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Insomnia can be dangerous to your health in every way possible (no kidding). Stop sleepless nights with 10 sweet-slumber strategies
If you have trouble sleeping, you have plenty of company. More than one-third of adults in the united States experience occasional sleep problems, and 1 in 10 suffer from chronic insomnia.
Making sure you get enough sleep is essential for optimal healtfi and wellbeing. While you're sleeping, your body performs many restorative functions, including detoxifying, repairing cellular damage, and searching out and destroying foreign invaders. A lack of restful sleep causes mood disturbances, impairs mental and physical performance, wears down the immune system, and even speeds up aging.
Try some of the following strategies and lifestyle changes to retrain your body and mind for a good night's sleep.
1. CURTAIL CAFFEINE
This undoubtedly comes as no surprise, but cutting back on or eliminating caffeine is necessary for restful sleep. Caffeine is a common culprit in insomnia. The stimulant delays falling asleep; it can also cause waking in the middle of the night. People vary in their response to caffeine: some can easily metabolize a cup or two of coffee daily, while others are unable to tolerate even the trace amounts in decaffeinated coffee or tea. Many people also find that they become less tolerant of caffeine as they get older.
If you drink coffee or tea, limit your intake to one or two cups in the morning to prevent sleep problems. If you're relying on caffeine for an energy boost, consider drinking green tea. One cup of green tea contains approximately 20 milligrams of caffeine (coffee weighs in at an average of 125 milligrams per cup; black tea at 60). But green tea is unique in that it also contains l.-theanine, a compound that promotes feelings of relaxed alertness. It's also rich in phytochemicals that have numerous health-protective benefits.
2. ESTABLISH A REGULAR BEDTIME
A regular sleep schedule isn't just for kids-creating a set time for going lo bed and getting up in the morning helps your body establish a healthful sleep-wake cycle. Although it's tempting to try to make up for lost sleep by sleeping in, it's more important to train your body to wake at a consistent time. This practice helps to...