Sleep disturbance - possible causes and treatment. Treatment of sleep disorders in adults: causes, consequences, prevention

Causes of disruption of a good night's rest. Symptoms and methods of treatment. Soothing, healthy sleep- a vital function of the human body, during which the psychological processing of daily activities takes place, internal metabolic processes, there is a self-healing of organs after a hard day's work. Poor sleep at night in an adult of a person is an alarming signal, which should not be neglected in the interests of one's own health.

Sleep disturbances are a common occurrence in different ages, while each age category has its own reasons.

Pathological drowsiness can be a manifestation of hormonal abnormalities, a consequence of somatic diseases, in which a sick person is prevented from sleeping peacefully by an attack of asthma, itching, angina pectoris, or increased urination. There can be many reasons for sleep disorders.

What prevents a person from sleeping?

What are the causes of poor sleep in adults? What factors influence anxiety sleepless nights? The main causes of disturbing night sleep:

• external factors: phone calls, noise from the neighbors, the light of a lantern from the street;
• increased emotional background, irritability, outbursts of anger, experiencing difficult life situations (divorce, dismissal, betrayal of friends) - greatly depress the nervous system and provoke sleep problems;
• uncontrolled intake of psychotropic stimulants, dietary supplements, hormonal medications;
• poor sleep is guaranteed after alcohol, drugs;
• information boom: modern media and the Internet are full of an uncontrolled flow of information in abundance - nightmares seen the day before can be projected in a dream;
• malnutrition: by the evening, biorhythms slow down and the gastrointestinal tract is difficult to digest heavy food;
• 24-hour working day, change of time zones;
• poor sleep after training: do not abuse power loads late in the evening, everything should be in moderation, give the body a chance to recover.

Forward: This is how much sleep an adult needs per night

To easily fall asleep and wake up, take care of comfortable conditions in advance, eliminating the irritant, you will get a guaranteed restful sleep.

Why is bad sleep dangerous? Consequences

The causes of sleep disorders may be temporary. Sleep deprivation can occur for three days and is episodic. If sleep disturbance bothers you for more than three weeks, insomnia becomes chronic. Likely consequences:

• the risk of accidents increases;
• appearance worsens;
• the protective functions of the body are reduced;
• irritability and a depressive state appear (how ladies cope with depression - read the article how to get out of depression on your own for a woman);
• problems with memory and concentration;
• increases the risk of heart disease.

A person cannot exist without sleep, just as without food, water and oxygen. People who say they don't sleep are wrong. There is sleep, but it is disturbing, intermittent, and there is no charge of vivacity after waking up.

How to break the vicious circle and give yourself a relaxing rest at night?

Against the backdrop of health problems, stress, physical and emotional overwork, abuse bad habits- each of us asks himself the question: “Why do I have a bad dream, why do I often wake up at night? How to enjoy sleep, waking up rested, full of strength and energy?

Forward: What to do if you suffer from insomnia?

If you suffer from sleep disorders, analyze your daily routine, lifestyle, check what you eat, how healthy the food is for the body, how often do you go hiking fresh air. Excessive anxieties and worries do not allow you to relax even during sleep - try to reduce them yourself or by contacting a specialist for advice.

Modern medical preparations do not cause addiction, normalize the process of falling asleep. Gentle drugs stabilize sleep rhythms at night and allow an adult to forget about insomnia. Often the doctor prescribes in the complex homeopathic treatment, infusions of sedative herbs and general recommendations - everything is individual, depending on the causes of the failure and personal symptoms.

Exhausting bad sleep at night in an adult, what to do, our advice will tell. General recommendations to help you wake up energized and rested.

Article content

Sleep disturbance is a problem well known to many. According to statistics, approximately 8-15% of the population of our planet complain of poor sleep, about 9-11% of adults are forced to use sleeping pills. Among the elderly, these figures are much higher.

Sleep problems occur at any age, but this disease has its own characteristic features for each age category. For example, children most often suffer from night terrors and urinary incontinence. Elderly people suffer from pathological drowsiness and insomnia. But it also happens that having arisen in childhood, a sleep disorder is observed in a person throughout his life. So what to do if you can't fall asleep, you don't sleep well? What do experts think about this?

