We often hear people complaining, “I didn’t get a wink of sleep last night.” Most of us have experienced sleepless nights due to many physical or psychological problems.
Recent research shows that with a little factual sleep sense, anyone can get their mind and body at rest. Despite medical advice, a good night’s sleep remains elusive to most of us. The reason appears to be that we are caught up in an epidemic desperation as far as sleep is concerned.
In a study conducted in the United States, an estimated one out of every three Americans over the age of 15 has been plagued with insomnia which literally means ‘without sleep.’ If you do not get a good night’s sleep, you feel frustrated. Your frustration can lead to stress and depression. If you are unable to sleep, you will have to fight a battle with your bed clothes and pillows.
Researchers at Stanford University have found that little children sleep better than adults. When a child grows up to be an adult, he tries to recapture those early years of deep slumber by swallowing various pills and resorting to other methods.
Some people try to get a good night’s sleep by drinking a warm glass of milk before bedtime. Others try yoga exercises, waterbeds and even sex. You can even count sheep or meditate to fall asleep. Sleeping pills are swallowed by people without knowing their dangerous after effects. Sometimes, nothing works and a lot of people keep awake till morning.
Insomnia
Psychologists say there are effective ways to deal with insomnia. According to years of research by a team of researchers of the Association for the Physiological Study of Sleep, a successful journey to the Land of Nod begins with a factual sleep sense. In addition, you will have to know the widespread truths and misconceptions relating to sleep.
It is true that everyone needs sleep. In very rare instances, there have been people who were satisfied with even 90 minutes of sleep a day. However, most of us need at least six to seven hours of uninterrupted sleep. There are people who do not need such long hours of sleep. Sleep specialist W. B. Webb says an average adult needs five to ten hours of sleep a day.
In the animal world, the sleeping hours vary. Some gorillas sleep for 14 hours a day. It seems that there is no right number of hours for sleep. What matters is that the quality of sleep is more important than the number of hours spent in bed. How do you know whether you had a good night’s sleep? The answer is quite simple. If you wake up refreshed, it means that you had enough sleep. Some people wake up very early in the morning while others do so pretty late. Those who wake up late in the morning are bound to feel lethargic, exhausted and depressed. The same symptoms occur if you sleep for very long hours.
There is a misconception that women are suffering from insomnia more than men. Although most women complain of insomnia than men, recent studies show that women actually sleep better than men. Insomnia is no longer a purely psychological problem.
Recent studies show that insomnia can be triggered by physical causes such as asthma, arthritis, ulcers, migraines, Parkinson’s disease, thyroid disorders, alcoholism and drug addiction. There are three other primary causes for insomnia. They are nocturnal myoclonus, a patterned jerking of the legs that awaken sleepers, a frequent cessation of breathing and disturbances of natural biological rhythms.
Sleeping pills
Medical experts say that insomnia is not a disease but a sign that something physical, emotional or behavioural is preventing a normal, cyclical mechanism from operating. Sometimes, insomnia is caused by taking too much caffeine or lack of exercise.
Experts have offered certain tips to get over the problem. If you are unable to sleep for a long time, seek medical advice because there may be hidden causes for insomnia. The danger of taking sleeping pills is that it may wreck the natural stages of sleep.
If you wish to avoid insomnia, go to bed at a particular time every day. Then your body will be ready to retire for the day. Similarly, you should avoid taking a heavy meal before bedtime. Heavy meals and vigorous exercises will affect your hormonal, metabolic and circulatory process. What is more, you should sleep in a comfortable bed in which you can move your body easily.
Apart from insomnia, there are less common sleep problems. It is reported that some 20 million people suffer from sleep apnea (difficulty in breathing while sleeping). The result is fitful sleep.
Those suffering from sleep apnea wake as many as 500 times during the night. They suffer from fatigue in the following morning. Your sleep may also be disturbed by night terrors which are so frightening that you will be awakened with a shriek. Night terrors usually affect children but they may also occur among adults.
Narcolepsy
You may have seen people occupying high positions in society suddenly falling asleep. It is known as narcolepsy or uncontrollable sleeping that occurs for short periods while you are awake. The causes of narcolepsy are still unknown, but it runs in certain families.
Sleepwalking is usually treated as harmless. It usually affects children. A sleepwalker may be able to walk with agility around obstructions in a crowded room.
If you are unable to enjoy undisturbed sleep, do not use your bed as an all-purpose area. Some people read, eat or watch television while lying in bed. Do not go to bed unless you feel sleepy or extremely tired. If you do not fall asleep within ten minutes, leave the bedroom and read a novel or watch television until you feel sleepy.
