Insomnia (insomnia) is a condition in which the quality of sleep and its duration are disturbed, which causes a state of drowsiness, “brokenness” during the day. In addition, sleep disturbance at night leads to impaired attention, weakened memory, and causes anxiety and tension. If you think about what disease almost every person has suffered in life, then you need to admit that one or another sleep disorder is familiar to everyone. That’s why now we’ll talk about sleep disorders, causes in adults, symptoms, what to do to sleep normally.

It should be noted that everyone's need for night rest is different. Some people need 8-9 hours to get enough sleep, while others need 4-6 hours. This need is established in childhood and practically does not change throughout life. Therefore, if a person begins to sleep less over time than in his youth, it is not a matter of age. Most likely, we can talk specifically about insomnia.

There are transitional (transient) forms of the disease, periodic and chronic.

In the first case, sleep disturbance lasts from several nights to 2 weeks. In the periodic form, the disease manifests itself at certain periods of life. Chronic insomnia lasts more than a month.

Symptoms of insomnia

This disease, in addition to night sleep disorder, includes the whole complex problems. These include:

Difficulty falling asleep at night,

Frequent awakenings during the night, difficulty falling back asleep,

Frequent early awakenings

Lack of feeling of rest and vigor in the morning.

Such symptoms may appear all at once, or dominance of one or more of them may be observed. But we can say with confidence that all of them exhaust a person, do not provide the opportunity to rest, and also significantly reduce the quality of life. Indeed, in addition to morning fatigue, a person becomes irritable, quickly gets tired, and cannot work fully.

Causes of poor sleep quality

The causes of insomnia are most often attributed to age, since people over 60 years of age most often suffer from the disease. Also, the reasons include gender – women most often suffer from sleep disturbances.

Transient and periodic forms often appear due to stress, loud noise, and changes in air temperature. A person may have difficulty falling asleep in an unfamiliar environment, as well as due to the effects of certain medicines.

The main cause of the chronic form is considered depressive states, hypertension, joint diseases, asthma, heart disease and other quite serious illnesses. So pay attention to this.

In addition, any form of insomnia can lead to large number coffee consumption, alcohol abuse, violation of the established daily routine and constant stress.

How to treat sleep disorders?

If insomnia becomes a problem, you should consult a doctor. Only a specialist will be able to make a diagnosis, determine the form of the disease and prescribe modern, effective drugs for its treatment. You cannot prescribe treatment for yourself, as it usually involves using sleeping pills. But they should not be taken for more than 2 weeks, as then addiction may set in and insomnia will become chronic.

Treatment usually consists of several stages:

Determination of the underlying disease causing insomnia, its treatment,

Determination of possible psychological and behavioral disorders, their full treatment,

Individual prescription of medications.

You can fight insomnia on your own. To do this, try to follow these rules:

Develop the habit of going to bed and waking up at the same time, do not make up for hours of sleep lost at night daytime,

Avoid gambling before going to bed, do not watch exciting TV shows, do not read such books,

Remove all irritants, luminous things, phosphorescent clocks from the bedroom, take care of fresh coolness, silence and darkness,

Before going to bed, refrain from drinking coffee and chocolate. You can eat an apple or 100 g of cottage cheese, as a small amount of food helps you fall asleep,

Before going to bed, take a warm bath,

Do not take sleeping pills without a doctor's prescription

If you can’t fall asleep for a long time, don’t just lie there for more than half an hour. Better get up and do something that doesn’t require effort, stress or special attention. When you feel sleepy, go back to bed.

Try using sleep structuring techniques. If you spend for a long time in bed, making futile attempts to fall asleep, try a special program. She expects to sleep only a few hours at night and then get up. This should be done for several nights in a row until the desire to sleep becomes irresistible. Gradually increase the time you sleep at night to the desired level.

If insomnia has been bothering you for a long time and no simple methods do not help, it is better to consult a specialist. Perhaps, in addition to medications, you will need physiotherapeutic treatment: therapeutic baths, electromagnetic procedures. You can seek help from naturopathic medicine: homeopathy, herbal medicine and acupuncture. If your insomnia is caused by psychological problems, such as stress, you will need an experienced psychotherapist.

Svetlana, www.site

Contents of the article

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

Sleep problems occur at any age, but each age category has its own problems. characteristic features. 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 sleep or have trouble falling asleep? 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 overall well-being. If insomnia occurs long time, then this leads to serious health problems. Do you often ask yourself the question: “Why do I sleep poorly?” Experts believe that this is caused by 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. The influence of psychoactive substances (alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, drugs, psychostimulants).
5. Some medications cause insomnia or light sleep, for example, glucocortiroids, drugs with decongestant and antitussive effects, dietary supplements and others.
6. Malicious smoking.
7. Brief cessation of breathing during sleep (apnea).
8. Disturbance of physiological (circadian) biorhythms of sleep and wakefulness.