Causes of sleep disorders

Poor sleep, regardless of the duration, causes a feeling of weakness and fatigue, a person does not have a feeling of morning vigor. All this negatively affects performance, mood and well-being in general. If insomnia occurs long time this leads to serious health problems. Do you often ask yourself the question: “Why do I sleep badly?” Experts believe that this is due to a number of reasons, including:

1. Psychotraumatic situations, stress.
2. Diseases of somatic and neurological origin, accompanied by physical discomfort and pain syndromes.
3. Depression and mental illness.
4. Influence of psychoactive substances (alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, drugs, psychostimulants).
5. Some medications cause insomnia or light sleep, such as glucocortioids, decongestants, antitussives, dietary supplements, and others.
6. Malicious smoking.
7. Brief cessation of breathing during sleep (apnea).
8. Violation of the physiological (circadian) biorhythms of sleep and wakefulness.

Among the causes of sleep disturbance, experts call the malfunctioning of the hypothalamus due to injury or after suffering encephalitis. It is noted that restless sleep is observed in workers in night shift, as well as with rapid change of time zones. In adults, sleep disturbance is often associated with a disease such as narcolepsy. In most cases, young men are affected.

Depression is the most common cause of insomnia in the world today.

If a child complains that he is afraid to sleep at night, do not brush it off, considering the problem a far-fetched or childish whim. Timely consultation of a competent specialist - a somnologist or a psychotherapist will help eliminate the causes associated with sleep disorders and avoid serious health problems in the future.

Sleep problems

Complaints about poor sleep and insomnia are most often heard by doctors from those who have trouble falling asleep. But the very concept of "insomnia" from the point of view of medicine is much broader. If you notice that you often wake up early or wake up in the middle of the night, feel sleepy or tired in the morning, suffer from shallow and interrupted sleep, all this indicates that you have a sleep disorder.

When the first signs of a change in sleep appear, do not hesitate to consult a doctor. Moreover, you need to sound the alarm in the following cases:

• you have difficulty falling asleep and notice a worsening of sleep several days a week for one month;
• increasingly catch yourself thinking: what to do with a bad dream, how to get enough sleep, concentrate on these issues, returning to them again and again;
• in connection with the unsatisfactory quality and quantity of sleep, you notice deterioration in work and personal life.

Doctors say insomniacs are twice as likely to seek medical care and undergo treatment in hospitals. Therefore, it is not recommended to let the problem take its course. The specialist will quickly identify the causes of poor sleep and insomnia in adults and prescribe effective treatment.

Restless and interrupted sleep

Sleep is a complex physiological act, during which the main processes nervous system"reload". Complete daily sleep essential condition normal functioning body, health and well-being. Normal sleep of an adult should last 6-8 hours. Deviations, both up and down, are harmful to the body. Unfortunately, sleep problems are as common in our lives as stress, constant haste, endless domestic problems and chronic diseases.

restless sleep - pathological condition that adversely affect human health. Being in this state, a person is not completely immersed in sleep, his brain can actively work due to the presence of non-sleeping areas. A person is tormented by nightmares, in a dream he can make involuntary movements, scream, grind his teeth, etc.

What to do if you do not sleep well at night? Perhaps one of the causes of this problem is restless leg syndrome. This neurological disease, accompanied by unpleasant sensations in the legs, which are aggravated in a calm state. It occurs at any age, but most often in middle-aged and elderly people, women are most often affected.

Sometimes restless legs syndrome is associated with heredity, but mainly occurs due to a deficiency of iron, magnesium, B vitamins, folic acid. Observed in patients with uremia and thyroid diseases, diabetes, when abused alcoholic drinks, chronic diseases lungs.

At night, tingling, itching, bursting are observed in the lower extremities, sometimes it seems to a person that there are crawling insects under the skin. To get rid of heavy sensations, patients have to rub or massage their legs, shake them, and even walk around the room.

One of the forms of insomnia that residents of megacities often suffer from is intermittent sleep. Those suffering from this disease are able to fall asleep quite quickly, but the quality of their sleep is very low, because these people sleep sensitively and restlessly. For example, without apparent reason, a person wakes up in the middle of the night, often at the same time. At the same time, a feeling of anxiety and tension is noted, and several hours spent in a dream are not felt in any way. Such night wakefulness can be short-lived, lasting a few minutes, and can last until the morning.

Repetitive awakenings from night to night are accompanied by excitement, cause negative thoughts. As a result, a person, not getting enough sleep, is forced to get up for work. It is clear that the absence normal rest causes daytime apathy and chronic fatigue. “I often wake up, what should I do?” - Doctors are often asked this question by those who do not know how to cope with insomnia. Doctors in this case, along with general recommendations, can prescribe individual medication by conducting a diagnostic examination.

