Ever since we’re born, we sometimes struggle with sleeping issues. We fall asleep an hour later, then two, then three, and then… barely sleep at all. But what is it that keeps us up at night? Is it the Boogie-Man? Or is it something happening inside of us on a physical level, as well as on the emotional one?
When we’re talking about the causes of insomnia, we are referring to a high variety of reasons: external (such as background noise or medicamentation) and internal. Some of the most common insomnia-causes are:
mental health issues (for e.g. depression or anxiety, and some stress-based conditions);
medical conditions;
alcohol and nicotine consumption;
poor sleeping habits.
If not treated, insomnia can have dangerous effects on our health, as it can affect our circulation, it can cause cardiac problems, and even have a negative impact on our mental health. So what happens when we do not “fight with sleep”? Most of the benefits go hand in hand.
By sleeping properly, we give our body the chance to prepare itself for the next day, but it also helps us restore our muscles and body from the efforts put in the previous day.
A well rested body equals a well rested mind. And what does that mean? It means that we can think more clearly, therefore it reduces our irritability and indirectly helps us build a better relationship with people around us.
Besides that, sleeping enough can ameliorate some mental health conditions (once again, this is strongly related to the rested body & mind part).
However, aside from this dark side of insomnia, we should learn some ways to prevent it! It is important to maintain an active lifestyle, which will also help us get a good quality of sleep during the night. Other than that, it’s essential to have a limited intake of caffeine and nicotine, as well as a limited amount of naps during the day. Creating an optimal sleeping schedule that includes an approximate bedtime for each day of the week will further help our body get used to the amount of sleep needed and progressively show positive outcomes from having a healthy(or at least healthier) lifestyle.
*NOTE: all the facts were taken from several medical articles.
Written by Teodora Kovács
27.04.2022
Comments