved one or. But from a healthy sleep perspective, this is a bad idea. You can fall asleep cuddling with Barsik, but then it’s better to send him back to his place.

13. Alarm clock

Many people keep an alarm clock on the bedside table (and if its role is played by the phone, then right under the pillow), which is actually a mistake. Constantly keeping an eye on the time means being on edge. And stress, as you remember, equals poor sleep.

14. Curfew

Also, many spend the evening staring at a computer monitor or sitting in front of the TV. Then they turn them off and “fall” into bed. But if you strive for truly healthy sleep, then set a curfew for all gadgets two to three hours before bedtime. The time before bed is a time for relaxation.

15. Bedroom

Your brain should automatically associate the bedroom with relaxation. Therefore, please use this room for its intended purpose. You need to relax in bed. The bedroom is about sleep and sex, not work and the Internet.

16. Comfort

For a good sleep, you need to create comfortable conditions: buy a comfortable mattress, hang thick curtains on the windows, eliminate sources of noise that interfere with sleep. Don't you sleep alone? Discuss with your partner what factors affect your and his sleep, and create an environment that is comfortable for both of you.

17. Temperature

16-24ºС – this should be the temperature in the bedroom. In a stuffy and too hot room, a person often wakes up and falls asleep more poorly.

18. Light

Bright lighting, and sometimes even the “harmless” light from the TV, can also create problems with sleep. If it is impossible to eliminate light sources, then so that they do not interfere with your rest, use a sleep mask.

19. Workout

Physical exercise not only builds strength and endurance, but also improves sleep quality. We are talking, in particular, about aerobic exercises that saturate the body with oxygen.

20. Everything has its time

Sport improves the quality of sleep, but you should end your workout at least 2 hours before bedtime. After all physical exercise saturate the body not only with oxygen, but also with adrenaline, which is a bad “sleeping pill”.

21. Muscle relaxation

Before going to bed, it is better to do the so-called muscle relaxation. It consists of alternately tense and relax various groups muscles. We tensed our leg muscles, counted to five, and relaxed; tense your abs, one-two-three-four-five, exhale, etc. This procedure can be done directly while lying in bed. Meditation also helps prepare your body for sleep.

22. Walks

Another secret to good sleep is evening walks. Even if it’s not very warm outside and you’re too lazy to get ready, overcome yourself. You'll be surprised how much better you'll sleep at night if you walk for half an hour before bed.

23. Hot shower or bath

Before going to bed, the body needs to relax, so before going to the kingdom of Morpheus, treat yourself to SPA treatments. A hot shower or bath can help relieve stress and make you feel sleepy.

24. Music

Besides a bath, music has a very calming effect on the body. Classical, folk or jazz - each has its own melodies that give harmony. Find one that brings you peace and listen to it before bed.

25. Lavender

Fragrances also affect the quality of sleep. Lavender – excellent remedy from insomnia. Use aromatherapy candles or essential oils to fill your bedroom with the scent of lavender before bed.

26. Warmth

As you already know, it should be cool outside, but inside, on the contrary, warm. Drink a glass of warm milk, cocoa or tea before bed, and you will immediately want to sleep.

27. Chamomile tea

By the way, about tea. This is “grandmother’s” remedy for sound and healthy sleep. Chamomile has a calming effect, which means it helps fight main reason poor sleep - stress.

What do you do to sleep well?

It's no secret that healthy and sound sleep is the key to excellent health and good mood. However, not every person manages to get enough sleep. This is especially true for residents of modern megacities, where every second person faces such a problem as.

How to fall asleep quickly and what methods of falling asleep quickly exist? What to do if you can't sleep? Why does a person suffer from insomnia and how to overcome it? We will try to answer these and other important questions in this material.

How to fall asleep quickly if you can't sleep

Each of us, at least once in our lives, wondered what to do to force ourselves to fall asleep when necessary, and not when the body turns off by itself from fatigue. In fact, not everyone can fall asleep easily. To understand what to do to fall asleep quickly, you need to have at least a minimal understanding of sleep and its stages.

Then, the problem called “I can’t sleep” can be avoided. So, sleep is nothing more than physiological state, which is inherent not only to humans, but also to other mammals, fish, birds and even insects. When we sleep, our reactions to what is happening around us slow down.

Normal physiological sleep differs from similar states, for example, fainting, lethargic sleep, , period hibernation or suspended animation in animals because it:

• repeats every day, i.e. 24 hours (sleeping at night is considered normal);
• characterized by the presence of a period of falling asleep or;
• has several stages.

When falling asleep activity brain decreases and also decreases heart rate . Man yawns, sensitive sensory systems also decreases, and secretory activity slows down, which is why our eyes stick together.

During the night we go through the following stages of sleep:

• slow sleep occurs immediately after a person falls asleep. During this period, muscle activity decreases, and we feel pleasant relaxation. Due to the slowdown of all vital processes, a person falls asleep and falls asleep soundly. In phase slow sleep There are three main stages: the immediate stage of falling asleep or dozing, which lasts no more than 10 minutes, the stage of light sleep, in which auditory sensitivity is still preserved and the person is easy to wake up, for example, loud sound, as well as the stage of slow sleep, i.e. prolonged deep and sound sleep with dreams;
• REM sleep lasts a maximum of 15 minutes. Although it is a separate period of sleep, researchers often refer to REM sleep as another stage of slow-wave sleep. It is in these last minutes before waking up that our brain “wakes up”, i.e. completely restores its activity and removes the human body from the land of dreams and dreams. Thus, acting as a psychological defense during the transition from the world of the subconscious to reality. During REM sleep Blood flow in the brain and heart rate increase, the production of adrenal hormones increases, pressure surges and changes in respiratory rhythm may be observed.

The dream fulfills a series essential functions in the human body. Firstly, it provides complete rest. After all, there is nothing better than sleeping after a hard day of work, no matter whether you were engaged in mental or physical work. Sleep restores strength and energizes you for a new day.

During sleep, our brain processes information received during the day, evaluates and experiences events that happened to a person. Good sleep is important for immune system. Sleep disturbances have a painful impact on a person’s health; constant lack of sleep, coupled with nervousness, causes irreparable harm and weakens one’s health.

Scientists believe that sleep is a natural mechanism for the body to adapt to changes in light levels. Historically, most people sleep at night, however, there are also nap, the so-called siesta. In hot southern countries, it is customary to get up at dawn and rest in the afternoon, when the sun is at its zenith and doing anything outside is simply impossible due to the sweltering heat.

The duration of sleep depends on many factors, for example, the person’s age, his lifestyle and the degree of fatigue. Young children sleep the most, and older people tend to get up with the roosters. It is believed that healthy sleep should last at least 8 hours, and the minimum for normal well-being is 6 hours. If sleep duration is reduced to 5 hours or less, then there is a risk of developing insomnia .

I can’t sleep, what should I do?

