Busy work schedules and high-tech lifestyles are not easy to sustain. They have their own demerits which are reflected in the form of medical conditions that we fall prey to unknowingly. One such condition is insomnia that robs a person of the inability to sleep well. Most of the people facing this problem resort to various medications available for managing insomnia.
Changing one’s lifestyle and switching to healthier habits reflect immensely on the mind and body. It is only by adopting good habits and following them that one can keep several medical conditions at bay. People dealing with insomnia must put alternatives to use such as trying home remedies, like those listed below, before resorting to insomnia medications for managing the condition.
No smoking
If one is facing insomnia and are an active smoker, then this is high time that one should quit. Nicotine present in cigarettes can trigger insomnia. Moreover, quitting smoking will also lead to a lower risk of high blood pressure, strokes, heart attacks, and even cancer.
Exercise
If one has not been exercising, then now is the time to give it some serious thought. Studies have shown that exercising regularly for about half an hour fosters good night sleep. Also, think about the fitness that one would gain from the workout. Exercise enables the body to not fall prey to obesity and cardiovascular problems.
Limit the consumption of alcohol
Although alcohol is a good sedative that induces sleep readily, excessive consumption of alcohol over a long time can lead to insufficient sleep which ultimately keeps the body from relaxing fully. Alcohol can also lead to the risk of strokes and heart failure. Hence, it is vital that one should keep a watch on their alcohol intake.
Healthy diets
If one is serious about keeping themselves healthy both mentally and physically, they should ensure to consume healthy food only. Say no to food that is rich in saturated fats as it can lead to indigestion. Consuming fast food can lead to heartburn.
Stop consuming caffeinated drinks
Drinks with caffeine content such as tea and coffee are usually taken to shed off tiredness and sleepiness and to make the body energetic in order to keep working for a bit longer. Regular and excessive consumption of such drinks can eventually trigger insomnia. It is recommended that caffeine must not be taken 6 hours before going to bed. Thus, controlling the intake of caffeine is likely to relieve one of insomnia significantly.
Apart from making changes to the lifestyle, there are several therapies that one can resort to as well. Changing habits can be employed side by side as they do not affect one’s health in any adverse way. Any therapist or psychologist can help one garner the benefits of treatments that deal with insomnia. Following are certain behavioral changes that can help one deal with insomnia:
- Relaxations methods: Apart from indulging in exercises that relieve one’s mind of mental stress and the body of any fatigue, relaxations methods such as breathing exercises and yoga postures can also serve the same purpose without any laborious work. It leads to better breathing, a normal heart rate, and mood stability. All these factors keep one’s mind and body relaxed of any sort of anxiety and stress.
- Get adequate sleep: It is always suggested that adults should take at least 6–8 hours of sleep to relax their mind of the mental stress posed by busy working schedules. Getting inadequate sleep not only makes the mind and body feel tired but also affects one’s productivity. Hence, no matter how busy one is, ensure that one should get sufficient sleep.
Sharing concerns and problems with others always help relieve one’s mind. Having conversational sessions with people having the same problems greatly helps the mind relax. One can get to express their views and get to know the experiences of others. The most significant aspect of support groups is that one need not hold anything back. Here, one will be sitting amongst people facing similar issues, hence one will be able to express themselves boldly.
In case one has gone through the above-mentioned solutions and still feels that they haven’t helped much, it is time to resort to certain insomnia medications. One can consult a professional medical practitioner who is well-versed with such conditions. The following mentioned medicines are widely used and recommended to render the body enough sleep. Note that these medications may be prescribed only if counseling and behavioral therapies haven’t helped one’s case. Therefore, it is always advisable to speak to a doctor before taking these:
- Zolpidem: This medication falls in the category of sedatives and hypnotics.
- Trazodone: The medicine is considered as an antidepressant.
- Eszopiclone: This type of medication belongs to the class of sedatives and hypnotics.
- Lorazepam: It is considered as benzodiazepine anticonvulsant.
- Amitriptyline: It is considered as a tricyclic anti-depressant.
These are just a few of the popular sleeping pills that help in triggering sleep in the case where one has acute sleeping problems.