Almost completely lost sleep

Sleep problems often occur with spasms of the muscles of the legs. Patients complain of sudden sharp pain in calf muscles. As a result, most of the night a person is forced to fight with unpleasant state. These symptoms are observed in adults under the age of 50, 70% of older people are also familiar with this problem. Intense discomfort that disturbs night rest, unlike restless legs syndrome, do not cause an acute desire to move the limbs.

You can alleviate the condition and quickly relieve spasm with the help of massage, hot bath or compress. If for this reason you have lost sleep, it is recommended to consult a doctor. Proper therapy will help prevent night cramps. Usually, a course of vitamin E is prescribed, in case of serious pathology, the doctor will prescribe a tranquilizer and advise a set of special gymnastic exercises to stretch and strengthen the calf muscles.

Of course, the solution to sleep problems in children and adults should begin with a doctor's consultation. Often a person may be unaware of the presence of serious health problems, up to oncology or mental disorders, but complains that he does not sleep at night, for partial or complete absence sleep. Yes, intoxication various genesis often cause drowsiness. Pathological drowsiness may develop due to hormonal abnormalities, in particular, the pathology of the hypothalamic-mesencephalic region. Only a doctor can identify these formidable diseases. And having cured the underlying disease, it will be possible to normalize sleep.

Restless night sleep in an adult often occurs due to a behavioral phase disorder REM sleep. In fact, it is a malfunction in the functioning of the central nervous system and manifests itself physical activity sleeping in REM sleep. In medicine, the phase of rapid eye movement is called the REM phase. She is characterized increased activity of the brain, the onset of dreams, and paralysis of the body (except for the muscles that support breathing and heartbeat).

In REM-phase behavioral disorder, the sleeper's body exhibits an abnormal "freedom" of movement. Mostly older men are affected by this pathology. The disorder is manifested by talking and screaming from the sleeping person, active movements of the limbs, jumping out of bed. The patient may even unknowingly injure himself or a sleeping person next to him. I am glad that this disease is quite rare.

The fashionable hobby for horror films can lead to sleep loss. Heavy dreams can haunt a person who has survived mental trauma. Often the body thus sends signals about an impending disease. Waking up in the middle of the night in deep despair or with a sense of catastrophe, a person cannot fall asleep for a long time. He tries to understand the reasons short sleep replaying nightmare images in my head. Sometimes a person awakened from heavy emotions simply does not remember the dream, but feels a chilling horror and, as a result, suffers from insomnia.

What to do if there is no sleep? Perhaps you need to seriously reconsider your lifestyle. Be sure to visit a doctor, undergo an examination and carefully follow all the prescribed recommendations.

Too sensitive and superficial sleep

Light sleep is a serious problem, both for the sleeper and for those around him. And if a person wakes up from every slightest rustle, it becomes a real disaster for his family. Why sleep is superficial and what to do about it?

There are actually quite a few reasons why a person may have too light sleep. But in general, they can be distinguished into physiological, that is, corresponding to the norm, and pathological.

Superficial sleep - absolutely normal phenomenon for the following categories:

1. Young mothers. In this category, the habit of waking up from the slightest rustle and sniffing of the baby, and even more so his crying, is formed due to the physiological processes that occur in the body of a woman after childbirth.
2. Pregnant women and women in a certain period of the menstrual cycle. Shallow sleep in these two groups, combined into one, is explained by hormonal fluctuations in the female body.
3. Night shift workers. This group of people is characterized by difficulty falling asleep, lack of sound sleep due to biorhythm failure.
4. Those who spend too much time sleeping. It has been noticed that with a banal excess of sleep, its quality deteriorates, intermittent and sensitive sleep appears. Usually pensioners, the unemployed, vacationers fall into this category.
5. Aged people. Sensitive in the elderly, sleep becomes not only from oversleeping, but also due to age-related changes in organism. The production of melatonin (sleep hormone) is reduced, which leads to insomnia.

Concerning pathological causes poor sleep, then this can include mental disorders, somatic diseases, exposure to drugs and psychoactive substances.

If we figured out the reasons for the lack of sound sleep, then the question of why a person suddenly falls asleep during the day is also very often asked to specialists. What is the cause of this disease and how to deal with it? In medicine, a pathological condition characterized by sudden and unpredictable bouts of drowsiness that occurs in the middle of the day is called narcolepsy.

For those affected by this disease, and most of them are young men, the REM phase can come unexpectedly and in the most unexpected place - in class, driving, during lunch or conversation. The duration of the attack is from a few seconds to half an hour. A person who suddenly fell asleep wakes up in a strong excitement, which he continues to experience until the next attack. This is the main difference between narcolepsy and excessive daytime sleepiness. It has been observed that even during such sleep attacks, some may continue to perform their usual activities.