Why can't I sleep? We all asked ourselves this question when we couldn’t fall asleep for a long time, tossing and turning in bed. So, if I want to sleep and cannot sleep, then the reason for this may be:

• disturbances in wakefulness and sleep. This condition is often characteristic of newborn children who get enough sleep during the day and then do not want to sleep at night. Then they say that the baby confused day with night. The same thing can happen to adults, for example, if a person works in shifts or often flies by plane to other cities and countries, and his body experiences stress from changing time zones. In addition, we often simply do not want to go to bed on time on the weekend (“weekend insomnia”), which leads to a shift in schedule and lack of sleep on Monday;
• uncomfortable place to sleep, as well as unsuitable bedding. Many people waste their money on bedding, a comfortable orthopedic mattress and a suitable bed, believing that this does not play an important role in the sleep process, they say, if you want to sleep, then you will fall asleep on the bare ground. Of course, there is a grain of truth in this statement, but not everything is so simple. The quality of sleep, as well as its duration, plays a decisive role in a person’s well-being. It’s one thing to sleep, tossing and turning on an uncomfortable bed for 12 hours, and another to actually relax on a comfortable mattress, with a comfortable pillow and bed linen in a well-ventilated area;
• bad habits that cause damage to the entire body as a whole and have Negative influence on the period of falling asleep, as well as the duration and quality of sleep. For example, smoking before bed interferes with relaxation because nicotine constricts blood vessels;
• diseases and sleep pathologies. Many diseases in which a person suffers from pain interfere normal sleep. Typically the peak pain occurs in the evening or at night, which prevents falling asleep.

The main sleep disorders include:

• insomnia (insomnia ) is a condition in which a person cannot sleep or sleeps little and of poor quality;
• (pathological drowsiness ) is the opposite of insomnia, in which a person, on the contrary, wants to sleep all the time;
• (snore ) is a breathing disorder during sleep;
• sleep paralysis is a condition in which a person’s muscles are paralyzed before falling asleep;
• parasomnia, those. a condition that is caused by nervous overstrain or stress, in which a person can walk in his sleep, suffer sleepwalking , or suffer from constant nightmares.

How to fall asleep very quickly

So, how to fall asleep if you don’t want to sleep, and you need to get up early tomorrow. There are several basic methods or techniques for falling asleep quickly that will help you fall asleep soundly in a short time. However, the main principle of all these methods is to maintain a sleep schedule. In addition, it is also important whether a person adheres to the basic rules healthy image life or not.

Often, patients who ask a doctor about how to quickly fall asleep if they don’t feel sleepy expect the doctor to prescribe them magic sleeping pills.

However, not every person is suitable for medicinal options for solving sleep problems. Besides, good specialist will not rush to prescribe medications until he has determined the cause of the ailment and collected a complete medical history of the patient.

Sleeping pills are a broad group of medications that are used both to regulate sleep and to provide anesthesia during surgical intervention. Archaeologists believe that natural sleeping pills, for example, a plant such as Belladonna or Belladonna was used by people two thousand years ago.

Egyptian manuscripts indicate that doctors prescribed opium to their patients as a remedy for insomnia . Alcohol as a sleeping pill and simplest method anesthesia, the American Indians used about a thousand years ago.

The first medical anesthesia was invented in Germany at the turn of the 19th century. True, it included toxic and narcotic compounds ( opium , datura herb , mandrake root , aconite , hashish and others), which, although they put the patient into sleep, at the same time had a negative and sometimes fatal effect on his body.

In our time sleeping pills and drugs approved for use in anesthesiology have moved to a qualitatively new level. They are much safer for humans (if used wisely, they do not cause physiological or psychological addiction, and are practically free of side effects). In addition, their composition is no longer toxic or poisonous.

However, the principle of the effect of such drugs on the body remains the same. Sleeping pills reduce the level of excitability of the nervous system, thus ensuring sound sleep. It is worth noting that drugs based on barbituric acid ( Pentothal , , , Amobarbital ), which for decades were the most popular sleeping pills, are now being widely replaced by new generation drugs, for example, derivatives cyclopyrrolones or .

The latter, in turn, is considered an advanced discovery of modern medicine. Melatonin - this is nothing more than, which is produced by the human body to regulate circadian rhythms. In simple words it is this connection that is responsible for our internal morning hours, which tell you when to sleep and when to stay awake.

The main problem of modern humanity is the level of illumination in our megacities. With the discovery of electricity, daylight hours became significantly longer. After all, now even at night you can turn on the light and it will be almost the same as during the day. Due to a radical change in the rhythm of human life, the level of production melatonin is reduced, which inevitably leads to sleep problems.

That's why doctors recommend taking medications based on melatonin to stimulate the process of falling asleep. This is especially true for people who work shifts or fly frequently. Both of them experience a malfunction of their “internal clock,” which melatonin helps adjust. On top of all this hormone Researchers also attribute antioxidant, antitumor, anti-stress, and immunostimulating properties.

Despite their many benefits, sleeping pills are a double-edged sword. On the one hand, drugs in this group help a person improve sleep, but on the other hand, they can have harmful influence health and addictive. Therefore, you should always remember the danger of developing dependence on sleeping pills, which will only add to a person’s problems.

In response to the action of hormones, the human body begins to work in a different “emergency” mode, preparing for active actions. Therefore, we feel out of place, nervous and anxious. Stress hormones cause the heart to beat faster, which affects blood pressure levels, the respiratory system and, of course, sleep.

Fear and uncertainty interfere with sleep, and in addition to stress, a person gets another problem - insomnia . Therefore, it is important to know how to overcome stress so that it does not affect other areas of a person’s life. Experts advise solving all your problems before evening and not “bringing” them home, where an atmosphere of calm and safety should reign.

Often people provoke themselves insomnia , very much wanting to fall asleep before some important event or travel, thus irritating your nervous system and causing stress. It is believed that in such cases you should not force yourself and escalate the situation even more. It's better to get out of bed and do something useful or distracting, such as get some fresh air or walk your pet.

“I wake up at night and can’t sleep soundly” - many doctors have heard this phrase from their patients. And each of us, at least once in our lives, has wondered how to quickly fall asleep at night if you can’t. You can wake up from sharp sound, touch, from a nightmare or due to an insect bite. It happens that we wake up for no reason in the middle of the night and then, trying to fall asleep faster, we get nervous and angry.

In fact, this is another example of a stressful situation that can only be resolved in one way - by calming down. Of course, if your doctor has prescribed sleeping pills for you, then you can resort to their help, but there are other safer, albeit not so fast-acting, options.

To begin with, it is better to seek help from specialists, especially if you cannot sleep at night without constantly waking up after a certain period of time. Such a disturbing dream or his complete absence can signal various malfunctions in the normal functioning of the human body. A somnologist will help answer the question of why the patient cannot fall asleep at night and what to do in such a situation.

Besides sleeping pills sleep problems solved , herbal sedatives or anti-anxiety medicines. The above medications cause drowsiness and calm, thus helping a person to relax and immerse themselves in the “kingdom of Morpheus”.

The most common drugs used to solve sleep problems are:

• - This combination drug, which contains medicinal herbs and hormone guaifenzine . It helps improve the functioning of the nervous system and cure insomnia;
• - this sedative facilitates and significantly speeds up the process of falling asleep;
• , tincture - these are drops on plant based that help you calm down and fall asleep;
• – this drug contains magnesium (the lack of which in the body aggravates sleep problems), as well as vitamins Group B ;
• is a drug that contains the same name hormone , produced by the human body and responsible for the functioning of the “internal clock”.

