Sleep Deprivation Insomnia

Insomnia: Dangers & Treatment of Sleep Deprivation

By: Andrew Chin

Do you suffer from sleep deprivation? You know by now how you feel without a good night sleep: tiredness, irritability and a loss of concentration are high on the side effects list for insomnia. Therefore, it is very important that you find your cause of insomnia and an insomnia cure as soon as possible.

Sleep deprivation and sleep apnea affects our nervous systems by leaving us drowsy and unable to concentrate. Even losing sleep a few nights a week can significantly impair your ability to function and decrease the quality of your life. Not getting enough sleep also leads to poor memory. If sleep deprivation continues, hallucinations and mood swings will develop. In the same vein, sleeping problems are common in both mental and physical disorders including schizophrenia and depression, stroke, cancer, and head injuries.

Insomnia treatment and cure: For getting a proper sleep at night, do the following:

Sleep only when sleepy. This reduces the time you are awake in bed.

If you can not fall asleep within 25 minutes, just get up and do something boring until you feel sleepy. Sit quietly in the dark listen to some nice relaxing music. Do not expose yourself to bright light while you are up.

Do not take naps. This will make you tired at bedtime. If you just cannot make it through the day without a power nap, sleep less than one hour, before 4 pm.

Go to bed and get up the same time every day. When your sleep cycle has a regular rhythm, you will feel much better.

Refrain from exercise at least four hours before bedtime. Regular exercise is recommended to help you sleep well, but the timing of the workout is important. Exercising in the morning or early afternoon will not interfere with your sleep.

Develop sleep rituals. Listen to relaxing cds, read something soothing for twenty minutes, have a cup of warm milk, and do relaxation exercises.

Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol at least four hours before bed. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants that interfere with your ability to fall asleep. Alcohol may seem to help you sleep in the beginning as it slows brain activity, but you will end up having a restless night.

Have a light snack before you go to bed. If your tummy is too empty, that can interfere with sleep. However, if you eat a big meal before bedtime, that can interfere as well.

Take a hot bath ninety minutes before bedtime. This will relax your body and will help you fall asleep.

Make sure your bedroom and bed are quiet and comfortable.

Getting a good night's sleep is as important as having a proper healthy diet and exercising to keep a healthy body. A good night sleep makes your skin look fresh and it also helps make your brain more alert. Though in a busy lifestyle we always try to sacrifice sleep for work but it is very important that you set aside enough hours for some good old-fashioned beauty sleep. The average person needs eight hours of sleep, while infants need sixteen hours of sleep, and teenagers need about nine hours.

Scientists believe that sleep maintains and repairs our bodies and minds. Every night we cycle through three stages of sleep ranging from light sleep to deep sleep, and finally, to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. A complete sleep cycle takes ninety to one hundred minutes on average. While we sleep our brains are using important neuronal connections that might otherwise get worse from lack of activity. During deep sleep, brain activity that control emotions, decision-making processes, and social interaction stops, allowing us to maintain optimal emotional and social functioning when we are awake. Cell repair and cell growth takes place to combat the affects of stress and UV rays in this stage as well. Hence, deep sleep is really beauty sleep.

Sleep also strengthens our immune system and helps our bodies fight infection. This is because our immune system releases a sleep inducing chemical while fighting a flu or an infection. Sleep helps the body conserve energy and other resources that the immune system requires to mount an effective attack. Start your insomnia treatment as soon as possible to prevent sleep deprivation.

About the Author

Andrew Chin is a recognized authority on the subject of Insomnia Cure . His web site on Health and Fitness provides a wealth of information on Sleep Deprivation.

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