Possible consequences of sleep disorders

Why are millions of people unable to sleep at night? There are many reasons leading to sleep disorders. Some devote too much time to work and overwork sets in, others watch too much TV or sit at the computer. But in the end, insomnia caused by various causes leads to a number of negative consequences from chronic sleep deprivation.

• Impaired glucose tolerance

Lack of sleep, lack of sleep negatively affects the central nervous system, making it overexcited and more active. For this reason, the pancreas ceases to produce insulin in the right amount, a hormone necessary for the digestion of glucose. Scientist Van Kauter observed healthy young people who did not sleep for a long time at night during the week. As a result, most of them were in a pre-diabetic state by the end of the week.

• Obesity

In the first phase deep sleep growth hormone is released. In people over the age of 40, periods of deep sleep are reduced, hence the secretion of growth hormone is reduced. IN young age insufficient sleep contributes to a premature decrease in growth hormone, thereby stimulating the accumulation of fat. There are studies confirming that chronic sleep deprivation reduces the production of the hormone testosterone. This entails a reduction muscle mass and fat accumulation.

• Increased carbohydrate cravings

Interrupted sleep reduces the production of the hormone leptin, which is responsible for satiety. As a result, there is an increased craving for carbohydrates. The situation is aggravated by the fact that even after receiving a portion of carbohydrates, the body will require more and more calories.

• Weakened immunity

Restless sleep, the lack of a good night's rest has pernicious influence on white blood cells human body, reduces resistance to infections.

• The risk of atherosclerosis

Chronic lack of sleep provokes stress, and this in turn increases the amount of cortisol. As a result of this imbalance, hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) is possible. This leads to heart attack. Because of high level cortisol decreases muscle and bone mass, fat accumulates. Increases the risk of hypertension, premature death.

• Depression and irritability

Chronic insomnia leads to the depletion of neurotransmitters in the brain responsible for mood. People with sleep disorders are more irritable and more likely to become depressed.

What to do if an adult has bad sleep at night? Here are some simple tips to help you deal with insomnia. First of all, you need to pay attention to your habits and the conditions in which you sleep. Often, non-compliance with elementary rules becomes an obstacle to a good rest. Here are the rules.

• develop a healthy habit of going to bed and getting up at the same time. Even in one week, following this regimen, you can achieve a significant result - it will be easier to fall asleep, and you will wake up cheerful and rested;
• stop sleeping during the day, unless it is prescribed to you by your doctor;
• time spent in bed should be strictly limited. Namely, as long as your dream lasts. Give up reading, watching TV and working in bed, otherwise you will have interrupted sleep;
• instead of watching TV or lying in bed with a laptop, take walks in the fresh air in the evenings;
• if you have a light sleep, take care of good soundproofing in the bedroom, no extraneous sounds and noise (such as the sounds of a working refrigerator) in this room should not be;
• organize high-quality and comfortable sleeping area. Sleep on cotton linen, use a pillow with a synthetic filler that retains its shape well and is hypoallergenic;
• the light in the bedroom should be dimmed, and while relaxing in the bedroom it should be completely dark;
• a small light dinner 2-3 hours before going to bed will help to improve the process of falling asleep. Refuse plentiful, fatty and high-calorie food in the evening;
• Taking a warm bath with anti-stress oil will help you relax and fall asleep faster. You can add 5-7 drops of lavender or ylang ylang oil and 1 cup of milk to your bath. It is useful to take a hot shower an hour before bedtime;
• refrain from smoking at night, drinking alcohol and coffee. Instead, it is better to drink a glass of warm milk with a spoonful of honey or chamomile tea;
• keep only an alarm clock in the bedroom. Waking up at night, do not try to find out the time;
• the room where you sleep should be ventilated and regularly wet cleaned;
• if you have trouble falling asleep, use meditation or relaxation exercises.

Do not self-medicate for sleep disorders. Only a doctor can choose the right drugs!

Prevention

“I can’t sleep well” - something like this is the complaint of those who are constantly faced with insomnia. Doctors distinguish several types of insomnia.

1. episodic. It lasts 5-7 days, arising as a result of emotional overstrain or stress (exam, quarrel in the family, conflict situation at work, changing the time zone, etc.). Treatment is not required, in most cases it goes away on its own.
2. Short-term. Lasts 1-3 weeks. Develops due to long stressful situations, severe psycho-emotional shocks, as well as due to chronic somatic diseases. Contribute to sleep disturbances skin diseases accompanied by itching, and pain syndromes with arthritis, migraines.
3. Chronic. It lasts more than 3 weeks, often indicating hidden mental and somatic diseases, such as depression, neuroses and anxiety disorders, alcoholism. It is ubiquitous in old age. “I don’t sleep well” - 69% of older people complain, 75% of this age group have difficulty falling asleep.

Taking medications, nootropics, antipsychotics and antidepressants very often provokes poor sleep in adults.

Doctors advise not to go to bed if you do not want to sleep. It is better to occupy yourself with some exciting business: read, listen to calm music. At the same time, it is better not to be in the bedroom, so that associations of this room with insomnia do not arise in the brain.

To prevent sleep disorders, use the following tips:

• learn to bring the psyche into a passive state. Mentally renounce all problems and annoying thoughts;
• if it’s hard for you to concentrate and extraneous noise interferes, use earplugs or cover your ears with cotton wool;
• perform rhythmic breathing, focusing on an extended exhalation;
• you can perform a soothing water treatment. For example, 20 minutes to hold your feet in a pleasant hot water with the addition of a decoction of mint, lemon balm, oregano. Warm coniferous baths help to fall asleep well;
• a heavy blanket helps you fall asleep quickly;
• under the pillow, you can put a linen bag with dry hop cones. By the way, hop tea with honey is also useful for sleep disorders. Cooking like this: brew 1.5 dry hop cones with 1 cup of boiling water, insist, strain, add honey, drink warm;
• can't sleep for a long time? You can undress and lie naked until you freeze. Then wrap yourself in a blanket. Pleasant warming will help you fall asleep faster.

A simple psychological technique will help you get rid of negative thoughts accumulated during the day.

Mentally write down everything that worries you on separate sheets of paper. Imagine that you are crumpling each leaf in turn and throwing it into a basket or into a fire. Try to remember the positive things that happened to you today. Be sure to thank higher power for a good day. Now you can perform relaxing techniques: dream about something pleasant, mentally listen to the sound of the surf, remember pleasant events from your life. Rational people can focus on calm breathing and the beating of their heart.

If there is no desired effect and you can’t fall asleep, most likely you need medical help.

Medicines

If you are constantly tormented by interrupted sleep, the first thing to do is consult a therapist. If necessary, you will be referred for a polysomnography study, on the basis of which treatment will be prescribed.

In the presence of somatic pathologies, therapy consists in eliminating the underlying disease. In old age, patients most often need the help of a neurologist to normalize sleep. For drug therapy, drugs of the benzodiazepine series are mainly used. If the process of falling asleep is disturbed, drugs are prescribed short action triazolam, midazolam. You can not prescribe these drugs on their own, as they have many side effects.

Long-acting sleeping pills, such as diazepam, are prescribed for frequent nocturnal awakenings. Long-term use of these medicines can lead to daytime sleepiness. In this case, the doctor will adjust the treatment and select drugs with a shorter exposure time. With neurosis and depression, accompanied by sleep disorders, a psychiatrist's consultation is required. IN severe cases neuroleptics or psychotonics are prescribed.

Normalization of sleep rhythm in the elderly should be carried out in a complex manner using vasodilators (papaverine, nicotinic acid) and light herbal tranquilizers - motherwort or valerian. Acceptance of any medicines should only be done under medical supervision. Usually, a course of treatment is prescribed with a gradual decrease in dosage and its gradual reduction to nothing.

Traditional medicine

Good help to cope with the problem of difficult falling asleep and proven folk remedies.

Milk + honey

• milk - 1 glass;
• honey - 1 teaspoon;
• juice of freshly squeezed dill (can be replaced with a decoction of seeds) - 1 teaspoon.

Heat milk, dissolve honey in it, add dill juice. Take daily in the evening.

pumpkin broth

• pumpkin - 200g;
• water - 250 ml;
• honey - 1 teaspoon.

Pour boiling water over the peeled and diced pumpkin, cook over low heat for 20-25 minutes. Strain, cool until pleasant warm state. Add honey. Drink ½ cup before bed.

Finally

Various sleep disorders are mostly treatable. It is difficult to treat sleep disorders associated with chronic somatic diseases, as well as in elderly people.

Subject to the sleep and wakefulness regimen, the normalization of physical and mental stress, the competent use of drugs that affect nervous processes By maintaining a proper lifestyle, sleep problems are completely eliminated. IN individual cases consulting a specialist or taking medications will help to cope with the problem. Be healthy!

