Problems that prevent good sleep and how to combat them
Sleep is a pleasure, but it's also like a "pit stop." During sleep, the brain receives a significant energy boost that activates it, blood pressure drops, growth hormones are released, and muscles relax. These are all benefits that don't occur if you don't sleep well.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, a good night's rest can be affected by these factors:
- Age: The older we get, the less sleep we need. In fact, in old age, the hours of sleep are reduced to six, and the depth and continuity of sleep are affected.
- Health: Suffering from acute or chronic illnesses makes sleep elusive; in fact, pain often worsens during the night.
- Changes in daily routines: A change in schedule or work, a trip, or simply being on vacation affects the natural sleep rhythm.
- Gender: Women experience more insomnia problems than men.
- Life situation and occasional stress: Having a child drastically reduces the hours of sleep for a period. Furthermore, stress, for whatever reason, is one of the worst enemies of good rest.
- Mental health: Depression and anxiety often accompany insomnia. The lack of sleep can cause a person who has suffered from depression to relapse into the illness.
The Best Allies for a Good Night's Sleep
Logic dictates that caffeine and stimulating substances should be avoided if you suffer from insomnia or have difficulty sleeping. The same goes for heavy dinners, alcohol consumption, or tobacco, as they activate the body, preventing it from achieving the tranquility it needs for sleep.
Mobile devices are the latest enemies that need to be eradicated, not only because they activate the brain but also because the light, they emit hinders sleep.
What Are Our Allies for Sleep?
A room with the right temperature, even slightly cooler than the rest of the house, with minimal light and no noise.
Using relaxation techniques, especially muscle relaxation, to relax the body and prepare it for sleep.
Controlling stimuli, a technique that involves, among other things, going to bed only when you are sleepy, having regular bedtime schedules, or using the bedroom only for sleeping, among other aspects.
Natural substances like melatonin, which help induce sleep.
Having an active day and engaging in some physical activity, but never a few hours before bedtime.
Avoiding daytime naps or taking short naps if necessary to avoid stealing hours of nighttime sleep.
At Juaneda Hospitals, we have a Sleep Unit that specializes in diagnosing and treating sleep disorders. Patients need to stay overnight at the center so that various useful parameters can be recorded, such as the type of snoring, eye movement, the intensity of breathing, and the number of awakenings during the night.
By studying these parameters, problems such as sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, depression, narcolepsy, sleepwalking, night terrors, or nighttime epileptic seizures can be detected.
If you're unsure if you're getting the rest you need, please contact our sleep professionals.
Share