Among the causes of sleep disturbance, experts cite improper functioning of the hypothalamus due to injury or after encephalitis. It is noted that restless sleep observed in night shift workers, as well as with rapid changes in 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 reason insomnia in the modern world

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

Problems falling asleep

Doctors most often hear complaints about poor sleep and insomnia from those who have problems falling asleep. But the very concept of “insomnia” from a medical point of view is much broader. If you notice frequent early awakenings or wake up in the middle of the night, feel drowsy or tired in the morning, or suffer from shallow and interrupted sleep, all this indicates that you have a sleep disorder.

When the first signs of sleep changes appear, do not hesitate to consult a doctor. And even more so you need to sound the alarm in the following cases:

• you have trouble falling asleep and notice worse sleep several days a week for one month;
• More and more often you catch yourself thinking: what to do with bad sleep, how to get enough sleep, concentrate on these issues, returning to them again and again;
• Due to unsatisfactory quality and quantity of sleep, you notice deterioration in work and personal life.

Doctors note that those suffering from insomnia are twice as likely to seek medical help and undergo treatment in medical institutions. Therefore, it is not recommended to let the problem take its course. A 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 basic processes of the nervous system are “rebooted.” Full-fledged daily sleep – the most important condition normal functioning of the body, health and feeling great. Normally, an adult's sleep should last 6-8 hours. Deviations, both larger and smaller, are harmful to the body. Unfortunately, sleep problems are as common a phenomenon in our lives as stress, constant rush, endless everyday problems and chronic diseases.

One of the most common sleep disorders is restless legs

Restless sleep - pathological condition, which negatively affects human health. While in this state, a person does not completely fall asleep; his brain can actively work due to the presence of non-sleeping areas. A person is tormented by nightmares; in his sleep he can make involuntary movements, scream, grind his teeth, etc.

What to do if you have trouble sleeping at night? Perhaps one of the causes of this problem is restless legs syndrome. This is a neurological disease accompanied by unpleasant sensations in the legs, which intensify when at rest. 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 deficiency of iron, magnesium, B vitamins, folic acid. It is observed in patients with uremia and thyroid diseases, diabetes mellitus, alcohol abuse, and chronic lung diseases.

At night, tingling, itching, bloating are observed in the lower extremities, sometimes it seems to a person that there are crawling insects under the skin. To get rid of severe 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 interrupted sleep. Those suffering from this disease are able to fall asleep quite quickly, but the quality of their sleep is very low, since these people sleep lightly and restlessly. For example, for no apparent reason, a person wakes up in the middle of the night, often at the same time. At the same time, there is a feeling of anxiety and tension, and several hours spent in sleep are not felt at all. Such night wakefulness can be short-lived, lasting a few minutes, or can last until the morning.

Repeated awakenings from night to night are accompanied by anxiety and cause negative thoughts. As a result, a person without enough sleep is forced to get up for work. It is clear that the lack of normal rest causes daytime apathy and chronic fatigue. “I wake up often, what should I do?” – doctors are often asked this question by those who do not know how to cope with insomnia. In this case, doctors, along with general recommendations, can prescribe individual drug treatment after conducting a diagnostic examination.

Almost no sleep at all

Sleep problems often arise from spasms in the leg muscles. Patients complain of sudden sharp pain V calf muscles. As a result, most of the night a person is forced to struggle with an unpleasant condition. These symptoms are observed in adults under the age of 50; 70% of older people are also familiar with this problem. Severe discomfort that disrupts night rest, unlike restless legs syndrome, do not cause a strong desire to move the limbs.

To relieve the stress that has accumulated during the day, before going to bed, do light massage legs

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

Of course, solving sleep problems in children and adults should begin with consulting a doctor. Often, a person may not suspect that he has serious health problems, including oncology or mental disorders, but complains that he does not sleep at night, partial or complete absence sleep. Yes, intoxication of various origins often provoke drowsiness. Pathological drowsiness can develop due to hormonal abnormalities, in particular, pathology of the hypothalamic-mesencephalic region. Only a doctor can identify these dangerous diseases. And having cured the underlying disease, it will be possible to normalize sleep.

Restless night sleep in adults, it often occurs due to behavioral disorder of the REM sleep phase. In essence, it is a malfunction in the functioning of the central nervous system and manifests itself physical activity sleeping in REM sleep. In medicine, the rapid eye movement phase is called the REM phase. It is characterized by increased brain activity, the occurrence 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 abnormal "freedom" of movement. This pathology mainly affects older men. The disorder is manifested by the sleeping person talking and screaming, actively moving his limbs, and jumping out of bed. The patient may even unknowingly injure himself or a sleeping person nearby. The good news is that this disease is quite rare.

A fashionable obsession with horror films can lead to loss of sleep. Heavy dreams can haunt a person who has experienced mental trauma. Often the body sends signals in this way about an impending illness. Waking up in the middle of the night in deep despair or with a feeling of disaster, a person cannot fall asleep for a long time. He's trying to understand the reasons short nap, replaying nightmare images in my head. Sometimes someone who awakens from heavy emotions simply does not remember the dream, but feels a chilling horror and, as a result, suffers from insomnia.