Sleep disturbance is a type of disorder with many causes. And in different age categories there are differences in the course of this pathology. The manifestation of this condition can be episodic, but there are also regular unhealthy conditions. According to statistics, at least 10% of people have a sleep disorder.

Types of sleep disorders

• insomnia . In this state, it is difficult for a person to fall asleep, but if he manages to do this, then the dream is short and sensitive. Violation develops against the background of the body's reaction to bad psychological condition. It can be situational, that is, a person restores his mental balance, and sleep gradually becomes healthy. Insomnia is treated by a psychotherapist.
• hypersomnia . The body needs a long sleep - 12-20 hours a day, while even a long sleep does not give a feeling of cheerfulness. Occurs in people with or in severe stress. There are subtypes of hypersomnia - narcolepsy, post-traumatic syndrome, idiopathic.
• Parasomnia . There are failures in the phases of sleep, regular awakenings during the night. Associated with such causes as (), sleepwalking, nocturnal seizures of epilepsy, night terrors, painful erections in men, and so on.

These types of sleep disorders are ubiquitous and can be caused by both domestic and situational causes, when the sleep schedule is disrupted due to work, or drinking coffee does not let you fall asleep, and more serious causes - diseases of various etiologies.

Causes and treatment of sleep disorders in adults

In adults - both men and women - sleep disturbance is explained by the following factors:

• Heightened emotionality . As a result of strong emotions, for example, strong outbursts of anger and the accumulation of negative emotions, the nervous system is depleted, and this causes problems with sleep.
• Regular use of psychostimulants, psychoactive substances - These are caffeinated drinks, like coffee, strong tea, energy drinks, as well as the constant use of alcohol and drugs. These drugs excite the nervous system, so it is not possible to fall asleep.
• Regular medication intake , for example, hormonal, dietary or antitussive;
• Heavy life circumstances . For example, unexpected dismissal from work, divorce, illness loved one and etc.
• Unbalanced psychological state . Occurs against the background of regular and prolonged stress, neurosis, tantrums, depression.
• Hormonal imbalance in women . At menstrual cycle the level of female sex hormones - estrogen and progesterone - fluctuates, which is reflected in poor sleep. In addition, during menopause, their reserves are sharply reduced, so there is a violation of good sleep.
• Uncomfortable conditions . If light seeps into the bedroom, the body “thinks” that it needs to wake up. The fact is that in the dark, the production of melatonin is activated - a hormone of the pineal gland that causes and reduces body temperature. It is equally important to maintain a lower temperature in the bedroom - approximately 18 ° C.
• Serious illnesses from mental and nervous pathologies and to problems with the endocrine and respiratory system. Often, a violation of this type occurs in chronic infectious and viral diseases such as AIDS. There are frequent cases of sleep problems due to malignant tumors, post-traumatic damage to areas of the brain.

Diagnostic measures are taken to determine the causes. This is especially true for long-term manifestations of a pathological condition leading to chronic fatigue, decreased performance and attention. In such cases, laboratory diagnostics (testing) and hardware (tomography, ECG, EEG) are required.

If the root cause is a household or situational factor, then doctors recommend making it a habit to organize the process of preparing for sleep. And they do it in such a way that its repetition at the subconscious level works. This is the same option, called the "nightly ritual." It can be drinking a glass of warm milk, counting from 300 to 0, carefully combing your hair, and so on. That is, the creation of that factor that will calm and become a habit.

Help to cope with bad sleep water procedures that allow the body to relax. So, before going to bed, you can take a hot shower or bath.

Treatment strong drugs here it is impossible because of the risk of harming the fetus. But you can't self-medicate either. It is impossible to wait out such a period, especially if it is prolonged, since the state of chronic fatigue can lead to irreversible consequences for the child.

Sleep disturbance in pregnant women is treated with mild sedatives, which the doctor selects based on the situation.

Why poor sleep in children and infants?

Here are other reasons why children have trouble sleeping:

• Parents don't stick to the same correct mode day, which should include going to bed at the same time.
• Parents do not spend the proper amount of time with their children, so by the evening they have a heightened sense of anxiety that they will have to leave them for the night. This often results in the desire to sleep with parents.
• The child has developed a habit of going to bed late, sitting up watching TV, playing games, and so on.
• There is an intrinsic predisposition to late sleep.

• teeth are being cut;
• colic in the abdomen;
• uncomfortable sleeping position;
• uncomfortable bed.

Sleep disturbance in the elderly

• respiratory;
• mental;
• cardiovascular;
• endocrine;
• nervous.