In addition to drug treatment, sleep problems can be corrected using procedures such as acupuncture, hypnosis, meditation, homeopathy, electrosonotherapy (pulsed current) and others.

How to fall asleep in 5 minutes

How to quickly fall asleep in 5 minutes? And is there any universal method, which will allow anyone to fall into a sound sleep in a matter of minutes. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, who studies the effects of stress on the human body and ways to deal with it, he was able to find the answer to the question of how to fall asleep in 5 minutes.

The whole point is that the main reason that healthy man can't sleep normally chronic fatigue and tension. When we go to bed, we think about what happened during the day, experience some events, analyze them, or worry about what we will experience tomorrow. As a result, we “wind up” ourselves, which leads to the production of “stress hormones”, and sleep does not come.

Based on this, the scientist concludes that there is nothing better than breathing exercises or meditation before bed. These techniques will help you calm down and get into a positive mood. To fall asleep quickly, Dr. Weil suggests using a breathing technique called « 4-7-8 trick » , which is successfully used by monks and yogis in their daily practice.

So, following this technique, you need to act in the following sequence:

• First, you should inhale deeply through your nose for 4 seconds, trying to relax;
• then hold your breath for about 7 seconds;
• and then exhale for 8 seconds.

Another breathing technique that helps you fall asleep involves the following scheme of actions:

• you need to inhale slowly for 5 seconds;
• then take a 5 second break;
• and finally exhale for 5 seconds.

Counted breathing also helps you become drowsy and fall asleep quickly. This method involves counting inhalations and exhalations. You need to breathe through your mouth and count like this: inhale one, exhale two, inhale three, exhale four, and so on until ten. Then the cycle repeats again. When performing this technique, experts advise concentrating on breathing and, as it were, passing through your own lungs with the air.

Practicing psychologists advise their patients to exercise such as Carousel to calm and relax. Accept horizontal position, lie down comfortably and relax. Lower and upper limbs do not press against your body. Start with a calm, normal inhalation and imagine that a stream of warm air is passing through your right ear, hold your breath.

Breathing exercises or meditation are helpful for insomnia

Next, as you exhale, the warm air follows through the shoulder of your right arm, and then the hand. Finally, pause. Then inhale and again imagine that the air is passing through your right ear. Hold your breath. You exhale air and “send” it to the thigh of your lower leg and to your foot. You pause.

Again, “inhale” through your right ear and hold your breath, and then, as you exhale, “send” air to the thigh and foot of your left leg, pause. Inhale, sending a stream of air through right shoulder, and hold your breath. As you exhale, the air flow should “pass” the shoulder and hand of the left hand. You pause and then take a deep breath one last time. Hold your breath, and as you exhale, let the air pass through left ear.

The second circle or cycle should begin with a sigh through the left ear, followed by a pause. Exhale through left shoulder, arm and hand. Next, take a deep breath and pause, and exhale through the thigh and foot of the left leg. After a pause, inhale and hold your breath, and exhale through the thigh and foot of your right leg.

After a pause, inhale through your left ear, hold your breath and exhale through right hand. You pause and again draw in lungs full of air, hold your breath and complete the cycle by exhaling through your right ear.

As a result, in one cycle you take 5 inhalations and the same number of exhalations. During this time, you should relax and fully concentrate on the flow of air that passes through your body. The main thing to remember is that it is when you exhale that the body relaxes the most. Therefore, in any breathing practice, the exhalation phase occupies a decisive place.

“Special Services” technique that takes into account the physiological aspects of sleep. According to this method, you need to sit comfortably in bed, relax and close your eyes, rolling them up under your eyelids. During sleep, the eyeballs are positioned this way, so this method helps you fall asleep quickly.

Using "Reverse blink" technique a person must take a comfortable position, close his eyelids and, at certain intervals, open and then close his eyes. This is blinking in reverse. As a result, brain activity decreases, the body relaxes, and the person falls asleep.

In addition to the above techniques, you can use such auxiliary means as:

• herbal tea or warm milk with honey;
• dill infusion;
• self-massage of the forehead in the area between the eyebrows, massaging ears, and inside wrists;
• relaxing exercises, for example, “Beach” auto-training, when a person imagines that he is lying on the warm sea coast and hears the soothing sound of the sea, or « Ball » when you need to imagine a big ball swinging on the waves.

Listed below are several universal recommendations that will help improve sleep:

• Plan your day. Compliance with the regime helps the body get used to a certain rhythm of life. Researchers have found that the human body is knocked out of its usual rhythm in just a couple of days. Therefore, it can be really difficult to recover from several sleepless nights and go to bed on time. It is believed that for normal well-being, an adult should sleep at least eight hours a day. True, the body of each of us is unique, so some people need more rest, while for others, sleeping for six hours will be enough to stay alert.
• Daytime naps not only benefit children, but also help adults feel refreshed and energized in the middle of the day. True, it is important to observe moderation here. Because after sleeping for a couple of hours during the day, you are unlikely to be able to fall asleep easily in the evening. Therefore, some experts do not recommend that people who have problems falling asleep rest during the day; the best way out accumulate fatigue until evening. Another thing is shift workers, for whom napping during the day is considered the norm, because... they work at night and rest during the day.
• When changing time zones, it can be very difficult to fall asleep, because not only a person’s daily routine is disrupted, but also his usual time of wakefulness and sleep changes. When you fly to the west, the first day in a new place after your morning arrival is longer, so in order to sleep well, you just need to wait until the evening. With flights to the east, things are more complicated, so you can resort to help melatonin , which will help adjust a person’s internal clock.
• Physical activity is good for the body, but it should end at least 2-3 hours before bedtime. Otherwise, an overly excited body will not be able to fall asleep. Sports such as aerobics, running, skiing, Nordic walking, elliptical, swimming and cycling help improve sleep.
• Not only the daily routine, but also proper nutrition play an important role in the process of establishing sleep. The last meal should be at least 2-3 hours before bedtime. In addition, you should carefully choose the dishes to cook for dinner. You should avoid heavy and slowly digestible foods. It is better to give preference to protein products, for example, fish, lean meat, cottage cheese, yogurt, and some fruits.
• Caffeine - this is the enemy good sleep, especially if you like to consume drinks or foods containing this compound in the afternoon. Also, you should not overindulge in chocolate in the evening, this way you will save your figure and be able to fall asleep quickly.
• Of particular importance for falling asleep easily is the activity or physical activity that a person engages in immediately 2-3 hours before bedtime. It is believed that to avoid sleep problems, you should avoid watching TV, using a computer, phones or other gadgets before falling asleep. In addition, you should not perform complex calculations or solve logic problems before bedtime. All of the above actions do not promote relaxation and calm, but rather excite the nervous system, preventing you from falling asleep peacefully. In the evening, it is recommended to read in bed or take a relaxing bath, and active work It's better to leave it until the morning.

How to fall asleep with insomnia

Answer the question about how to fall asleep if insomnia torments a person, you can only figure out what kind of condition it is, how it arises and whether you can cope with it yourself. So, insomnia or – This is one of the most common sleep disturbances or disorders in which a person sleeps poorly and cannot fall asleep much or at all.