Avoid watching horror movies before bed

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

Too sensitive and superficial sleep

Light sleep - serious problem, both the sleeping person and his close circle. And if a person wakes up from every slightest rustle, this becomes a real disaster for his family. Why is sleep shallow and what to do about it?

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

Shallow sleep is completely normal for the following categories:

1. Young mothers. In this category, the habit of waking up from the slightest rustle and snoring of the baby, and even more so from his crying, is formed thanks to physiological processes, occurring in a woman’s body after childbirth.
2. Pregnant women and women during a certain period of the menstrual cycle. The 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 good sleep due to disruption of biorhythms.
4. Those who spend too much time sleeping. It has been noticed that with a banal excess of sleep, its quality deteriorates, intermittency and sensitivity of sleep appear. Typically, pensioners, the unemployed, and vacationers fall into this category.
5. Elderly people. Elderly people become sensitive to sleep not only from oversleeping, but also due to age-related changes in the body. The production of melatonin (sleep hormone) decreases, which leads to insomnia.

Regarding pathological reasons poor sleep, then this can be attributed mental disorders, somatic diseases, exposure to medicinal and psychoactive substances.

If we have 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 attacks of drowsiness that occur in the middle of the day is called narcolepsy.

For those who are affected by this disease, and most of them are young men, the REM sleep phase can occur unexpectedly and in the most unexpected place - in class, while driving, during lunch or a conversation. The duration of the attack is from a few seconds to half an hour. A person who suddenly falls asleep wakes up in 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 noticed that even during such sleepy attacks, some can continue to perform their usual actions.

Frequent lack of sleep causes loss of control while driving

Possible consequences of sleep disorders

Why can't millions of people sleep at night? There are many reasons leading to sleep disorders. Some people devote too much time to work and become overtired, others watch too much TV or sit at the computer. But ultimately, insomnia caused by various reasons leads to a number of negative consequences from chronic lack of sleep.

• Impaired glucose tolerance

Lack of sleep and lack of sleep negatively affects the central nervous system, making it overexcited and more active. For this reason, the pancreas stops producing the right quantity Insulin is a hormone necessary for the digestion of glucose. Scientist Van Cauter observed healthy young people who did not sleep for a long time at night for a 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 40 years of age, periods of deep sleep decrease, therefore, the secretion of growth hormone decreases. At a young age, insufficient sleep contributes to a premature decrease in growth hormone, thereby stimulating the process of fat accumulation. There are studies confirming that chronic lack of sleep reduces the production of the hormone testosterone. This entails a decrease muscle mass and fat accumulation.

• Increased cravings for carbohydrates

Intermittent 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.

• Weakening of the immune system

Restless sleep and lack of a good night's rest have harmful influence on white blood cells in human body, reduces resistance to infections.

• 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) can occur. This leads to heart attack. Because of high level cortisol decreases muscle and bone mass and accumulates fat. The risk of hypertension and premature death increases.

• Depression and irritability

Chronic insomnia depletes the neurotransmitters in the brain responsible for mood. People suffering from sleep disorders are more irritable and more likely to become depressed.

One of the consequences of sleep disturbance is obesity

What to do if an adult has trouble sleeping at night? Simple recommendations will help you cope with insomnia. First of all, you need to pay attention to your sleeping habits and the conditions in which you sleep. Often, failure to comply with basic rules becomes an obstacle to good rest. These are the rules.

• work out good habit go to bed and get up at the same time. Even in one week, following this regimen, you can achieve significant results - it will be easier to fall asleep, and you will wake up alert and rested;
• stop sleeping during the day unless prescribed by your doctor;
• the time spent in bed should be strictly limited. Namely, as long as your sleep lasts. Avoid 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 evenings fresh air;
• if you are a light sleeper, take care of good sound insulation in the bedroom; there should be no extraneous sounds or noises (such as the sounds of a working refrigerator) in this room;
• organize quality and comfortable sleeping place. Sleep on cotton underwear, use a pillow with a synthetic filler that retains its shape well and is hypoallergenic;
• the light in the bedroom should be dimmed, and during rest the bedroom should be completely dark;
• A small light dinner 2-3 hours before going to bed will help improve the process of falling asleep. Avoid rich, fatty and high-calorie foods in the evening;
• acceptance 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 glass 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. Better to drink a glass instead warm milk with a spoon of honey or chamomile tea;
• Keep only an alarm clock in the bedroom. When you wake up at night, do not try to find out the time;
• the room where you sleep needs to be ventilated and regularly wet cleaned;
• If you have difficulty falling asleep, use meditation or relaxation exercises.

Don't study drug treatment sleep disorders on their own. Choose the right one necessary medications Only a doctor can!