• Transient insomnia when a person experiences stressful circumstances.
• chronic insomnia , which is the result of changes in the brain and nerve tissues due to aging.
• Restless legs syndrome when, when falling asleep in the legs, there is a feeling of "running goosebumps".
• Limb movement syndrome , in which the big toe is bent, partial or full flexion at the knees or hip appears.

Often sleep disturbance is due to the fact that older people simply have nothing to do, and they do not have muscle fatigue. Relates to causes and reception invigorating drinks, smoking, alcohol, drugs. All of these factors can significantly increase insomnia or disrupt wakefulness and sleep patterns.

• Make it a habit to leave the bedroom immediately after waking up, which should be associated only with sleep.
• Start the morning with a workout.
• Observe the daily routine, trying to wake up and fall asleep at the same time.
• Take daily walks.
• Located in the open air when favorable weather conditions. Ideally, this is best done in the morning and evening before bed.
• Minimize daytime naps.

Drugs for the treatment of sleep disorders

Sedatives

• Novo-Passit
• Valocordin
• Corvalol
• Valerian tincture or tablets
• Motherwort tincture or tablets
• Dormiplant
• Persen

sleeping pills

There are such types of sleeping pills:

• Barbiturates (Seconal, Nembutal)
• Benzodiazepines (diazepam, clonazepam)

They can only be taken with a doctor's prescription, because if the dosage is incorrect or taken with other drugs, many complications, including death, are possible.

homeopathic

• Dormicum
• Halcyon
• Xanax
• Cassadan
• Nozepam
• Tazepam
• Frontin

Important! In case of sleep disturbance, it is better to use those drugs that have a short duration of action. That is, they should help you fall asleep quickly, and the process of awakening already regulates your body.

Folk methods against bad sleep

• Stuff the pillow with rose petals, mint leaves, bay leaves, nuts, geraniums or ferns, pine needles.
• Before going to bed, drink a glass of: warm water + 1 tbsp. l. honey; warm milk + cinnamon + honey.
• 20 minutes before meals 3 times a day, drink up to half a glass of tincture of hop cones. The remedy is prepared as follows: 2 tbsp. l. crushed cones are poured into 500 ml of boiling water, the product is left for 60 minutes and filtered.

Video: What is the cause of sleep disturbance?

Next article.

Healthy sleep people call strong, peaceful, sweet. After such a dream, a person will wake up energetic, in good mood ready to move mountains.

Sound sleep speaks of a healthy body and the right lifestyle. Superficial sleep, and even interrupted by frequent waking up, signals, like a flashing light, that not everything is in order in the body and help is needed. Since you are reading this article, it means that you are worried about the question, "why can't I fall asleep and often wake up at night." Let's figure out what a bad dream tells us. What to do to restore fast falling asleep without frequent waking up.

Poor sleep can be caused by a variety of factors.

Types of violation of night rest

Sleep disturbance is manifested by difficult falling asleep and frequent waking up, or, conversely, in drowsiness. Types of sleep disorders:

1. Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep or waking up frequently.
2. Hypersomnia is increased sleepiness.
3. Parasomnia is a malfunction of the organs and systems associated with sleep.

The most common sleep disorder is insomnia. In everyday life, it is simply called insomnia. All types of sleep disorders require treatment after examination by polysomnography.

Causes of insomnia

With insomnia, the question often arises, "why do I often wake up at night." The most common cause of insomnia is a nocturnal lifestyle, in which a person works or plays at night, and then sleeps all day. The change of night into day is unnatural for a person. biological rhythms owls and predatory animals are adapted to night hunting and are conditioned by the natural laws of survival and continuation of life. The functions of their organs are tuned to a nocturnal lifestyle - acute night vision. Human biological rhythms are genetically tuned to active life during the day and rest at night. The human brain produces the sleep hormone melatonin at night. With insomnia, the hormone drops to a critical level, and thus, insomnia becomes chronic.

The main hormone of the pineal gland is melatonin.

The cause of insomnia can also be short-term or permanent states or disease.

The most common factors that lead to insomnia are:

• situational insomnia due to emotional overexcitation;
• mental or neurological diseases;
• chronic alcoholism;
• long-term use of sleeping pills and sedatives, as well as the syndrome of their withdrawal;
• somatic diseases - disorders in the functioning of organs and systems that lead to insomnia for various reasons.

Elderly people quite often complain to the doctor, "I wake up at night, prescribe a remedy for a good sleep." In old age, the violation of night rest is natural. Herbal medicines help older people to get rid of sensitive sleep. In the treatment of sensitive sleep in the elderly, it is also recommended to take vasodilator(for example, vinpocetine).

