Do you spend more nights awake than you’d like to think? Consider yourself an insomniac, then? Maybe not, but anyone who works the graveyard shift knows it can be tough to get a good night’s rest. From the light pollution outside our windows to the adrenaline-pumping activity of the day, finding an excellent vital rhythm is challenging. 

But did you know there are specific things you can do to help manage your sleep, whether you’re a chronic insomniac or need extra help? 

Chronic insomnia affects one out of every ten people. However, acute insomnia is the predominant opponent for most people. It might appear three nights of waking up in the middle of the night and feeling terrible the following day.

It might also show up like two weeks of decent sleep followed by a week of just three or four hours of sleep each night. And it has grave implications for our life.

Here are some suggestions for getting a good night’s rest.

• Chronic insomnia can increase the risk of developing hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.
• Blue light exposure from screens can significantly delay the production of melatonin, worsening insomnia.
• Sleep deprivation impairs the brain’s glymphatic system, which helps clear toxins during sleep.
• Regular physical activity during the day enhances sleep quality but exercising too close to bedtime can disrupt it.
• Aromatherapy with essential oils like lavender has shown potential in promoting relaxation and better sleep.
• Sleep disorders like insomnia can weaken the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to illnesses.

Sleep is notoriously tricky to define. Unlike other problems we face in our life, sleep matters are not so simple to solve. Sleep is the force multiplier that helps us become better players, musicians, drivers, friends, husbands, and wives. 

But, sadly, far too many of us find sleep to be a source of pain and frustration rather than the miraculous source of freshness upon waking up.

Sleepless evenings result from anxiety. Many people face problems concentrating. Some even find having to make compromises in other aspects of their life and no longer have the energy to meet up with friends, and the relationship deteriorates. 

It also affects the marital relationship. As a result, the person takes more vitamins, drinks more coffee, eats healthier, gets up earlier, skips breakfast, and works harder to get things back on track.Sleep problems will not disappear on their own; instead, they worsen.

Sleep issues affect our jobs, social life, love, and financial future. Because a person can’t sleep, he turns to sensual pleasures to cope, exacerbating the situation. Millions of individuals have experienced something similar. 

According to the National Sleep Foundation, about 60% of adult Americans have insomnia three nights a week. Unfortunately, many individuals have it far worse. 

Sleep deprivation can negatively impact our social life, relationships, employment, income, etc. There is, however, a silver lining. Have you ever noticed that it just needs a few minor adjustments? 

For example, eating a cupcake may help you sleep all night.

In its purest form, sleep is essentially a cycle of shifting from a condition of high-frequency brain waves to low-frequency brain waves, then to REM (the “third state”), and back again. On the surface, it seems as easy as switching from the fast brain waves of wakefulness to the slower ones of sleep. 

Sleep is a highly complex process influenced by five distinct factors: social, neurological, psychological, cellular, and molecular. To fall asleep, you must adequately coordinate all five regions. 

When one section is affected, the whole system is thrown off. 

To address your sleep problems, you need to look into everything that appears as it may help. Retain what you like and throw away what you don’t.

Keep a notebook in which you record your bedtime and waking time to see how much sleep you got. Then, rate the previous night’s sleep each day and note your sleep quality score (SQS). The criteria are straightforward: ask yourself, “Do I feel amazing?” Or am I just feeling crappy?”

Be persistent in learning all you can about sleep.

Most individuals go to the bathroom, wash their teeth, and have a cigarette at night. That’s all I need to get sleepy. If you can’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get up and do something else. However, increase the period from 20 to 80 minutes. Breaking the link between lying down and not sleeping is the goal.

Many people eat sugary things to go to sleep. Eating anything from the fridge because you can’t sleep will make you sick. Staying hungry is better than useless eating.

Daylight savings time might harm your health and well-being. If you do not prepare for it by sleeping an hour earlier weeks in advance, you might have a messed-up sleep cycle for months.

Isolation may be a source of sleeplessness. People with a big family and friends spend more relaxed and busy days than those who live alone. Staying active on social media won’t guarantee a good night’s sleep every night, but it will help you manage your sleep troubles such that they have the most negligible impact on your life.

One thing to always keep in mind is that patience is a virtue. As an insomniac, you’re likely to remain an insomniac. Although I understand how annoying you cannot sleep right now, which is probably causing tremendous anxiety in your mind, you must be patient. It will pass.

It takes at least three months for most people to get their sleep routine settled and then six months before they can sleep and remain asleep on most nights regularly.

Don’t be too hard on yourself if you’ve ever had trouble sleeping. Accept that you’re not the first to suffer from this and not deal with it alone.

From genetics to body weight to job, everyone’s capacity to get decent sleep is influenced by various things. Multiple social, psychological, neurological, molecular, and cellular elements affect our sleeping habits. Some parts are beyond our control, but we can influence many others. My recommendation is to concentrate exclusively on the aspects under your control. 

It would help if you tried a variety of possibilities before settling on one that best suits your needs.