BATTLING INSOMNIA OR LACK OF SLEEP
Quick story based on personal experience
Frankly, during my high school years, I was a hardcore gamer, I was literally obsessed, I never gave up even on the most difficult of in-game missions and tasks, I especially loved videogames based on fantasy and fiction, also was a big fan of sci-fi games like Mass effect. I would spend hours, and days gaming (there was a point in my high school life I went three days gaming). I fell sick at a time and developed insomnia, maybe I was a game addict, I cant tell, wait, but now that I think about it, I wasn’t addicted, I was only obsessed. I know I wasn’t addicted because, during examination seasons, I would always drop the game and study hard for exams squarely. At this period, it was almost like I was never a gamer. Back then I never study except there was an exam(that was in high school and somehow nobody was complaining, not even my grades).
Like I said I developed insomnia due to gaming, and that was after I had gamed about 3 days straight and only had about roughly 3 hours of sleep in between. You might ask “what about your parents?”, well let’s just say I was very good at faking it, in fact extremely good, but I assure you they were very good parents. So I developed insomnia and told no one about it, I tried so hard to sleep, but couldn’t, funniest thing, at the onset of insomnia, I lost interest in gaming, as a bigger problem called INSOMNIA was on ground. I would sleep for about 5 minutes then open my eyes all of a sudden. If you ask me, it was terrifying, I became scared of nighttime because I couldn't sleep I watched people sleep so peacefully but I couldn't, the situation was messed up, I guess, You don't know what you have until you lose it. Felt like I lost the ability to fall asleep as a human being. One of my friends would say, “They need to sleep is a flaw in the human design” Do I agree with him? YES and NO, please don’t ask me why, that is not for this post.
So I developed insomnia, did some googling and finally recovered my ability to sleep, as a matter of fact, I started gaming again, but this time I always take time to sleep no matter what.
Do I still game?
Well, yes, but not really, I would say once in a while, as there is less time and more responsibilities. But frankly, I still love gaming, only that in life we have priorities on one side and passion on the other, choose one.
So there you have it, in case you are presently battling insomnia and you don't even know what it truly means, well then, this is for you.
Introduction to INSOMNIA
Insomnia refers to the inability to fall asleep or get enough rest. Insomnia is a very common sleep disorder especially among the young people. This lack of sleep can lead to health problems like diabetes, hypertension and weight gain.
Here are some symptoms that you can identify with when you are going through insomnia:
-Difficulty in falling asleep
-Feeling too weak/fatigue during the daytime
-Lack of concentration
-Depression or irritating mood
Some causes of Insomnia
A lot of things contribute to the development of insomnia such as psychological, physiological and environmental factors, including:
1. Stress from your job, relationships and financial issues.
2. Unhealthy lifestyle and unhealthy sleeping habits.
3. Depression, anxiety disorder and other mental health-related problems.
4. Chronic pain as a result of arthritis and other conditions.
5. Taking medications and other substances.
Some consequences of Insomnia
When you are not able to fall asleep or find resting tiresome, you may
- Struggle at your workplace, school, and relationships.
- Become easily anxious, depressed or irritable.
- Have difficulty in concentration or suffer memory problems.
Some Preventions of Insomnia
1. Avoid taking Alcohol
Alcohol can truly be deceptive. At first, alcohol may make you sleep, but it is actually disruptive to sleep. Alcohol interrupts your sleep cycle and may cause you to wake up too early the next day. Drinking alcohol may make you wake up at night too often.
Alcohol also blocks restorative rapid movement of the eyes. It tightens your muscles and increases the risk of sleep apnea. So it's better to avoid taking alcohol at all costs to maintain a healthy sleeping habit.
2. Turn Down the Light to get Better Sleep
Bright indoor light prevents the production of melatonin, the hormone that helps you fall asleep. Lower the lighting level in your room for at least one to two hours before bedtime. If you like to read before bed, read by light using a low watt bulb to avoid exposure to too many levels of light that will make it hard to fall asleep. Use heavy black curtains on your bedroom windows to keep light outside from sneaking in and distorting your sleep schedule.
3. Establishing a Relaxing Nighttime Routine
It is a good idea to avoid stress and do relaxing activities in the evening. Do not work too much at night. Avoid scary movies, emotionally upsetting discussions and thrilling novels. If you are a worrier, write down your thoughts and feelings down in a journal to get them off your mind. Cooldown your body before going to bed by taking a warm bath, listening to relaxing music, meditating or reading a mind relief book.
4. Watch out for Caffeine
Many people rely on coffee in the morning to stay awake, but caffeine consumption after noon may contribute to sleep problems. To maintain and sustain good sleep habits, avoid caffeine both in the afternoon and evening. Caffeine is a component of many beverages and even some medications. Some hidden sources of caffeine include tea, energy drinks and even some pain relievers.
5. Using Pillows
People who suffer from back pain often have trouble sleeping. Research has shown people who had acute always have trouble getting quality sleep. If you are battling back pain, try to sleep on your side to reduce pressure on your lower back. Place a pillow between your knees to make sure your hips are in alignment to reduce the low back strain. Make sure your mattress is comfortable enough and that it doesn't increase your back pain. When getting into and out of bed, move both legs together, and avoid bending at the waist to protect your back.
6. Night Snacks
Eating certain foods in the evening may interfere with your ability to sleep at night. Foods that are heavy or spicy may trigger indigestion. Carbonated beverages and citrus fruit can also trigger indigestion which may keep you lying awake at night. Choose light, easily digestible snacks before bedtime like fruits, cheese or cereal with milk that will not trigger uncomfortable symptoms like indigestion. Do not eat an hour before bedtime to give your body time to digest what you eat before going to bed.
7. Exercising Regularly
Research has shown that exercise is associated with high-quality sleep as it helps to relax your muscles and reduce the buildup of tension that may have accumulated over time. Studies have also shown that staying committed to a regular exercise routine can indeed improve the quality of sleep if you are able to engage in them as often as possible.
8. Watching the Clock Constantly
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A very wrong thing to do when you are having difficulty falling asleep is to watch the clock. Watching and listening to the tick-tock sound of each second, minute or hour when you are awake may cause a lot of anxiety which will not be beneficial or helpful to you in sleeping better. Resist this temptation to watch the clock by turning the clock around so that you can't see the display. Instead, do something worthwhile to while away that time and induce sleepiness such as reading a book, doing some light chores in the house. Just anything that can help you distract your mind and pass the time you can't fall asleep.
I hope this helps you regain a normal sleep cycle if you are currently battling insomnia or helps you prevent it, if you are not sleep well and wake up healthy and full of life
Sayonara✌️, Arigato
Thanks for reading
References/Resources
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