The risk of insomnia increases with shift work or with frequent flights with changes in time zones.

In addition, this malaise can also arise due to constant overwork, in stressful situations, with some diseases, as well as in overly noisy and well-lit rooms used for sleeping.

If a patient exhibits the following symptoms, the doctor will most likely diagnose him: insomnia or chronic lack of sleep :

• constant difficulty falling asleep;
• poor quality of sleep, when a person constantly wakes up and then cannot fall asleep for a long time or has nightmares;
• sleep disturbances are observed at least three times a week for a month;
• unstable psycho-emotional state associated with constant lack of sleep;
• increased restlessness and excitability.

Causes of insomnia can be:

• unfavorable conditions for sleep (uncomfortable bed, pillow, mattress, synthetic bedding, poorly ventilated room, noise, psychological discomfort);
• disruption to a person’s usual daily routine due to shift work or flight;
• taking certain medications ( antidepressants, nootropics, corticosteroids, antipsychotics ) or psychotropic drugs ;
• neuralgic And somatic disorders(hypoglycemia, esophageal reflux, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson's disease, infectious diseases, accompanied by a feverish state, diseases of the heart system, pain syndrome, itching because of skin diseases, mental disorders, depressive states);
• elderly age.

Insomnia is a serious ailment that not only causes a lot of inconvenience to a person, but also provokes the development of a number of serious diseases, for example, disorders in metabolism, and others. That is why you should immediately consult a doctor at the first symptoms of insomnia.

How to overcome insomnia and learn to fall asleep easily? On initial stage a somnologist (a doctor who deals with sleep problems) conducts a full examination of the patient and determines the causes of the ailment. This is an extremely important part in treatment insomnia . Since it is based on the cause of this condition that the doctor chooses the appropriate treatment.

Insomnia can and should be fought without medications, because sleeping pills only help eliminate the manifestations of the malaise, and do not eliminate its cause. By taking the magic pill, you will, of course, fall asleep, but this will not make your insomnia go away. On top of that, as we mentioned above, sleeping pills can be addictive and have a number of contraindications and severe side effects.

To help you fall asleep if you have insomnia:

• Psychological counseling, i.e. sessions with a psychiatrist or psychotherapist, where a specialist will deal with insomnia caused by stress or an unstable psycho-emotional state of the patient, caused, for example, by trauma or life events experienced. The psychotherapist teaches his patients various relaxation techniques that help them tune into a positive mood and fall asleep.
• Correction of a person’s circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle) using phototherapy (exposure to light) , chronotherapy, as well as taking drugs containing melatonin .
• Therapy of neurological, mental or somatic diseases, the symptoms of which (for example, pain, itching, depression) can cause insomnia .
• Discontinuing medications that cause insomnia or replacing them with other medications.
• Sleep hygiene instruction. Unfortunately, many people mistakenly believe that it is not necessary to buy a good bed, mattress or bedding to get enough sleep. In addition, for a sound and healthy sleep, you must ventilate the bedroom, do not clutter it with old and dusty things, and also periodically do wet cleaning. The clothes in which a person sleeps also matters. You should be comfortable, i.e. not cold, not hot, pajamas should not be small or large, and it is even better to choose natural fabrics that will not cause unpleasant itching or burning sensations.

During treatment insomnia Doctors recommend that their patients keep a sleep diary, which helps identify the causes of illness. Various things help you fall asleep breathing techniques, which we also discussed above. People suffering from insomnia would do well to learn the basics of meditation and become familiar with other relaxation methods. All this will help you calm down, relax and fall asleep.

• Experts recommend going to bed and waking up at the same time, i.e. adhere to a sleep-wake schedule, then the body itself will get tired by a certain time, and you can easily fall asleep.
• Active lifestyle and physical exercise They help you relax, and therefore fall asleep on time, the main thing is not to overdo it and not to get overexcited just before bedtime.
• Adjust your daily menu so that in the afternoon you do not consume drinks containing caffeine , as well as foods that are difficult to digest.
• Refuse bad habits, it’s better, of course, forever or at least a couple of hours before bedtime.
• Going to bed only to sleep.
• Avoid daytime naps, because... After sleeping in the afternoon, you may not want to go to bed in the evening.
• If possible, avoid strong emotional shocks and experiences in the afternoon, even joyful ones. For example, some people like to watch a horror movie before going to bed, and then cannot fall asleep because all sorts of bad thoughts come into their heads. Absolutely the same can be said about unbridled fun before bedtime, especially for children who are “frenzied” at active games can't sleep or don't sleep well all night.
• Do not use any gadgets before bed (watch TV, sit at a computer, tablet or phone) or do mental activity. All this excites rather than calms the brain. It’s better to read a book or sit comfortably on a chair and listen to relaxing music.
• Somnologists say that an individual evening ritual will help prepare the body for sleep. This could be a traditional glass of hot milk before bed or a relaxing bath. In general, everything that calms you down and puts you in a positive mood is not prohibited.
• The atmosphere in the bedroom, as well as its provision of comfortable bedding, is of paramount importance. Agree, it is much more pleasant to fall asleep in a comfortable bed and in a well-ventilated room. In addition, the lighting in the bedroom, as well as the noise level in the room, should be minimal.
• Experts recommend going to bed only when you feel tired and sleepy. If you can’t fall asleep within half an hour, then it’s better not to suffer or get irritated about it. Get up and do something, so you will be distracted, tired and want to sleep.
• Basic relaxation methods (relaxation auto-training, visualization of calm images and pleasant moments) help to cope with insomnia , breathing techniques), as well as yoga and meditation.
• Cognitive psychotherapy helps improve sleep in patients who, due to panic fear“can’t sleep” fall into hysterics and suffer from...
• In addition, the “limited sleep” method is effective, when instead of the standard eight hours, a person sleeps no more than five. At first it will be difficult due to the fact that the body must accept the new rules of the game. During the first week, a person will be more tired during the day and feel drowsiness and loss of strength. However, over time, his body will rebuild itself, and insomnia will subside.

Undoubtedly, drug treatmentinsomnia gives stable results. Hypnotics or sleeping pills of the new generation have proven themselves well. True, experts are in no hurry to prescribe them to their patients. The thing is that therapy aimed at eliminating the cause of insomnia, and not at alleviating its consequences, is considered more effective.

After all, taking sleeping pills, a person actually sleeps better, but does not get rid of the ailment. Therefore, to all kinds medicines It is worth resorting to only when all other methods do not bring long-awaited relief.

About half of the adult population of our planet suffers from sleep problems. This disorder provokes distracted attention, which is dangerous for drivers, lethargy, weakened defenses, and an increased risk of developing heart disease. In addition, lack of sleep causes the female half of humanity to be susceptible to fatty foods, which threatens problems with your figure and self-esteem. Therefore, many people are concerned with the question of how to fall asleep quickly? This problem can be solved, as you will see by following the methods described below.

What are the benefits of sleep?