Prevention

“I can’t sleep well” – this is roughly the complaint of those who constantly experience insomnia. Doctors distinguish between several types of insomnia.

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

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

To fall asleep easily, take time for walks in the fresh air before bed.

Doctors advise not to go to bed if you don’t want to sleep. It is better to occupy yourself with some exciting activity: read, listen to calm music. At the same time, it is better not to be in the bedroom so that the brain does not associate this room with insomnia.

To prevent sleep disorders, use the following tips:

• learn to bring the psyche into a passive state. Mentally detach yourself from all problems and annoying thoughts;
• if you have a hard time concentrating and are bothered by extraneous noise, use earplugs or stuff your ears with cotton wool;
• perform rhythmic breathing, focusing on extended exhalation;
• You can perform a soothing water procedure. For example, soak your feet for 20 minutes in pleasantly hot water with the addition of a decoction of mint, lemon balm, oregano. Warm pine baths help you sleep well;
• a heavy blanket helps you fall asleep quickly;
• You can put a linen bag with dry hop cones under the pillow. By the way, hop tea with honey is also useful for sleep disorders. Prepare this way: brew 1.5 dry hop cones with 1 glass of boiling water, leave, 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 warmth will help you fall asleep faster.

Uncomplicated psychological technique It will help you get rid of the negative thoughts that have accumulated during the day.

Mentally write down everything that worries you on separate sheets of paper. Imagine crumpling up each leaf one at a time and throwing it into a basket or fire. Try to remember positive points that happened to you today. Be sure to thank higher powers for a good day. Now you can perform relaxation 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 beat of your heart.

If the desired effect is absent and you cannot fall asleep, most likely you need medical help.

Medicines

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

In the presence of somatic pathologies, therapy consists of eliminating the underlying disease. In old age, patients most often require the help of a neurologist to normalize sleep. For drug therapy Benzodiazepine drugs are mainly used. If the process of falling asleep is disrupted, short-acting drugs are prescribed - triazolam, midazolam. You cannot prescribe these drugs yourself, as they have many side effects.

Do not buy or take sleeping pills on your own, without the advice of a specialist.

Long-lasting sleeping pills, such as diazepam, are prescribed for frequent awakenings at night. Long-term use of these medications may cause daytime sleepiness. In this case, the doctor will adjust the treatment and select drugs with a shorter exposure time. For neuroses and depression accompanied by sleep disorders, consultation with a psychiatrist is required. In severe cases, antipsychotics or psychotonics are prescribed.

Normalization of sleep rhythm in the elderly should be carried out comprehensively using vasodilators(papaverina, nicotinic acid) and light herbal tranquilizers - motherwort or valerian. Taking any medications should only be done under the supervision of a physician. Usually a course of treatment is prescribed with a gradual reduction in dosage and a smooth reduction to nothing.

Traditional medicine

Proven folk remedies will also help you cope with the problem of difficulty falling asleep.

Milk+honey

• milk – 1 glass;
• honey – 1 teaspoon;
• freshly squeezed dill juice (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 and simmer over low heat for 20-25 minutes. Strain and cool until pleasantly warm. Add honey. Drink ½ glass before bed.

In conclusion

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

Subject to compliance with sleep and wakefulness, normalization of physical and mental stress, competent use of drugs that affect nervous processes, management the right image In life, sleep problems are completely removable. In some cases, consulting with specialists or taking medications will help cope with the problem. Be healthy!

Sleep is a natural basic need body at rest. Up to a third of a person’s entire life passes in this state; the health and capabilities of each individual depend on its quality and duration. In the modern era, not everyone can boast of really good sleep - stress, problems, bad habits, noise big city, mental disorders and other reasons disrupt regular, much-needed circadian rhythms, which leads to a significant deterioration in a person’s quality of life. What to do? You will find the answer to the question below.

Common causes of sleep disturbances

Doctors know about hundreds of different causes of sleep disorders. Some of them can act as an independent factor, while others have a negative impact on the quality of night rest only in the aggregate.

All such reasons are conventionally divided into two large categories– external and internal. The former are often physiological, while the latter are predominantly associated with diseases.

Non-medical causes of poor sleep include:

• Chronic lack of sleep. Permanent violation normal rhythms of activity and rest in the direction of increasing the duration of wakefulness can lead to poor sleep, even after returning to the usual pattern of life activity, moreover, long period time;
• Poorly organized sleeping area. An insufficiently comfortable mattress, an anatomically poorly designed pillow, too high or low humidity in the room, stale air in the bedroom and other factors in this spectrum can affect the quality of sleep;
• Alcoholism. Often, constant use of alcoholic beverages or drugs causes various disorders sleep;
• Poor nutrition. Eating a large amount of food before bed, night snacks - all this forces the stomach to work for a period of time when the body should rest;
• Age-related changes. Hormonal changes in the body during adolescence, pregnancy, and also during aging very often lead to poor sleep.

