Do you need help to sleep? Many people experience difficulty sleeping due to several reasons. Ongoing inadequate sleep may cause you a myriad of health problems. Your skin will easily be prone to wrinkling and developing an uneven tone. Your body will also more easily accumulate a lot of fat which may lead to heart attack and a host of degenerative diseases. Predictably, with inadequte sleep you will experience the signs of aging much faster than having enough sleep.
There are several hindrances to falling asleep at night. One is habitually going to bed late, usually after 10:00pm. Our bodies have a set clock known as the circadian rhythm based on when they release hormones in varying amounts during the day and night. When you upset this natural rhythm by going to bed late, your body will experience systemic imbalances. That is why night shift workers have higher incidences of illness and are more prone to weight gain.
Other factors for difficulty getting to sleep include eating less than an hour before going to bed, and engaging in a stressful, simulating activity or experiencing negative emotions shortly before going to bed. Exposing your eyes to a bright light like that of your computer or smartphone one hour or less before bed time, or even sleeping in a lighted room may also produce the same effect. Lack of deep sleep suppresses the release of growth hormones, elevates your cortisol levels at night and contributes to snoring and sleep apnea.
There are some measures that you can take to help to sleep. The first important measure is to make sure that you get to bed early enough, preferably before 10:00pm. Also, you should eat your last meal two hours before going to bed.
Reading an emotionally disturbing book or watching a horror movie is sure to affect your sleep. Instead, read or watch inspiring material before going to sleep. Taking a warm bath with Epsom salts just before bed is another way to help to sleep. Having some quality “snuggle time” with your loved one can help you get sleep.
You can use supplements such as magnesium glycinate and melatonin for help to sleep. You can either take 500mg of magnesium glycinate approximately fifteen minutes before bedtime and/or 1-5mg of melatonin just before laying in bed to sleep.
To avoid sleeping over a problem, you should make a habit of solving any conflicts you might have with another person an hour or more before your sleep time.
Block out light, by closing the drapes or shades to your room. Alternatively, you can use an eye mask.
Sometimes, even after following all the above tips, you may still find it difficult to sleep. In such instances, your difficulty in getting sleep may be caused by complex hormonal and physiological imbalances. Give us a call at (650) 394-7470, we can help you to uncover the underlying causes as well as provide help to sleep.