How to get rid of Insomnia?

Insomnia is not a disease. It simply means that sleep is poor and not adequate, without saying why - and the cause sometimes is much more serious than the symptoms of insomnia. A recently published survey indicates that insomnia afflicts slightly more than 27 percent of adults in the United States. Insomnia can have many causes, but the biggest cause is due to stress. Stress related to work, school, health or family concerns. Stress, wrong diet, anxiety, depression, illness and other personal issues are often the culprits.

Commonly referred to as sleeplessness, or lack of sleep, insomnia can lead to severe fatigue, anxiety, depression and lack of concentration. Insomnia is not a disease but a symptom. Despite having had adequate opportunity for sleep, people with insomnia have difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, waking too early, waking up frequently at night, and/or sleeping soundly.

Sleep apnea or heavy snoring, however, is not good for long-term health. If you think you may be having breathing problems at night, you should see a doctor.

Insomnia can be short-term (acute insomnia) or can last a long time (chronic insomnia). Insomnia is considered to be chronic if it occurs on most nights and lasts a month or more. It can also come and go, with periods of time when a person has no sleep problems. Transient insomnia is very common and is considered a normal stress reaction that typically disappears as the stress passes.

Insomnia during pregnancy is normal and affects approximately 78% of pregnant women.

Many people have transient sleep disturbances and treat them with over-the-counter medications, while others turn to their healthcare provider for prescription medications - and there are plenty of choices for medications. Sleeping tablets prescribed by your doctor are intended only for short-term use (say 3-4 weeks). They are not intended for the long-term treatment of chronic insomnia. Sleeping pills can help in some cases, but they are not a cure for insomnia. They're only a temporary form of relief. Most physicians avoid prescribing sleeping pills for a period of longer than 3 weeks.

Women are twice as likely to suffer from insomnia than men. Some research suggests that certain social factors, such as being unemployed or divorced, are related to poor sleep and increase the risk of insomnia in women. Insomnia is more frequent with increasing age (48% of older adults reported insomnia symptoms at least a few nights per week) but only when associated with other medical and or mood disorders.

Tips to get rid of Insomnia:

1.
Valerian tea is a commonly used to treat insomnia. Valerian is a natural tranquilizer. Valerian usually is taken as a tea. Adding calcium and magnesium, either directly to the tea or taken as tablets may augment its beneficial effects. Valerian should not be taken with any other medications, however.

2.
Caffeine may give you an initial boost, however it is short-lived and will more than likely affect your sleep, as caffeine can stay in the body for up to 5 hours. Try drinking a calming drink such as chamomile tea. Caffeine is an enemy of sleep. Do not drink or eat caffeine: coffee [100mg], tea [50mg], cola drinks [50mg], chocolates [10mg]) or alcohol may induce sleep but tolerance can occur and a mini-withdrawal can cause wakefulness during the night. Diet can be a contributing factor to your diet and bad diet habits can keep you awake at night.

3.
Exercise regularly, but not in the last 2 hours before going to bed. Exercise, especially aerobic exercise, has been shown to make people fall asleep faster and get deeper and more restful sleep. Exercise, good diet, sleeping, and sound cognitive management practices (meditation, among the many), are at the top of daily life activities that are necessary for optimal survival.

4.
Make your sleep more consistent. Start by making your bed comfy with clean sheets, blankets, etc. Have a hot shower or bath.

5.
Don't watch TV or read before going to bed.

6.
Meditation is very useful for treating insomnia.