Insomnia is a drag.
Personally speaking, I know this quite well. I suffered from insomnia for many years when I was younger, and it is one of the reasons I know that acupuncture can be quite useful in getting sleep.
A good night’s sleep is as important and fundamental to your health and wellbeing as is good nutrition and regular exercise. During the sleeping hours, our bodies do much of the self repair work while our subconscious minds process the events of the day. Hence, when deprived of sleep, our immune systems can weaken; our moods may turn on the wheels of irritability and the ever-present grind of fuzzy brained fatigue hangs just behind our eyes.
So, what can you do?
First, consider your sleep hygiene.
There are a few simple things that you can try at home to improve the quality of your sleep.
Create the perfect sleep environment
-Make yourself a sanctuary free from technology for at least an hour before you go to sleep. The blue light from most devices disrupts melatonin production, and can keep you from falling easily into a restful sleep. Try reading a paperback book, or a magazine in lieu of screen time, this will help settle you into a state of relaxation.
-Keep your bedroom as light free as possible, even small amounts of light can disrupt sleep. You can try blackout curtains to keep out streetlights, or perhaps a good sleep mask and you will see how much of a difference it makes.
-Sound is a difficult thing to control- especially if you live in a busy city environment- there are always ambient noises, vehicles, sirens or late night revelers. So if you don’t have a quiet environment, try earplugs or a white noise generator. There are many free apps that have a variety of sound options, such as waves, wind or forest noises to name a few.
-Keep it cool. A National Sleep Foundation poll showed that a room temperature between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit was an important factor in getting a good night’s sleep. Core body temperature drops at night up to 2 degrees, this drop usually occurs when melatonin is released in the brain. Having a room that is too warm will interfere with this process often resulting in restlessness and lower quality sleep.
-Try a nice warm bath for ten to twenty minutes. It is a lovely way to promote the proper state of easy relaxation and a calming end to the evening.
-Meditate. Even a small amount of time keeping a clear mind with deep and regular breathing may prove to be a profound addition to your wind-down ritual. There are many different meditation resources to explore.
If insomnia persists however, consider that Acupuncture and Massage have both been found to have profoundly beneficial effects for the improvement and enhancement of sleep. Schedule an appointment and come see us at Active Living Chiropractic and Jade River Healing Arts Center for a better night’s sleep!