Sleep For Better Health

Getting a good night’s sleep is vital to our health, but there are times when sleep just doesn’t come easy. If this happens more often than you like, you may be suffering from insomnia.
Insomnia is a sleep disorder that is common among adults. It is defined as short and poor quality sleep that affects your ability to function normally during the day. Most women need between 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night.

Some symptoms of insomnia include:
• Lying awake for a long time or having trouble falling asleep
• Waking up during the night and having trouble returning to sleep
• Waking up too early in the morning
• Feeling like you never fell asleep

Recently, researchers have begun to think about insomnia as a problem of your brain being unable to stop being awake. Most adults have had some trouble sleeping because they feel worried or nervous, but for some it’s a pattern that interferes with sleep on a regular basis.

Anxiety symptoms that can lead to insomnia include:
• Tension
• Guilt over past events
• Worrying about future events
• Feeling overwhelmed by responsibilities
• Overstimulation

To overcome anxiety, many people choose to use stimulants. However, these can be counterproductive, as many stimulants, including food, can disrupt sleep.

These include but are not limited to:
• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Nicotine
• Heavy meals

There are many techniques to help you fall asleep and stay asleep. Your body needs rest and relaxation to function properly.

Instead of stimulants, try some natural ways to ensure better sleep:
• Eat early and eat often
• Exercise every day, but not before bedtime
• Keep a fitness journal and a diary
• Say affirmations
• Meditate daily
• Hide Your Clock
• Lower the temperature
• Darken the room
• Scent the room with lavender
• Use visualization to take you to your happy place
A healthy diet, regular exercise, and plenty of sleep are the fundamentals of a healthy lifestyle. Keeping a fitness journal not only ensures you stay on track for these three, it also allows you to write down your emotions, organize your thoughts and optimize your ability to focus on future events. This goes a long way in helping to reduce anxiety so you can get a better night’s sleep.