According to a recent report, at least 35% of adults in the United States alone have admitted to having less than seven hours of sleep. The lack of sleep is due to various factors including lifestyle, stress, food and most importantly screens. Unfortunately, prolonged lack of sleep can put you in a sleep deprivation state. To avoid such a situation it is best to adopt a healthy lifestyle and consistent sleeping patterns. One of the most effective remedy to lack of sleep is acupuncture. Acupuncture relieves stress and helps you to get peaceful sleep.
Insomnia and the Stress-Sleep Deprivation Cycle-Key Symptoms
Some of the common symptoms associated with insomnia are:
- Difficulty falling asleep at night,
- Frequent night waking,
- Waking up too early,
- Daytime tiredness despite being in bed for seven to eight hours
Also, there are many unrelated symptoms that you may not even imagine that are linked to insomnia. They include irritability, anxiety, or depression. Even difficulty in focusing on tasks, clumsiness or accidents, and increased stress about falling asleep are symptoms of insomnia.
Remedies
The first step to easing the symptoms of insomnia begins with stress management. The amount of stress you face is inversely proportional to the hours of sleep you get. More sleep is equal to less stress. If such a stress-sleep deprivation cycle continues, stress starts to accumulate worsening insomnia. Good sleep hygiene and acupuncture can help you to break this cycle and improve your chances at better sleep and reduced stress.
How to Improve Sleep Hygiene
You may be wondering what does sleep hygiene mean. Think of it like eating hygiene. When you are sitting down to eat, there are a few things that you do before eating. This includes washing hands or using sanitizer, wiping your hands with tissue, sitting at a clean, peaceful place, and then you finally start eating. Ideally, you must also include some rituals towards the evening that lead you to good quality and quantity of sleep.
Starting from your bed, make sure you have a good support mattress. Use clean sheets, duvets and pillows. Maintain a comfortable temperature and soothing lighting to encourage sleeping. You should keep your phones, TV and any other screens out of the bedroom to make sure that you are not distracted.
Here are a few other practices that can help:
Keeping a Regular Bedtime
If you maintain a consistent circadian rhythm of your sleep-wake cycle, you are less likely to experience insomnia and tiredness. Maintaining a consistent sleep time helps your body acclimate to your sleep schedule. It is beneficial not just for sleep, but also better hormones.
Eating Smart and Healthy
Try to avoid any food items that are heavy to digest, have high amounts of fat or stimulants like caffeine in them. This kind of foods often interferes with your sleep cycles making them erratic and uncomfortable. Try to have your last meal as early as possible and keep it light and fresh for a good night sleep.
Developing a Relaxing Bedtime Routine
A set bedtime routine is your best bet to good night sleep. You can incorporate relaxing activities like meditation, a warm bath or listening to soothing music. It helps to release of sleep hormones and relieve your stress before bedtime.
If you have already tried these lifestyle changes and are still not happy with the results, try acupuncture. Acupuncture therapy has been proven to garner effective results when patients want to break their stress-sleep deprivation cycle. Combined with healthy sleeping habits, Acupuncture therapy from Inspirit Health Group can help you to experience lower stress levels, improved sleep and overall healthier body.