The benefits of sleep are not only about being rested and full of strength body for the next day, but also in good appearance. Representatives of the fair sex know what a lack of sleep can lead to: bags, red eyes, dull skin. In case of regular problems with sleep, a person’s hair falls out, the skin dries out, dizziness begins, and appetite disappears. Rest is vital for our body.

Healthy sleep helps the body develop normally. Lack of sleep can lead to obesity, migraines, early aging. And this is just the tip of the iceberg, since periodic sleep problems provoke the development of serious diseases. A person needs at least eight hours to get enough sleep. Lack of sleep seriously affects the hormones responsible for appetite, metabolism, concentration, and mood. When you are on your back, melatonin is produced, which has a positive effect on your mental and physical state.

Why can't I sleep at night or during the day?

Problems with falling asleep in most cases arise due to various deviations, violations of the daily routine, work and rest. Healthy, eating well, leading active image In life, a person rarely experiences problems with sleep. So why can't you sleep? There are several main reasons:

• Overexcitement - a heavy dinner before bed, good news, upcoming exciting events, physical activity at night, alcoholic drinks, nicotine can excite the nervous system and prevent you from falling asleep quickly, even if you feel sleepy.
• Overtiredness prevents you from falling asleep quickly - fatigue has a dual effect. When there is too much overexertion or chronic stress, a second wind opens.
• Pain is an unpleasant sensation, discomfort that prevents you from falling asleep quickly.
• External factors - extraneous noise, bright light, playing TV or music, phone calls, uncomfortable bed, stuffiness or cold - prevent you from falling asleep quickly.

Everyday life can lead to sleep problems. From the tips below you will learn how to help your own body and fall asleep quickly. Healthy, adequate sleep ensures a good day, high personal effectiveness and productivity, great mood. The process of falling asleep has a very important impact on rest. If you are reading this article, then you have had a situation when sleep does not go well, you start to spin and get nervous. This situation is completely fixable.

Selecting bedding

To quickly fall asleep and get a good night's sleep, the first piece of advice is to choose high-quality homemade bed dress. The mattress should be comfortable, one that relieves stress on the spine during sleep and keeps it level. The size of bed linen must correspond to the size of pillows, blankets, and bed. The fabric should be pleasant to the touch. Feel free to give preference to silk, calico, satin, and linen. Choose a pillow on which you will feel comfortable sleeping. The blanket should be light and soft to help you fall asleep quickly.

Airing the bedroom before bed

Ventilating the rooms where you sleep is important point to fall asleep quickly and have a good night's sleep. Over the course of a whole day, a lot of harmful microorganisms and moisture accumulate in the home, which is the culprit of stuffiness. Advice such as airing before bedtime ensures that the body receives enough oxygen. This process has a number of features:

• Buy a hygrometer to monitor humidity. 40-60% is considered optimal to fall asleep quickly.
• Ventilation after sleep, before falling asleep, in any weather should last 10-30 minutes.
• It is important to ventilate your room during the day to help you fall asleep quickly.
• Before the procedure, spread the bed so that it is saturated with fresh air.

Walk in the fresh air

Walks in the open air - important advice in order to fall asleep quickly. This helps relieve tension and helps the mind and body switch to a state of relaxation. Fresh air saturates our lungs, from where oxygen enters the blood, fills the brain, helping it cope with difficulties and tasks. Measured steps, calm contemplation, lack of haste - this helps to tune in to a wave of relaxation and calm down. Regular walks help regulate sleep processes - it becomes easier to fall asleep at the same time, sleep becomes calm and deep.

To properly organize a walk before bed, you need to adhere to some rules:

• The duration should be from 20 minutes to 1.5 hours to fall asleep quickly.
• Walks should take place in constant time when you can focus on relaxation and take your mind off things.
• The place should not be very noisy, not crowded, relatively calm, far from places with loud music, industrial enterprises. Suburban outskirts, a city park with plenty of vegetation, the coast, streets with little traffic are ideal, which will help you fall asleep.
• You need to finish walking at least half an hour before you need to fall asleep in order to have time to complete water procedures and fall asleep quickly.
• Don't listen to music while walking. And if you can’t do without it, then choose melodic tracks.

Correct sleep pattern

According to ideas official medicine and Ayurveda, traditional Indian medicine, getting up early at 6 am and going to bed no later than 10 pm is important advice for falling asleep quickly and getting good rest. A person must follow the laws of nature in order to feel strength. When dusk sets in, everything around becomes quiet, which signals the body to go to sleep. In the early morning hours, dawn comes, birds sing, nature wakes up, and in human body energies awaken.

Human biorhythms are set in such a way that from 9 pm to 2 am the nervous system is restored, and most internal organs are minimally active. If we sleep at this time, then an automatic mode for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases is activated inside the body, and in the morning the face looks fresh, with an even color, and the eyes naturally shine.

To acquire the good habit of getting up early and going to bed on time, you need to go to bed at the same time, wake up in the early hours on weekdays and weekends. On your weekend morning, plan to exercise, go for a walk, or do things you always don't have time for, which will give you more determination to get up early. In the evening, do not watch TV, do not work at the computer, do quiet things.

Food for the night

Sleep directly depends on the food we eat. To fall asleep quickly and sleep soundly, the Germans drink warm milk with honey, the Indians add butter nutmeg for food, the Swedes drink a decoction of lemon balm leaves, the British drink an infusion of primrose leaves. During sleep digestive system should not work, so you can’t eat enough just before bed; it’s better to do it 3-4 hours before. The evening meal should be light, consisting of plant-based protein foods. The following tips will help you sleep better:

• Avoid canned and processed foods to help you fall asleep quickly.
• Eat more foods with fiber.
• Limit your intake of fatty foods to help you fall asleep quickly.
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine before bed.
• Avoid hidden caffeine to help you fall asleep quickly.
• Have a small snack before going to bed if you suffer from insomnia.

What's the best thing to think about?

Many people, trying to quickly fall asleep, begin to persuade themselves to rest, because tomorrow they have a hard day ahead. That is, we are focused on the need to sleep. By controlling ourselves, we tense up and cannot relax. There is no need to try to fall asleep quickly, just allow yourself to do so. There is no need to control what cannot be controlled. Let your mind choose what to think about.

Let go of your imagination, allow yourself to contemplate a stream of incoherent pictures. To make this happen, follow this advice: think not about sleep, but about something light, not stressful, good (remember a pleasant moment in life or fantasize about this topic). But thoughts should not be exciting, otherwise you will create a state of overexcitation in the nervous system and it will be difficult to fall asleep.

Relaxation and relief from irritants

Most of us fall asleep with internal tension, which affects sleep and dreams. If we are worried about problems, heavy thoughts are swarming in our heads, then this develops into anxious dreams, where we must overcome absurd obstacles. After waking up, you will feel mentally tired. Therefore, advice about relaxing before bed will miraculously change your dreams and give you energy and strength during the day. Our brain reacts the same way to dreams and reality. The following practice will help you relax:

• Lie down and gradually become aware, relaxing parts of your body one by one.
• When your whole body is relaxed, take a deep breath. As you exhale, feel the tension leaving your body. Repeat three times.
• Just start breathing as you feel comfortable.
• Count backwards from zero to one hundred.
• Think about pleasant things and fall asleep.

