5/25/2023 0 Comments Sleepless near me![]() A vicious cycle that all fed into each other. I realise now that my insomnia could have been influenced by my hormonal changes but also a consequence of not getting enough vitamin D during the winter pandemic, especially as a woman of colour. As our physical and mental health is interconnected, sleep is therefore affected by the environment surrounding us. Hana Patel, GP specialist in women's health, sleep and Mindset Coach. 'For women, sleep issues can be worse if they are experiencing hormonal fluctuations, such as changes in their menstrual cycle or menopausal symptoms,' says Dr. As such, having insomnia has shown me the dangers of non-visible illnesses. Not ‘getting enough sleep’ is only excusable so many times when you can’t meet work deadlines or have to cancel plans because you physically, mentally and emotionally cannot be present. Insomnia is always there, in the background, even when you are doing all your everyday tasks going to work, replying to emails, and balancing a social life made all the more difficult while running on zero or little sleep. More than anything, it's wondering how long your life can go on like this. ![]() It wasn’t just staring at the ceiling waiting for sleep to come, it was doing all that is usually advised: getting up if you don’t fall asleep in 15 minutes to do an activity only to settle again to tire and reset your body clock reading a book at all hours of the night that felt more like a chore than pleasure mentally planning any extra plans in the week and wondering what’s worth your energy praying for sleep over and over again while also trying not to care at all so it would distract and lull your brain into sleep making sure you take all your herbal remedies but don’t drink too many liquids before bed. What happens during insomniac periods?Įnduring insomniac periods where I hadn’t properly slept for four days (the longest stretch at a time so far) turned me into a zombie. Plagued with this feeling that a sleepless night will also mean what feels like a less life-full body the next day not to mention offsetting the next few days of poor sleep patterns. In fact, going away or staying over at friend’s houses after parties or the occasional night in became something I dreaded. This wasn’t exactly the perfect recipe for winding down and relaxing for the night. The anxiety around not sleeping had become all too common in my everyday life but the thought of doing so in a different environment could also be paralysing. Yet two years into my diagnosis – a disorder that effects 1 in 3 adults in the UK and is defined by the NHS as being unable to fall or stay asleep more than three times in a week – it had become life-altering.īefore I had got into bed, the thoughts around my sleep pattern when planning the sleepover in a friend’s house had left me spiralling. In my mid-twenties, I never thought insomnia would be part of my life. The bedroom should be cool, dark and quiet.Lying awake in a friend’s bed, while she lay fast asleep beside me, I realised this monster – otherwise known as insomnia – had yet not left me. Turn off the electronics – laptops, tablets and phones emit blue light that can keep you awake, and they’re a distraction from sleep.Studies have shown it can keep you awake or affect your sleep quality. Avoid caffeine starting about six hours before your bedtime.When should you work out? Late afternoon or early evening is ideal if you can work it in, but in the end, exercise at a time that works best for you. Even 15 minutes of daily physical activity improves alertness during the day and sleep quality at night. That’s your internal clock that tells you when it’s time to feel energized or drowsy. As soon as you get up, turn on lights or open the shades to let sunshine in.It’s a big part of getting back on a good sleep cycle. This will help build your body’s sleep drive, or need for sleep. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Even if you’ve had a rough night, don’t nap or sleep in.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |