Millions of people worldwide suffer from sleep disorders. A lack of sleep has serious effects on health and promotes numerous diseases of the body and psyche. Sleep disorders affect both falling asleep and staying asleep.
What helps against sleep disorders?
Drinking a lavender tea or putting lavender oil on the temples can help with falling asleep. Generally, if sleep disturbances persist for a long time, a doctor should be consulted to rule out serious illnesses. Most recommendations for healthy sleep are easy to implement. It is helpful to avoid caffeinated beverages such as coffee, cola or black tea a few hours before going to bed. The same applies to alcoholic beverages. Although they often make it possible to fall asleep quickly, they make it all the more difficult to sleep through the night. A glass of warm milk (with honey), on the other hand, has a positive effect on falling asleep. It is also advisable to refrain from smoking before going to bed. In addition, nutrition plays an important role in sleep behavior. If you still have an appetite in the evening, you should eat something easily digestible. It is better not to eat anything late in the evening. People who are overweight should reduce their weight. Sufficient exercise during the day promotes sleep quality. No more exercise should be taken shortly before bedtime, as this stimulates the circulation. If naps are taken, they should not be longer than 30 minutes so as not to upset the natural sleep rhythm. Regular bedtimes, an appropriate mattress, the right bedroom temperature (usually not above 18 degrees Celsius) and a dark and quiet bedroom optimize the sleeping environment. Those who are stressed and ruminate a lot can adopt relaxation techniques before going to sleep, for example autogenic training, yoga exercises or meditation. If there is no fatigue, bedtime should be delayed a little longer. It is more advisable to engage in a light activity (reading a book, listening to relaxing music) until fatigue sets in. On the other hand, lying in bed with the feeling of having to sleep is a hindrance. A clock or alarm clock near the bed also provides pressure. In very stressful life situations, psychotherapy is recommended in order to be able to switch off fears and worries better in the longer term.
Quick help
For acute sleep deprivation, there are some medications that quickly improve the situation. Stronger sleep medications require a prescription and should not be taken for more than a few weeks. Benzodiazepines are most commonly prescribed because the side effects are limited. The mode of action of these sleep medications is sedative, anxiety relieving, and relaxes the muscles. The doctor can also prescribe certain antidepressants, which are not only suitable for depressed people, but also have a sleep-inducing effect. In addition, there are other synthetic sleeping pills, but they are used less and less because of their side effects and risk of dependence. In the case of chronic or organically caused sleep disorders, observation in a sleep laboratory may be an option. As a rule, two nights are sufficient to examine the sleep behavior of affected persons with the aid of electrodes and thus determine suitable treatments. The good thing about acute sleep deprivation is that sleep can already be made up for within one night and performance almost returns to normal afterwards.
Alternative remedies
Alternative remedies are initially the better option to alleviate sleep disorders. Various herbal preparations have a calming and sleep-promoting effect. These include valerian, lemon balm, lavender, hops and St. John’s wort, which exert their effects in the form of tea, tablets, drops or bath additives. Lavender can be applied as an oil on the forehead, temples or on the pillow. The natural remedies take effect after about three to four weeks, are well tolerated and generally have few side effects. Kneipp water treatments are another natural home remedy for sleep disorders. For example, cold foot baths and cold lumbar compresses help with difficulty falling asleep, and treading water helps with all forms of sleep disorders. For nighttime awakenings, a cold lower body or abdominal wash or a cold knee cast help. Homeopathic medicines are a proven and gentle alternative for sleep disorders.Thus, Kalium phosphoricum is prescribed for states of exhaustion, Coffea for difficulties in switching off, Zincum metallicum for stress and overexertion, or Aconitum for states of restlessness and anxiety.