Reading literature

Many great people read before bed to fall asleep quickly. This activity inspires and helps to develop new ideas. If you have insomnia, a book will calm you down. What to read depends on everyone's personal taste. However, dramatic works and action-packed genres are not recommended for bedtime. Avoid reading in low light. If you use electronic books, then reduce the brightness to minimum, keep the gadget at a distance of at least 35 cm.

Herbal tea or warm milk

A few sips of a warm drink help relax your mind and body. Avoid caffeine, which is found in black and green tea. It's better to drink a serving of something soft before bed. This could be a cup of chamomile or lemon balm tea or warm milk. The latter product is a source of calcium, which is responsible for regulating the production of melatonin. If you wake up in the middle of the night, a cup of warm milk will help you fall asleep again, which is especially important during pregnancy.

Exercise stress

Maintain regular physical activity– this advice will help you fall asleep quickly. Peaks of readiness for exercise are at 11 and 17 hours. It is not for nothing that the body has such biorhythms, since they are needed in order to give time for the braking distance of 5 hours before bedtime. Regular sports expends the necessary amount of energy and relieves stress. Intense physical activity should be completed 6 hours before falling asleep. Before going to bed there will be useful walks in the fresh air.

How to help your child fall asleep

It is very difficult to cope with a child who cannot fall asleep. There is no magic spell that will instantly put children to sleep. However, there are some tips that will help your child fall asleep quickly:

• Using white noise, rain noise, wind sound, waves.
• Strict adherence to the schedule and daily routine.
• Rocking in arms, in a rocking chair, in a cradle.
• Try relaxing yourself and lying down with your baby on the bed to help you fall asleep quickly.
• Introducing rituals that induce sleep (bathing in a bath with sedatives).

Video: how can you get rid of insomnia?

In our age of endless flow of information and modernization, the question of normalizing sleep often arises before our contemporaries. Sleep is a permanent human benefit that helps restore energy nerve cells, body strength. What to do if every day you cannot fall asleep quickly? All sorts of thoughts are creeping into your head, your body is weakened, but your brain won’t let you switch off, making plans for the future, experiencing problems, tormented by anxieties?

In the video below you will find answers to your questions. The head of the sleep medicine department talks about what problems and diseases can result from lack of sleep, in what cases is it permissible to prescribe sleeping pills and what are the dangers of uncontrolled use of such drugs, what sleep disorders exist, and how to cure yourself? Simple and effective tips will help you regain harmony and fall asleep quickly without experiencing difficulties.

At least once a month, every second resident of a modern metropolis faces the problem of sleep disturbance (insomnia). If such problems are episodic, they go away on their own very quickly. But what irritation is caused by the very fact of powerlessness and loss of control over one’s own body, which stubbornly refuses to fall asleep. And if lack of sleep becomes chronic, and insomnia becomes a frequent guest, what kind of emotional peace can we talk about?

Healthy people examined the causes and methods of combating insomnia for those people who cannot fall asleep only periodically, and for those who cannot sleep constantly.

WITH medical point In terms of sleep disorders, sleep disorders can be divided into four types:

1. difficulty falling asleep which lead to external reasons or any disease characterized by lack of sleep until 2-5 am;
2. difficulty maintaining sleep– in this case, there is an inability to fall asleep when waking up at night, which is accompanied by unpleasant sensations or a feeling of fear;
3. early awakenings– in this case, the process of falling asleep is not disturbed, but awakenings at 3-4 o’clock in the morning are exhausting with further inability to fall asleep;
4. poor sleep quality– a feeling of weakness, weakness after waking up, a feeling that you have not rested after sleep.

If you cannot fall asleep normally for a month or longer, we can talk about chronic insomnia, which is a serious sleep disorder, since in this case the sleep cycle is disrupted.

Factors causing sleep disorders

To the main causes of insomnia relate:

• excessive nervous excitement and depression accumulated during the day;
• habit of taking work home;
• drinking tea, coffee, alcohol, smoking a cigarette before bedtime;
• excessive physical or mental fatigue;
• a sleep-wake pattern that has become disrupted due to the nature of work and lifestyle;
• certain medications (neurotropic drugs, some medications used for heart and lung diseases);
• late dinner, fatty foods, or, conversely, a feeling of hunger;
• poor external conditions - noise, light, uncomfortable bedding, bad bed, TV on, poorly ventilated room, heat.

Sleep disorders can also be organic character . Thus, in women, insomnia can be observed during moments of hormonal changes in the body (before the onset of monthly cycle, during pregnancy, menopause).

Air travel with time zone changes also has a negative impact.

Such manifestations individual diseases, like itching, pain, high temperature can also cause insomnia.

And if you like to watch an exciting movie or read the news before going to bed, then insomnia cannot be avoided due to the fact that the information received captures all the attention, and the body cannot prepare for sleep.

Who most often has trouble sleeping at night?

According to the reasons causing sleep disturbance, we can say that they are most often encountered by people exposed to excessive stress at work, This is especially true for managers.

Of course, every age has its own experiences. Students busy preparing for classes and sessions, after graduating from university, entering adult life– the question of where to go to work, how to succeed in life, build a career. And matters of the heart do not allow you to sleep peacefully.

They also show their dissatisfaction with the quality and duration of sleep people over 40 years old who have certain health problems. They complain of problems falling asleep and often wake up at night, feeling a rapid heartbeat or suffocation. Most often these are people with neurological or somatic diseases, which are accompanied by mood swings and asthenia.

Insomnia can be bothersome and during pregnancy when the growing fetus does not allow you to lie down comfortably. Well and after the birth of the child the lifestyle changes, adapting to the rhythm of the newborn.

U old people the development of insomnia may be associated with age-related changes. U children– with too much activity before bedtime, since at this age the mechanisms of inhibition of the nervous system are still weak.

Ways to combat insomnia

How to fall asleep quickly if you don't want to sleep? This question is asked by all people suffering from insomnia. And really, what to do, all the sheep have already been counted, but sleep still hasn’t come?

First of all, you need to find out the causes of sleep disturbances and direct all your efforts to combat them.

Very important in the fight against insomnia is adherence to sleep and wakefulness. Since sleep is an integral part of our biorhythm, you should go to bed at the same time. Irregularity in this matter threatens to reduce the quality of sleep.

If you like to take work home and finish it before bed, it's time to give up this habit! Evening is a time of rest and relaxation, and not physical and mental stress leading to insomnia.

You need to sleep as much as your body needs! Someone will say that 4 hours is enough for him to rest. It may, of course, be so... But you shouldn’t think that this time is enough for everyone. Each person is individual, so listen to yourself and determine the amount of sleep you need at night.

In many cases, it helps to get rid of insomnia proper dinner . No fatty, heavy food before bed! Of course, you shouldn’t go to bed hungry either, but a light dinner is quite enough.

Daytime naps will only make your problems falling asleep worse. It is not recommended to sleep during the day as it reduces the need for night sleep.

If you can't sleep at night, You should not drink coffee, tea or alcohol before going to bed, or smoke. As you know, caffeine has a stimulating effect on the nervous system, so drinking coffee, tea, and cola is unacceptable in the evening. Nicotine and alcohol have similar effects.