Medical causes of poor sleep. There are quite a large number of diseases, syndromes and pathogenic conditions of the body, against which the various violations sleep - both the process of falling asleep and, in fact, the night's rest itself. Let's name the most famous and significant among them:

• Mental illnesses and disorders. This large subgroup includes various phobias, autism, transient psychoses, bulimia, epilepsy, psychopathy, dementia, dissocial personality disorders, depression and related stress, amnesia wide range, dissociative spectrum disorders, catatonia, manic-depressive psychosis, neuroses, paranoia, borderline states and much more;
• Taking a number of medications. Regular use of a huge range of medications, as well as their sudden withdrawal, leads to poor sleep. This is especially true for drugs that depress or stimulate the central nervous system, sleeping pills and sedatives;
• Breathing disorders. Obstructive sleep apnea, depressed alveolar ventilation, other causes of this spectrum that cause short-term disturbances in the breathing process during sleep;
• Pain syndrome of various etiologies;
• Enuresis;
• Somnambulism;
• Other medical reasons.

What to do if you can’t sleep at night, how to restore sleep?

If poor sleep at night has a regular basis and problems with night rest continue for more than two weeks, then you need to pay attention to this fact close attention. The best option – full examination from specialist doctors who will help make a diagnosis and find the true cause of insomnia.

If you are sure that poor sleep is not related to medical reasons , but is caused by a physiological manifestation or external factors, then we can resort to the series general recommendations and try to restore it yourself.

If the recommendations described below do not give the desired effect, it is imperative to undergo a medical examination.

Daily and sleep routine

• If you don’t sleep well at night, try not to go to bed during the day, but wait until the evening and then get full rest - the normal fatigue accumulated during the day will allow you to quickly get into the rhythm of night rest;
• Get rid of extraneous thoughts about impossibility from your head good sleep, get ready to relax properly;

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• Try to go to bed early, the deadline is around 10 pm. Average duration healthy sleep is about 8-9 hours, so by 7-8 you will wake up alert and rested. Most active process recovery at the physiological level is inherent in a person in the period from 23 to 1 am - be sure to rest during this period;
• Don’t put off everything until the evening; try to resolve conflicting, domestic, and financial issues before 5 p.m.

Bad habits

A number of bad habits can negatively impact the quality of your sleep.

• Alcohol. Regular consumption of alcohol leads to sleep disturbances and disrupts normal circadian rhythms, preventing you from resting comfortably at night;
• Caffeine. Coffee and strong black tea contain invigorating tannins - an extra cup of such a drink before bed will significantly delay the time it takes to fall asleep;
• Tobacco smoking. It dries out the mucous membranes, which in turn worsens breathing during sleep and provokes snoring. Besides this bad habit getting up in the middle of the night for a smoke break disrupts the normal cycles of short and long sleep phases, which leads to corresponding disturbances;
• Drugs. A wide range of drugs cause mental disorders - the underlying cause of multiple sleep and wakefulness disorders.

Exercise to improve sleep

As modern medical statistics show, regular physical exercise improve sleep. At the same time, physical activity must be correct. Main points:

• An hour's morning run;
• During the daytime - regularly getting up from the workplace, doing a 15-minute warm-up, every 1.5-2 hours;
• In the evening, 2 hours before bedtime, do moderate cardio exercise, no more than 40 minutes. Alternatively, they can be replaced by walking in fresh air;
• 30 minutes before bedtime – yoga classes, about half an hour with a mandatory pose of relaxation and renunciation;
• Immediately before a night's rest, physical activity is not recommended to avoid increased excitability.

Proper nutrition for a good night's sleep

One of the global problems modern civilization- this is an incorrect diet caused by an acute lack of time to systematically prepare the necessary dishes, as well as the abundance of unhealthy food available.

Poor nutrition is often the main factor in poor sleep.

What power plan is optimal in this situation??:

• Balanced daily ration, containing no more than 2.5 thousand calories;
• Approximately equal content of fats, proteins and carbohydrates in products. At the same time, it is worth reducing the use simple carbohydrates, replacing them with complex ones, and also removing products saturated with trans fats, choosing lighter dishes;
• Fractional power supply scheme, daily norm distributed over at least 5 meals. Lunch and breakfast should be the most dense;
• In the evening, limit yourself to a light dinner based on vegetables and fruits, do not eat food less than 3 hours before going to bed;
• Eliminate from your diet too fried and salty foods, marinades, fatty sauces, coffee and tea at night. Give preference to greens, apples, fresh juices.

Water treatments

An additional stimulator of high-quality, healthy and long sleep, are water procedures. How to organize them correctly?

• It is advisable to bathe 1-1.5 hours before the expected night's rest;
• The best option for ablution is a bath, or at least a 15-minute shower;
• The water temperature is moderate, without changes, located in the maximum comfort zone for humans. Contrast ablutions, which stimulate the nervous system, are not recommended;
• As a supplement, you can use aromatic oils based on chamomile, lemon balm, cedar, and peach;
• After water procedures You need to dry yourself thoroughly, and if possible, have a general relaxing massage.