What diseases disturb sleep?

If a person says, "I often wake up," then he should think about what caused a sensitive night's rest. The cause of frequent waking up and poor sleep are such somatic diseases:

• cardiopulmonary insufficiency;
• restless legs syndrome;
• obstructive syndrome sleep apnea in snoring people;

Sleep apnea disease

• enuresis (bedwetting).

At cardiopulmonary insufficiency the reason for a sensitive night's rest is oxygen starvation- hypoxia, which forces you to take an elevated position of the body to facilitate breathing.

The problem of "often waking up at night" occurs with restless legs syndrome. Often, varicose disease manifested by vascular insufficiency of the legs. In case of violation of blood circulation in the legs, to restore it, a reflex need arises for movement lower limbs. It is this unconscious desire that causes restless leg syndrome. If during the day a person moves his legs without noticing it, then at night involuntary movements make a person wake up often. Timely measures taken to treat the legs will help get rid of insomnia.

One of serious reasons sensitive night rest is obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in snoring people. It is caused by dangerous cessation of breathing at night due to diseases of the nasopharynx. A person wakes up from suffocation due to the cessation or restriction of air flow through the nasopharynx. Somnologists and neurologists deal with the causes and treatment of sleep disturbances during snoring. If you are concerned about the problem of “often waking up at night”, you should contact these specialists. Snoring treatment will relieve you of insomnia.

Treatment with finished drugs

Ready-made remedies for insomnia in drops, tablets, capsules and solutions are very popular. To get rid of insomnia or light sleep, the following medications will help:

• Novo-Passit is a combined mixture medicinal herbs and guaifenesin. This remedy not only calms, but also relieves anxiety, as a result of which it will be easier to fall asleep. Novo-Passit is often used to treat insomnia.
• Phytosed has a calming effect and facilitates falling asleep.
• Corvalol, Valocordin drops also soothe, help get rid of anxiety, thus improving the quality of night rest.
• Motherwort Forte tablets contain not only the plant, but also magnesium with vitamin B6. This composition of the drug relieves irritability, will help get rid of the problem of difficult falling asleep. Treatment with motherwort is effective with a sensitive night's rest.
• Donormil tablets, accelerate falling asleep, increase the duration of sleep. Take them 15-30 minutes before going to bed for two weeks.
• Valocordin-doxylamine has proven itself as a light sleeping pill. Its use is indicated for situational sleep disturbance after nervous tension.
• Melatonin is a hormone-like drug. It, like a natural hormone, regulates sleep. Its use is recommended at the very beginning of the treatment of insomnia in order to start the correct rhythm of life - work during the day, rest at night. The drug is recommended to be taken with medicines preferably of vegetable origin.

Ready-made products for good sleep can be bought at any pharmacy without a prescription.

Herbal use for insomnia

Sedative herbs

For mild cases of sleep disturbance, herbal remedies are very effective. They can be prepared at home in the form of a decoction or infusion. Popular herbs used to treat insomnia include:

• valerian root;
• Melissa;
• motherwort;
• lavender and oregano;
• peppermint.

The pharmacy has ready-made collections of herbs for the treatment of insomnia. To prepare the infusion, you should brew 2 tbsp. l. dry collection with a glass of boiling water, put in a water bath for 15-30 minutes, then insist for 45 minutes. You need to take the remedy in filtered form 3 times a day. Take your last infusion 40 minutes before going to bed. Infusions help to deepen superficial and sensitive sleep.

The use of synthetic sleeping pills

In the treatment of insomnia, drugs of the benzodiazepine group are used. We give preference to such medicines:

• Triazolam and Midazolam are recommended for difficulty falling asleep. These sleeping pills are short acting.
• Relanium, Elenium and flurazepam differ more long-term action. It is recommended to take them when waking up in the early morning hours. However, they cause drowsiness in daytime.
• Intermediate-acting hypnotics: Imovan and Zolpidem. These drugs are addictive.

Sleeping pills

• Amitriptyline and doxemine belong to the group of antidepressants. They are prescribed by neurologists for depression.

The disadvantage of this group is that they are addictive. Withdrawal of medication after long-term use insomnia may develop.

As a result, we considered the most common causes sleep disorders in humans. We learned how to get rid of bad unproductive sleep with the help of herbs and ready-made pharmaceutical preparations. Remember, chronic insomnia needs to be treated, and for this you should contact a neurologist.