5 easy tips to fight insomnia

Having a sound sleep in today's ever awake era is a distant dream! The present generations have created the world today that never sleeps either due to an uninterrupted internet access or stress due to increased workload. Most of us have ended up disrupting the natural sleep-wake cycle with poor habits and lack of self-discipline.

Do you often find yourself struggling to fall asleep or staying asleep for long in spite of having a hectic schedule? If yes, you could be suffering from insomnia.

What is insomnia?

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that can be caused by various reasons like psychiatric and medical conditions, unhealthy sleep habits, specific substances, and certain biological factors. Researchers now have begun to think about insomnia as a problem of your brain being unable to stop being awake. The human brain has a certain sleep cycle and wake cycle while one is turned on, the other is turned off. Insomnia could be linked to either part of this cycle i.e., too much wake drive or too little sleep drive.

Though the reasons could be many, the initial approach to battling insomnia is first to understand what could be causing sleep difficulties. Also, inculcating few healthy habits can help increase your sleep drive. Find below few recommendations to boost sleep and conquer your battle with insomnia:

1. Discipline your sleep-wake cycle: Human body has an inbuilt biological clock known as the circadian cycle. Practicing a regular sleep-wake schedule ensures that you wake up more refreshed and energized than if you sleep at different times. Train yourself to go to bed the same time every day. It not only resets your internal cycle but helps you get a restful sleep.

1. Cut on blue light: Devices like computer, tablets, smart phones, flat-screen televisions and reading devices all emit blue light which disrupts sleep. If you must use any of these in the evening, reduce the brightness and make sure to keep the device at a distance of 30cm from your eyes. If you wish to use a night light, prefer the one with a dim red bulb, since red light suppresses the production of melatonin (sleep-inducing hormone).

1. Skip the nap: Although quick noon naps are best known to boost productivity and make you more creative through the day, they are a bad choice if you are an insomniac. For many insomniacs, resting during the day could be the reason they can't shut down their brains for a restorative night's sleep. Being active through the day can make you tired enough to sleep.

1. Ask for help: If small changes do not bring a significant change, the chances are that you need medical attention. Consulting a doctor that will analyse your lifestyle and recommend optimal changes along with medication can be of great help. IPSA Medical Clinic for insomnia has a client-centred approach to your diagnosis and treatment. This private and confidential facility helps you to get to the cause of insomnia by analysing your lifestyle and sleeping routines and suggest tailored solutions that help you get a restful sleep.

1. Keep a journal: Jot down the days you have had the most severe episode of insomnia. Keep a track of what you ate or did for that day. There could be some specific foods that keep you awake or some activity which made you over alert. Maintaining a diary will not only get you to the cause but also help you avoid it in the future.