Comfortable environment is the key good sleep! To sleep comfortably, take care to create a cozy environment in your bedroom. Hang thick curtains on the windows and ventilate the room before going to bed. If noise bothers you, earplugs will be a real salvation for you. Pay attention to the bed you sleep on. It should be spacious enough, with a comfortable mattress and pillow. Choose bedding that is pleasant to your body. Keep pets that create additional noise out of the bedroom.

Because the the bed should evoke only pleasant associations - either sleep or sex– don’t rush to bring textbooks, gadgets and, especially, work to bed. If sleep does not go well, read a book while sitting in a chair, do monotonous, but not hard work - knitting, embroidery, for example.

In addition, it is worth paying attention to the Lately sleep improvement techniques. One of them, ASMR (Autonomous sensory meridian response), otherwise called "brain orgasm", is based on the use of audio and video recordings containing various pleasant sounds (the crackling of a fire, the creaking of snow underfoot, the sound of the sea), or a video with a female voice, which, by the way, produces the greatest effect. Moreover, it is not even the topic or the language that is important here. Tender, quiet, soothing words create an atmosphere that sets you up for a peaceful sleep. And although there are no official studies proving the effectiveness of this technique, users, among whom, oddly enough, are mostly women, note that it helps fight insomnia, panic attacks and anxiety.

If physical or mental stress interferes with normal sleep, this will help you cope effectively with them. autogenic training . This type of relaxation teaches a person to relax correctly, control his breathing and the temperature of the skin of his hands. Some people, thanks to such training, can sleep for a clearly defined amount of time during the day. For example, John Kennedy, in order to maintain vigor and efficiency during the day, slept for 10 minutes between meetings directly in his chair.

Treatment of insomnia with folk remedies

Nature has come up with many means to combat sleep disorders. First of all, this is the application medicinal herbs. Effective folk remedies for insomnia are decoctions of chamomile, primrose, dill, lemon balm tea, hop infusion (contraindicated for pregnant and nursing mothers), which should be taken about an hour before bedtime.

Can be used medicinal pads. To do this, mix thyme and wormwood in equal parts (mint can be used instead of thyme), and add 2 parts of hops. This herbal mixture sewn into a small bag and stored at the head of the bed.

Also is effective means fighting insomnia. If you can’t sleep, use aromatic oils that will help relieve stress, irritation, and bring the nervous system back to normal. IN in this case can be used as aroma lamp with oils of lavender, lemon balm, chamomile, valerian, rosewood, basil, anise, and add these essential oils to warm water when taking an aromatic bath before bed.

Massage with essential oils will also set to restful sleep. To do this, mix 1 part rosemary oil with 3 parts ginger oil and 10 parts corn oil. In this case, you can massage yourself, rubbing the mixture with light massage movements throughout the body.

In addition, it was noticed that Some products have a hypnotic effect. So, to combat insomnia, you can use green onions by consuming them before bed on their own or adding them to a vegetable salad. Warm milk with honey, drunk after dinner, will also set you up for a restful sleep. As it turns out, buckwheat porridge helps fight insomnia. It also has an excellent sleeping effect if eaten in small portions 4 times a day.

How to normalize sleep for people working night shifts?

It has been proven that people who have a shift work schedule are more susceptible to insomnia. to a greater extent. What to do if changing jobs is not an option?

Since melatonin (the hormone responsible for regulating sleep) is produced in the dark, When working night shifts, increase workplace lighting. During the same day rest, on the contrary, close the windows with thick curtains, dress night bandage on the eyes. Spend the evenings at home in dim lighting, and during the day fill the room with light as much as possible. Thus, the difference between sleep and wakefulness will increase significantly.

It is important quality and quantity of sleep. Try to fall asleep at the same time every day. If your shift schedule is flexible, do not take long naps during the day.

Consumption of coffee and other energy drinks is allowed only at the beginning of the shift.

How to deal with sleep disorders during pregnancy?

Regular or episodic insomnia during pregnancy is a common and completely natural phenomenon. So, in the first trimester, a woman experiences hormonal changes in her body, which adapt her to a new state and put her on alert. In the second trimester, the belly begins to grow, and in the third, all thoughts are occupied with the upcoming birth and the associated fears. It’s clear that there’s no time for sleep here.

Particularly pronounced sleep problems begin in the third trimester, which is due to certain physiological reasons:

• activization of the child at night;
• heartburn, cramps, shortness of breath;
• pain in lumbar region and back;
• itching of the skin of the abdomen due to stretching of the skin;
• night urge to urinate;
• inability to find a comfortable sleeping position due to a large belly.

In addition, fatigue can make itself felt, especially when the expectant mother is already well over 25.

What to do when you want to sleep during pregnancy, but you can’t fall asleep? The advice is in many ways similar to those that a non-pregnant person should follow for insomnia.

Strive to get up at the same time in the morning and follow a daily routine. It is advisable to get up at 8-9 o'clock in the morning. Of course, after sleepless night This is hard, but excessive daytime sleep in itself can already cause insomnia.

Use the bed only for nighttime sleep. Of course, this does not mean that a pregnant woman cannot lie down during the day. Just use, for example, a sofa that is in the living room. And then you will subconsciously associate the bed with night sleep.

Diet- a special question in this situation. But, nevertheless, try to take your last meal 2 hours before bedtime. A heaviness in the stomach will definitely not contribute to a comfortable sleep. If you really can’t bear it, a glass of yogurt, kefir, or a fruit or vegetable salad will be enough. An hour before bedtime, you can drink herbal tea or warm milk.

In order to relieve the itching of stretched skin, lubricate it with a soothing, hypoallergenic cream, lotion or milk.

Has a good relaxing effect foot and ankle massage.

Please pay attention Special attention accessories for sleep. The nightgown or pajamas you wear should be made from natural materials. A pregnancy pillow, which can be purchased in special stores, can also help you sleep.

And remember that the use of sleeping pills is extremely undesirable and contraindicated.

What should you not do in order to fall asleep?

What you definitely shouldn’t do if you have insomnia is start using sleeping pills on your own. They can only be prescribed by a specialist after an examination.

Moreover, under no circumstances cannot be accepted similar drugs longer than indicated in the instructions or recommended by a doctor.

Do not overdo it with recommendations to promote normal sleep. So, reading a book will certainly speed up the process of going to bed, but only if this book is paper. E-books and smartphones will not help normalize sleep.

Calming preparations should be taken an hour before bedtime, and it’s better not to drink anything right before bed, so as not to interrupt your sleep in the middle of the night due to a sudden urge to urinate.

How to look good after a sleepless night?

To eliminate the traces of a sleepless night, you can adopt a few secrets.

• It will help relieve facial swelling, give it a beautiful color and restore blood circulation. cold water . To do this, you just need to wash your face with cold water. This will invigorate you and give your face freshness.
• The aroma of peppermint has a stimulating effect on the brain. And a combination of cool water with a shower gel containing citrus and grapefruit scents will help recharge your batteries throughout the day.
• Will help relieve puffiness under the eyes Place cucumber slices on your eyelids for 10 minutes.
• A unique product will help give energy to your facial skin. freshly squeezed orange juice compress. You need to moisten a napkin in the juice and apply it to your face for 5 minutes.
• A little exercise It will also help you lose sleep and become more energetic.

