DOSSIER

  16/04/2021 | Carole COATSALIOU

Do you have a hard time falling asleep or do you wake up multiple times during the night? If so, you may suffer from a sleep disorder…

Insomnia affects roughly a quarter of adults, and can be caused by a variety of factors, including stress, anxiety, or even an unhealthy lifestyle. It’s also worth knowing that sleep troubles such as difficulty falling asleep or waking several times in a night are more frequently experienced by those with nervous temperaments or even hyperactivity. Insomnia can also make it hard for people to sleep more than three or four hours in a row, which most often occurs to the elderly.

In order to deal with this problem, first of all it is necessary to maintain a healthy, regular, and balanced diet. It is important to eat plenty of vegetables and avoid carbohydrates, as well as eat a bigger meal for lunch and a lighter one at night. It is also ideal to avoid heavy meals and red meat.

Insomnia is a phenomenon that is strongly associated with those suffering from anxiety. Because the insomniac has experienced difficulty sleeping, he or she then goes to bed early and yet anticipates not being able to fall asleep that night. It is precisely that fear of not being able to sleep well which often causes the insomniac to remain awake. Those suffering from depression are also very prone to sleep difficulties because such symptoms are in fact caused by psychological troubles.

From the very first signs of insomnia, it is necessary to consult a doctor, who will then evaluate the patient for the source of the problem, which is often depression or anxiety. However insomnia can also be caused by sudden changes in the daily life of a person, such as adjusting to a time difference, a shift in a person’s biological clock or even a work overload. If the insomnia persists or becomes frequent, it can influence a person’s quality of life and their daily life in general: people suffering from insomnia are frequently irritable or have problems with memory and maintaining attention. This then causes insomniacs to desire more coffee or tea throughout the day in order to keep functioning, which then perpetuates a vicious cycle since these caffeinated drinks are stimulants that can prevent sleep even several hours later. To fight insomnia naturally and efficiently, try to avoid medications that contain vitamin C, limit alcohol consumption, and also try to establish a ritual before sleep, just like children.

  Carole COATSALIOU

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