Folk remedies for restoring sleep

Traditional medicine is very rich in recipes against insomnia. The following remedies can only be used after prior consultation with a doctor.

1. Brew 2 teaspoons of fresh hop cones in one glass of hot water. Place in a steam bath and simmer for 10 minutes. Wrap the container, let it brew for 3 hours, then strain the broth and consume the entire glass 1 hour before bedtime;
2. Lavender oil. Pour 5 drops of lavender oil onto a piece of pressed sugar and place it in your mouth, slowly dissolving it half an hour before going to bed. Immediately before a night's rest, lubricate your whiskey with the same oil - 1 drop on each side, rub in circular movements, first clockwise, and then vice versa (15 times);
3. Take 50 grams of dill seeds, pour 0.5 liters of wine (preferably Cahors) over them and place on low heat, where they simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the stove, cover the container and let it brew for 1 hour, then strain and take 50 grams of the product every day before bed.

Sleeping pills

Modern pharmacological corporations offer everyone a huge selection of a wide variety of drugs against insomnia, which, according to manufacturers, reliably and effectively counteract sleep disorders.

As practice shows, some drugs can negatively affect the human body and psyche.

• Medicines that slow down the central nervous system. Classic GABA drugs based on gamma-aminobutyric acid, which slows down the functioning of neurotransmitters. IN modern practice are not used to treat common sleep disorders due to the large number of side effects and strong negative influence on the functioning of the central nervous system. A typical representative is Aminalon;
• Barbiturates. They have a relaxing, anticonvulsant and hypnotic effect. Have high efficiency, but disrupt the REM sleep phase and long-term use addictive. A typical representative is Barboval;
• Benzodiazepines. Very effective, they directly affect the sleep center in the brain, but at the same time shorten the deep sleep phase and cause lethargy during the day. Last generation this group (Donormil, etc.) do not have such side effects, but can be used only for a short period of time (otherwise they lose effectiveness), providing deep and relatively healthy sleep. Typical representatives are Diazepam, Lorazepam;
• Melatonin-based medications. Hormonal agents, usually prescribed to older people. Due to the lack of this element, sleep may be disturbed. The therapeutic effect is average and appears only with systemic, regular use. A typical representative is Melaxen;
• Drugs for plant based . A large group of herbal medicines provides a natural improvement in sleep without affecting the central nervous system or causing pathologies. The obvious disadvantage of this group is weak impact. The vast majority of representatives belong to homeopathy and dietary supplements, and can only be used as an addition to the main therapy aimed at combating the causes of insomnia. Typical representatives are Novo Passit, Persen.

Throughout his life he is subject to a lot of stress and anxiety. In such conditions, the need to relax becomes especially acute for a person, and the simplest one, known since ancient times, time way relaxing means sound and healthy sleep. But, unfortunately, recently a huge number of people are experiencing difficulty sleeping. When about 15% of the population of developed countries experience systematic difficulties associated with nightmares or insomnia, another 11% already resort to the help of various sleeping pills. More and more people are typing “bad sleep, what to do” into Google, trying to somehow normalize their nightlife. And before talking about what to do if you can’t sleep or have insomnia, you should understand the reasons. What can cause this condition?

Sleep disturbance. Causes in adults. Symptoms

What should you do if your sleep suddenly becomes too light, nightmares begin to torment you, and falling asleep becomes more and more difficult every day? First of all, it is necessary to eliminate the causes, which can be very different. Modern scientists identify more than 70 possible life situations, causing problems related to sleep.

Among the most common reasons are psychological anxiety, hormonal imbalance, excessive physical or emotional stress, or even overeating.

Symptoms of sleep disorders depend on the type of deviation and are also very diverse. The main ones are insomnia (insomnia) and hypersomnia (excessive sleepiness), which will be discussed below.

Insomnia

With this disorder, you have difficulty falling asleep, often wake up and cannot fall asleep again. There are usually two reasons that cause insomnia.

If this deviation is caused by a psychological state (the first case), then such insomnia is called psychosomatic. It can be permanent, caused by any psychological disorders or breathing disorders, or temporary (situational).

Temporary insomnia lasts no more than three weeks. Constantly feeling sleep-deprived, people become irritable and emotionally unstable, so excessive, unusual aggression is often considered one of the first symptoms of insomnia. Over time, some people begin to anxiously wait for the night to fall, as they are very worried about sleep disturbances, which only worsens their psychological state.

Often, after the stress factor disappears, insomnia stops. However, sometimes difficulties falling asleep and waking up at night become habitual for a person, and the fear of insomnia aggravates the situation, which leads to the development of chronic insomnia.

Insomnia can also be caused by alcohol consumption (the second case), which primarily concerns people suffering from chronic alcoholism. Sleep disturbance can also occur under the influence of various medications(for example, drugs that activate or depress the central nervous system). In this case, the REM sleep phase is shortened, as a result of which the patient often wakes up at night. Once you stop taking alcohol or medications, this insomnia usually goes away within two weeks.

Insomnia can also be a consequence of abrupt cessation of taking sleeping pills, sedatives and other drugs.

How to deal with insomnia?

What to do if you have sleep disturbances (insomnia)? If you are sure that insomnia is caused psychological reasons, then first of all you need to learn to relax. Take relaxing baths with aromatic oils and sea ​​salt before bed. Make an appointment with a massage therapist. Prepare for bed in advance by turning off bright lights and the TV two hours before. You can also drink a few drops of valerian before going to bed. If insomnia is caused by any other reasons, you should consult your doctor.

What to do if you can't sleep? Sometimes it happens that there are no particular problems with sleep, but it is difficult to fall asleep. In this case, first of all, you should ventilate the room, straighten the sheet and turn on relaxing music. The daily routine is also important. It’s not easy to train your body to fall asleep and wake up at the same time, but the results will be worth it. We should not forget about standard, well-known methods, such as, for example, counting sheep.

Hypersomnia (excessive sleepiness)

The primary cause of increased sleepiness is chronic fatigue caused, for example, by decreased immunity after illness and fatigue. Other causes include psychological and respiratory disorders, the use of certain medications, alcohol and drugs.

What to do? First of all, go to the hospital and check your body for hidden inflammations and infections. If nothing like this is found, take a course of vitamins and sign up for fitness, often be in the fresh air, that is, tone your body.

Nightmares

There is another problem that often occurs that cannot be attributed to the first two sleep disorders. A person has bad dreams. What to do? There is a sleep disorder called parosomnia. These include sleepwalking (sleepwalking), bedwetting, and nightmares. The latter usually indicate severe exhaustion of the nervous system caused by fatigue or severe emotional stress. Other reasons may include eating right before bed (this leads to increased brain activity), excessive drinking, side effect certain medications, sleep apnea syndrome, and fever.

So what should you do if you have a bad dream? Currently, there are certain techniques that help get rid of nightmares, which will be outlined below.

Ways to deal with nightmares

• Remember your dream and come up with another, happier ending.
• Don't keep a bad dream to yourself, discuss it with your friends and family.
• If you don’t want to tell anyone about your nightmares, write down your dreams in a special notebook or just draw them.
• Get enough sleep. Sleep at least 6-8 hours a day, and also learn to fully relax.

It should be noted that in most cases, all these procedures are not necessary, and nightmares go away on their own after about two weeks.

The benefits of nightmares

When you have a very bad dream, what to do is the first question that arises in your head after waking up. After all, the residual negative emotions, such as fear, anger, emptiness and sadness can be very strong. However, as surprising as it may sound, nightmares can also have their own benefits.

According to scientists, nightmares, being a product of the activity of the human subconscious, personify our unpleasant emotions, impressions, as well as internal conflicts. Thus, all negative situations from our present are processed by the brain and neutralized at night. If nightmares with the same plot are repeated, you should take note that there is some kind of problem that requires an immediate solution.

When are nightmares useful?

Of course, nightmares are not always useful, but only at certain stages of life. There are two specific periods of life when the influence of nightmares is especially effective.

Firstly, during turning points in a person’s life. At this time, nightmares usually end happily, that is, you manage to escape from bandits, defeat monsters, or find a way out of a tunnel. Such nightmares indicate a person's personal growth.

Secondly, after any tragic incident in a person’s life: loss of loved ones, natural disaster, war. Such nightmares help a person to throw out his grief in a dream and subsequently find peace of mind.

If you had a bad dream, what should you do? Regardless of whether you recognized yourself in the first or second situation, just move on with your life. Such nightmares will definitely pass on their own.

However, we should not forget that nightmares can also indicate a certain psychological problem, which you may not be aware of or acknowledge in the present.

I had a bad dream. What to do? Mystical aspect

Superstitious people believe that nightmares do not just happen, but carry a warning about certain events in life. Such possible events are listed below.

First of all, nightmares promise failure in business and a quarrel with loved ones. If you are a young woman, then disappointment and undeserved neglect await you in the near future. After a bad sleep, a girl should take care of her health and, perhaps, go on a diet.

Nightmares can also mean that you are a puppet in the hands of stupid people and you should take a closer look at your surroundings.

In conclusion, I would like to note: it is not without reason that they say that all problems are within us. The main cause of any sleep-related illnesses is a psychological state: emotional and physical overload, internal worries and dissatisfaction with something. The inability to cope with daily stress results in insomnia and nightmares. Therefore, you should take care of yourself, avoid unnecessary stress and overexertion, systematically relax and exercise. After all, money can’t buy health - it’s one thing!

Insomnia is a problem of the modern generation. Constant stress nervous tension, absence comfortable conditions for sleep - all this does not contribute to healthy rest.