Did you know that lack of sleep leads to brain aging by 7 years?

As it turns out, humans are the only mammals capable of delaying the onset of sleep at will.

Sleep deprivation is a form of torture.

People who get less sleep than they need to rest are more likely to have an increase in appetite due to decreased levels of leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite.

Women complain of insomnia more often than men, but they turn to specialists less often. It is worth noting that poor sleep in women is caused by personal reasons, and in men, as a rule, by social reasons.

It has been established that widowed people suffer from sleep disorders more often than married people, and housewives and pensioners - more often than people who are engaged in physical labor.

But insomnia is less common among village residents than among city residents, and this despite the fact that in rural areas they sleep much less.

Insomnia is one of the main causes of aviation, industrial, train and automobile accidents.

The annual losses to the global economy from insomnia are estimated at hundreds of billions of dollars per year.

In adults, the main cause of insomnia is an inconvenient work schedule.

I would like to say that long-term sleep disturbances are a very serious matter, requiring investigation into the causes of their occurrence and subsequent work to eliminate them. So take care of yourself and get enough sleep! This will preserve health, beauty and youth!

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A person spends a third of his life sleeping. And this is good. After all, sleep is a natural physiological process necessary for the normal functioning of the body. In our sleep, we restore strength, “digest” the information accumulated during the day and fight diseases.

1. Lights out

Not only children, but also adults should maintain a sleep-wake schedule. Determine your optimal bedtime and strictly adhere to it, even on weekends.

2. Rise

Set not only the “lights out” time, but also the rise time. Otherwise the balance will be disrupted. Laid in bed an hour longer? It will be very difficult to fall asleep at the right time.

3. Diary

One of the main reasons for poor sleep is stress. We go to bed with a lot of bad thoughts in our heads. Because of this, we cannot fall asleep for a long time and sleep very restlessly. To improve the situation, start and at the end of the day “tell” him about everything that worries or upsets you. Psychologists have proven that keeping a diary helps you focus on the positive rather than negative aspects of life.

4. Magnesium

Another factor that affects our sleep is magnesium. Its deficiency leads to sleep disturbances. This is why it is recommended to eat foods rich in magnesium. For example, spinach or pumpkin seeds.

5. First aid kit

Sometimes medications can cause poor sleep. If you are taking any pills and notice that you are sleeping worse, carefully study the instructions. Are there insomnia among the side effects?

6. Coffee

Caffeine reduces adenosine levels, which makes it difficult for a person to calm down and fall asleep quickly. A cup of coffee with dinner can lead to insomnia or poor sleep quality. Therefore, try to drink coffee only in the morning.

7. Technology

To understand what exactly is preventing you from sleeping well, turn to modern technology. There are mobile applications and special devices (Zeo Personal Sleep Coach, Wakemate and others) that help track the duration and quality of sleep. For example, for iOS there is an application Sleep Cycle, and for Android SleepBot.

8. Sleep norm

The optimal duration of sleep varies from person to person. But on average, it is believed that 7-8 hours are enough for normal life. Violation of sleep norms leads to increased levels of cortisol (the death hormone) and various serious diseases. Therefore, try to get at least 7 hours of sleep a day.

9. Bonus

Having a tough week? Did you go to bed after midnight? Give yourself the bonus of an extra hour of sleep to rejuvenate and get back into your daily routine.

10. Siesta

A short afternoon nap is very good for your health. But only short - no more than 30 minutes. If you doze longer, your body will fall into deep stages of sleep - it will be difficult to wake up and return to business.

11. Yula

Can't sleep? Don't turn from side to side like a spinning top. Instead, get out of bed and do some quiet activity. For example, read or listen to lounge music.

12. Pets

Many people like to sleep with their loved one or. But from a healthy sleep perspective, this is a bad idea. You can fall asleep cuddling with Barsik, but then it’s better to send him back to his place.

13. Alarm clock

Many people keep an alarm clock on the bedside table (and if its role is played by the phone, then right under the pillow), which is actually a mistake. Constantly keeping an eye on the time means being on edge. And stress, as you remember, equals poor sleep.

14. Curfew

Also, many spend the evening staring at a computer monitor or sitting in front of the TV. Then they turn them off and “fall” into bed. But if you strive for truly healthy sleep, then set a curfew for all gadgets two to three hours before bedtime. The time before bed is a time for relaxation.

15. Bedroom

Your brain should automatically associate the bedroom with relaxation. Therefore, please use this room for its intended purpose. You need to relax in bed. The bedroom is about sleep and sex, not work and the Internet.

16. Comfort

For a good sleep, you need to create comfortable conditions: buy a comfortable mattress, hang thick curtains on the windows, eliminate sources of noise that interfere with sleep. Don't you sleep alone? Discuss with your partner what factors affect your and his sleep, and create an environment that is comfortable for both of you.

17. Temperature

16-24ºС – this should be the temperature in the bedroom. In a stuffy and too hot room, a person often wakes up and falls asleep more poorly.

18. Light

Bright lighting, and sometimes even the “harmless” light from the TV, can also create problems with sleep. If it is impossible to eliminate light sources, then so that they do not interfere with your rest, use a sleep mask.

19. Workout

Physical exercise not only builds strength and endurance, but also improves sleep quality. We are talking, in particular, about aerobic exercises that saturate the body with oxygen.

20. Everything has its time

Sport improves the quality of sleep, but you should end your workout at least 2 hours before bedtime. After all, physical exercise saturates the body not only with oxygen, but also with adrenaline, which is a bad “sleeping pill.”

21. Muscle relaxation

Before going to bed, it is better to do so-called muscle relaxation. It consists of alternately tensing and relaxing different muscle groups. We tensed our leg muscles, counted to five, and relaxed; tense your abs, one-two-three-four-five, exhale, etc. This procedure can be done directly while lying in bed. Meditation also helps prepare your body for sleep.

22. Walks

Another secret to good sleep is evening walks. Even if it’s not very warm outside and you’re too lazy to get ready, overcome yourself. You'll be surprised how much better you'll sleep at night if you walk for half an hour before bed.

23. Hot shower or bath

Before going to bed, the body needs to relax, so before going to the kingdom of Morpheus, treat yourself to SPA treatments. A hot shower or bath can help relieve stress and make you feel sleepy.

24. Music

Besides a bath, music has a very calming effect on the body. Classical, folk or jazz - each has its own melodies that give harmony. Find one that brings you peace and listen to it before bed.

25. Lavender

Fragrances also affect the quality of sleep. Lavender is an excellent remedy for insomnia. Use aromatherapy candles or essential oils to fill your bedroom with the scent of lavender before bed.

26. Warmth

As you already know, it should be cool outside, but inside, on the contrary, warm. Drink a glass of warm milk, cocoa or tea before bed, and you will immediately want to sleep.

27. Chamomile tea

By the way, about tea. This is “grandmother’s” remedy for sound and healthy sleep. Chamomile has a calming effect, which means it helps fight the main cause of poor sleep – stress.

What do you do to sleep well?