A Natural Approach To Health
Living With Insomnia
I had a question the other day about insomnia.
If you have insomnia, you may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, waking too early, or getting good quality sleep that leaves you feeling rested.
Instead, you don’t feel refreshed when you wake up.
During the day, you’re sleepy and tired and have trouble functioning.
Many people struggle with sleep problems.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, over 25% of Americans don’t get enough sleep from time to time, but almost 10% have chronic insomnia.
Insomnia can be short-term.
Or it can come in a long-lasting, chronic form.
When insomnia comes at least 3 nights a week for 1 month or longer, it is considered chronic.
Insomnia can also come and go, with periods when you have no sleep problems.
Two kinds of insomnia exist:
Primary insomnia: Sleep problems aren’t directly connected with any other health problem.
Instead, they’re triggered by major stress, emotional upset, travel, and work schedules.
But even after these causes go away, the insomnia may persist.
You can also develop primary insomnia because of certain habits, like taking naps or worrying about sleep.
Secondary insomnia: Sleep problems occur because of another issue, like a health condition or disease, chronic pain from arthritis or headaches, medications, or alcohol, caffeine, and other substances.
Many factors can cause insomnia:
>Stress (including job change or loss, moving, death of a loved one)
>Medical condition or disease (including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, asthma, cancer, heartburn, heart failure, overactive thyroid, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, and other health problems)
>Pain or physical discomfort
>Medications
>Noise, light or extreme temperatures
>Interference with your regular sleep schedule (including jet lag or switching work shifts)
>Substance abuse
If you have insomnia, you may have some of these symptoms:
>Difficulty falling asleep
>Difficulty staying asleep
>Waking up too early
>Feeling tired and irritable
>Daytime sleepiness
>Mood changes
>Lack of motivation
>Attention, concentration, or memory problems
>Making errors at work, school, or while driving
>Tension headaches or stomach aches
>Frustration or worry about sleep
Good sleep habits and self-care can greatly improve sleep.
To deal with insomnia it’s beneficial to:
*Drink 6-8 cups of purified water daily as it hydrates body and brain cells, thins mucus, and flushes toxins.
*Increase Omega-3 essential fats.
*Increase stress relief/relaxation techniques.
*Explore energy medicine techniques (EFT).
*Consider herbs like chamomile and valerian.
*Increase deep-breathing techniques.
*Increase exercise, activity, sunshine, outdoors, fresh air.
*Sleep in complete darkness with no night light as this promotes melatonin.
*Decrease blood sugar fluctuations/hypoglycemic tendencies.
*Decrease possible triggers, allergies, sensitivities.
Decrease toxic household cleaning, laundry, and personal care products and/or poor air quality.
*Decrease sugar and chemical-laden junk and processed foods.
*Decrease caffeine, alcohol and tobacco.
*Don’t read/watch upsetting books/TV before bed.
*Avoid eating in the 2-3 hours before bed.
*Avoid exercise before bed.
*Research short- and long-term effects of sleep medications.
Recommendations:
It is essential to use: VitaLea, Protein, VitalMag, Gentle Sleep Complex, Stress Relief Complex, Lecithin.
It is important to use: Vitamin C, B-Complex (some find an evening dose helps relaxation; some find it too stimulating past dinner).
It is beneficial to use: Optiflora, Alfalfa, Vitamin D.
email: lenayphillipps@gmail.com
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