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If sleepless nights have become part of your normal routine, the unpleasant effects of chronic insomnia can make everyday functioning much more difficult. Frequent bouts of insomnia can take a major toll on your personal and professional relationships, and finding the best ways to treat your sleeplessness can improve your quality of life in several ways. If any of these five problems are contributing to your insomnia, there are solutions available that can help you regain your healthy sleep habits.
1. Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when your airway becomes constricted while you sleep. If the muscles that support your airway relax too much, you might wake up gasping for air frequently because of disruptions to your breathing. You’re likely to suffer from obstructive sleep apnea if you’re overweight, a smoker, or someone who experiences frequent nasal congestion. Medical conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes, and asthma, can also make you more susceptible to obstructive sleep apnea.
Treatment may be as simple as adopting better lifestyle habits to control weight and blood pressure, but using a CPAP machine to deliver positive airway pressure through your nose can also help. A mouthpiece that a doctor or dentist prescribes can offer additional treatment.
2. Indigestion
If your stomach bothers you frequently while you’re trying to sleep, your insomnia may be linked to indigestion. You may notice that your indigestion is worse when you’re lying in bed since stomach acid tends to travel upwards when you’re in this position. Your indigestion could also cause acid reflux (heartburn) making sleeping even more difficult.
Antacids can often help control indigestion, but you may need to change your diet and eat less of the processed and spicy foods that can worsen indigestion. Herbal tea, artichoke leaf extract, and other natural remedies can also control your indigestion better so that you can sleep more soundly.
3. Chronic Pain
Chronic pain can be caused by injuries, medical conditions, or the effects of getting old, and getting to the root cause of your frequent discomfort can help you fight your insomnia. Your body will always be in a state of tension and distress when pain is felt and registered by your brain, and this pain can keep you up well into the night regardless of how much you try to block it in your mind.
Your doctor can perform a series of tests to try to identify the source of your chronic pain if you’re still unsure of the cause, and you may be prescribed medications to reduce the pain so that you can rest easier. If you want a natural remedy, CBD wax may put your body at greater ease. You can also try alternative therapies, such as acupuncture and massage therapy, to lessen your pain.
4. Mental Health Challenges
If you’re struggling with depression, anxiety or any other mental health challenges, you could be experiencing frequent insomnia. Distressing thoughts may be running through your mind as you’re trying to rest. Mental health challenges can also affect your subconscious mind and keep you up at night.
Meeting with a therapist and receiving counseling or psychiatric treatments may help put an end to your mental anguish so that you can sleep easier. Meditation, yoga and other exercises that work to reduce stress on the body and mind and promote better breathing can also help you resolve your mental health challenges so that you can get more rest.
5. Inadequate Bed Support
Your bed might not be giving your body the support that it needs to rest comfortably. Your mattress could be sinking in places or have rough sections that are placing greater stress on your body. You might not even realize how uncomfortable your bed has become if you’ve gotten used to sleeping that way for a prolonged period.
Mattresses should be replaced every eight to ten years, and you’ll likely notice a big difference in how well you sleep if you get a new mattress that gives you maximum comfort and support. Switching to a memory foam or an ergonomic mattress may also give you better results.
Many factors can contribute to recurring insomnia. If you take the time to learn what exactly is causing your sleeplessness and seek the right professional help, you may put an end to your sleepless nights.