English
Today, it’s difficult to find people who sleep without problems. I´m not necessarily talking about chronic insomnia, but the vast majority, especially young adults with a hectic roster of activities, whether work, studies or both, have suffered an episode of insomnia. The problem becomes more serious when we become anxious about not being able to sleep, and our nerves begin to surge when night comes. We condition ourselves and begin to live our hours of rest as eternal hours of misery.
When we are desperate to sleep, we often thing we have no other option than to take some sort of sleeping medication, which produces even more anxiety: down the road we know this will cause even more trouble because these substances can be very addictive, although there are now some new sleep-inducing pills which promise excellent results. But before we take the clinical route, here are some tips to make peace with those much needed hours of rest.
First, try to establish a consistent bed-time and go to bed at the same time every day. I know it might be nearly impossible with our daily routines, but eliminating intake of coffee or tea or other beverages containing caffeine after 15:00 hrs can help. Second, make your bedroom a sanctuary, and enter only when you are going to bed or have sex, as associating your bedroom with activities may generate more problems when you try to relax. Third, as I imagine you already know, try to reduce your consumption of alcohol at night and eat a light dinner at least two hours before bedtime. It is also a good idea to take vitamins during these periods, as insomnia is often due to our poor diet and deficiencies of b vitamins or minerals such as calcium, zinc or iron. You might also want to consider herbal medicines or infusions. Try a relaxing cup of valerian, lemon balm, passionflower or oregano infusions to get you in the mood to relax and sleep. They can be quite effective and worth a try, but beware; they are not advisable to drink for extended periods of time. If anxiety is a problem for you, feel better and relieve tension using relaxation techniques like meditation, breathing techniques, yoga, and massage or listening to soothing music. The last and perhaps most important tip? If you are counting sheep for more than 30 minutes and still can not sleep, don’t hang around in bed, get up and go to another room of the house and do something boring, like reading a book on a topic that doesn’t interest you or mending buttons.
If you try this and nothing seems to help, you should see a specialist, because sometimes the causes of insomnia are more complicated than simple periods of stress. Another way to take care of insomnia and relive tension? Rent apartments in Helsinki, and enjoy an elegant jaunt to relax!