What should you do if you can’t get a good night’s sleep for several nights? How to get rid of insomnia in adults?

Common causes of this phenomenon

Below are the key reasons why poor sleep occurs. Among them, medical factors should be particularly highlighted.

Medical reasons

1. Chronic insomnia. This condition is diagnosed in 15 percent of the adult population. Insomnia in chronic stage leads to poor performance immune system, reduced concentration attention and mental disorders.
2. Constant snoring. This phenomenon does not disrupt a person’s normal rest, but it can provoke sleep apnea, that is, a stop in the respiratory process. This complication not only adversely affects the quality of night sleep, but also leads to pathologies of the heart and blood vessels, including the development of stroke.
3. Restless legs syndrome. This is a neurological pathology in which the patient experiences discomfort in the area lower limbs at rest. The discomfort goes away only after motor activity, which creates sleep problems.
4. Circadian disorders. Failure to adhere to a constant regime of night rest and periods of wakefulness. Such conditions occur in patients who are forced to work night shifts. Jet lag is another reason for poor sleep.
5. Narcoleptic seizures. With this condition, the patient is able to suddenly fall asleep regardless of the time of day. Sudden weakness and hallucinogenic phenomena are the main symptoms of narcolepsy.
6. Bruxism. In this condition, an involuntary contraction of the upper and lower jaw. As a result, a person constantly grinds his teeth in his sleep, which adversely affects his well-being during the daytime. The patient experiences pain in the muscles and joints, constant drowsiness.

Basic ways to fall asleep

Below are tips to help you get a better night's sleep:

1. Before going to bed, thoroughly ventilate the room: stuffiness has a bad effect on all organs and interferes with sleep.
2. Ensure sufficient noise insulation in the room: if noise comes from the street, take care of reliable plastic windows.
3. If you have medical problems, undergo appropriate treatment: when the disease is cured, sleep should normalize.
4. Adjust your daily routine, get used to getting up in the morning and going to sleep at the same time. It is recommended that after 10 pm you are already in bed: in this case, a working person will be able to ensure a healthy eight hours of sleep.
5. Change your bed linen regularly: falling asleep on a fresh and beautiful set is much more pleasant!
6. Buy a comfortable pillow and orthopedic mattress: high-quality bedding Don't skimp!

Effects of caffeine and alcoholic beverages

Caffeine has a detrimental effect on healthy sleep because it has a stimulating effect on the nervous system. The same can be said about alcoholic drinks(they also have an adverse effect on the heart and blood vessels).

Want to be energized throughout the day? Have a cup good coffee in the morning and evening, it is better to drink plain water or weak herbal tea, which has a calming effect.

Large amounts of alcohol at night will also negatively affect your well-being. As a last resort, you can drink a glass of good wine.

Daily routine

The daily routine has important to normalize night sleep. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time: in a month you will see that, due to habit, it will be easy for you to do this even without an alarm clock.

Many people do not recommend sleeping during the day (unless you get the required eight hours of sleep at night), otherwise you will have difficulty falling asleep at night. At night, you should not engage in active sports or watch action-packed films: try to spend an hour before bed in a calm environment.

A heavy dinner is a death sentence for you good sleep. Throughout the night, your stomach will try to digest food, resulting in interrupted and unhealthy sleep. Try to replace heavy fatty foods at night with a protein omelet or a vegetable dish.

Physical activity

During the day, do not only engage in mental work, but also devote time to physical activity. Regular cardio training normalizes night sleep, makes it healthier and gives you energy in the morning.

You can do this before bed, but in this case it is recommended to give preference to calm activities, for example, yoga or stretching, which perfectly relax the body and at the same time have a beneficial effect. beneficial influence on the development of plasticity and the musculoskeletal system.

Proper nutrition

Normalize not only your daily routine, but also your diet. Eliminate fatty foods and large amounts of unhealthy carbohydrates.

Proteins, slow carbohydrates (vegetables and fiber), and healthy fats in the form vegetable oils should form the basis of your diet. Thanks to this, you will normalize not only your sleep, but also your weight.

Folk remedies for insomnia

Here are some useful recipes:

1. If possible, instead of synthetics, the pillow can be filled with soothing herbs (for example, oregano).
2. It's good to drink a glass before bed warm water with a teaspoon of honey.
3. Chamomile tea is the best and safe remedy for healthy sleep.

Medicines to normalize sleep

If necessary, the doctor will prescribe you medical supplies plant-based, which have a gentle effect on the nervous system and have no side effects.

At serious disorder more sleeps are discharged strong drugs, they must be taken strictly under the supervision of a specialist due to possible side effects.

Conclusions

Thus, the comfort of your sleep at night depends on many factors: a well-organized daily routine, good nutrition, feasible physical activity, comfortable bed linen and room furnishings.

If, after you have eliminated all irritating factors and properly organized your regimen, the problem does not disappear, contact a neurologist or psychotherapist to find out the real reason insomnia and elimination of this disease.