Sleeping Disorders – Pagina 2

5 Secrets To Sleep Better

We all know someone who complains about not sleeping or sleeping badly. In Europe, about one third of the adult population has difficulty falling asleep and between 10% and 15% suffer from chronic insomnia. I myself have suffered from insomnia for a long time. This is a problem that can have various causes (from the excessive use of digital devices that emit blue light – computers, tablets, TVs, etc. – to biological issues). One of the causes may also be the obsession with sleeping well.

What is this obsession? It is a phenomenon called orthosomnia (from the Greek ortho, “perfect”, and from the Latin somnia, “rest”) and, according to experts, although it is not yet considered a disorder, it is getting increasingly common. It consists in continually recurring thoughts, that I call “circular thoughts”, namely thoughts that enter a vicious circle precisely because they are always the same and recur all the time. The main causes of these thoughts are, guess what, stress and anxiety. Not being able to sleep, your mind does not stop thinking about the same things over and over (hence circular thoughts, i.e. thoughts that come back).

If you suffer from insomnia, even if not severe, it would be good to do a complete sleep study (polysomnography) to find an effective solution. I had this test. I was in a sleep clinic for one night, with electrodes attached all over the body including, of course, the head. I have found that, during my sleeping time, Alpha waves (the brain waves typical of the awaking period) intrude from time to time.

The obvious solution would be to try eliminating or at least reducing stress. I know, it’s not easy. Therefore, I propose that you try the following five tips.

Learn to breathe well and deeply by practising a discipline such as Yoga, Pilates or meditation.
Create a relaxing environment. A quiet home is the key to a restful night. If you have trouble falling asleep, keep your bedroom clean and clear of unnecessary items, tidy up the things you have left lying around and you will see that you will have a more peaceful night.
Use essential oils that are particularly suitable for inducing sleep, such as lavender or chamomile.
Create a playlist to help you relax and fall asleep.
Try using Bach Flowers and melatonin. White Chestnut against circular thoughts and Rescue Sleep to help you fall asleep. I used them for several months, then gradually I stopped and now I suffer much less from thoughts that come back and I also sleep much better. At the moment I use only melatonin and I think it is a good solution for my insomnia.

And you, do you suffer from insomnia? Do you have circular thoughts that haunt you? Would you try these tips?

How Has The Curfew Changed Your Habits?

When I hear about curfews, dark times come to my mind, times of war. Actually we have been fighting a war against Covid since March this year. There are no bombs, we don’t have to be evacuated, we can eat every day because there are enough food supplies. But the curfew has changed our habits, most probably also those related to meal times.

From North to South of Europe we eat at different times. Soon in the north, later in the south. Maybe you are invited to dinner by someone and the curfew forces you to eat earlier because then you have to go home. Or you eat later because you finish work late and don’t have time to buy something for dinner, or to stop by in a restaurant. The restaurants are closed, they only offer take-away service and you must go back home within the time set by the curfew.

A friend from Paris, before the city was put into total lockdown, had to return home by 9 p.m. We know that Paris is a big city and people often use public transport, which is very efficient. To be home by 9 p.m., she had to take the subway by 8:30 pm at the latest and therefore she was eating later than her previous habits. And she began to sleep badly.

If you make an appointment before the curfew begins, you may feel stressed out because you will have to rush to get home on time. Perhaps it would be better to stay at home and respect the government’s directions and limit our social contacts. But sometimes you want to be out for a while, to meet some friends.

The effects of the curfew are not only on your social life, but also on your health as a result of adapting to a new pace of life and changing your routine.

The new schedule imposed by the curfew may have advantages, for example, you stop working earlier, go home earlier and have dinner earlier. For example, you arrive home at 7 p.m., have dinner between 8 p.m. and 8.30 p.m., go to bed around 11 p.m. and get up at 7 a.m. the next day.

This would be optimal for your health. Indeed, you would better synchronize with your internal, external environmental and external social biological clocks (time).

Internal time is what marks your endogenous rhythm, which helps you sleep at night, stay awake during the day and eat at the right time for you.

External environmental time is determined by the alternation of the phases of light and dark generated by the solar cycle.

External social time can alter these balances. If your working schedule, lunch, dinner and leisure are not suitable to your biological type (chronotype) you could enter a phase of temporal disruption that may cause several health problems, like insomnia.

Our ancestors got up with the light and went to sleep with the dark. This rhythm allowed for adequate production of melatonin (the hormone that regulates sleep), which allowed for a perfect balance between internal time and external time.

The habit of eating around 9:30 p.m. or even later goes against these natural cycles and makes it more difficult to rest well. A large dinner ending around midnight could cause difficult digestion at a time when the body should be resting instead.

It is therefore recommended to finish dinner at least two hours before going to bed to avoid poor quality sleep and an awakening marked by fatigue, irritability and low cognitive performance.

If you follow the biological rhythm of your body, you will have a big improvement in your overall health!

Do you think the curfew has made you change some of your habits?

How and Why Fighting Your Stress Is Important

I’m sure you use the word stress often throughout your day.

We all feel a little stressed due to the multiple commitments we have, pending deadlines, and lack of time to dedicate to ourselves.

The common denominator of all forms of stress is a feeling of malaise, fatigue, irritability that makes us more fragile with illness and less tolerant of others and of daily problems.

Actually stress is an adaptive response that has allowed our species to survive throughout its evolution.

Hans Seyle, the first theorist of stress, conceived it as an adaptive response that the body puts into force to overcome all the situations that its alarm systems deem dangerous.

The stress reaction is indeed characterized by the secretion of hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline which make the muscles stronger and the person more reactive. In this sense, stress has a value that is not only positive but also necessary for the survival of the species.

Primitive men had to face dangers that were of a short duration. While they were hunting, for example, they might encounter an animal and had to decide whether to run away or face it (have you ever heard of the “fight or flight” response?), but once they made up their mind and acted accordingly, they had plenty of time to recover.

In the contemporary age, we too have this type of reaction when facing what, on a conscious or unconscious level, we perceive as dangerous (stressor). But today’s stressors are definitely different from those our ancestors faced. Modern stressors are psychosocial and no longer physical. It’s about the work environment, social relationships, financial worries, the huge amount of commitments we have and the limited time to complete them. Above all, these stressors are not momentary but can persist for a long time and consequently we need more time to recover.

Look at these signs that may indicate that stress is becoming a threat to your health:

Discomfort with sounds and lights
Muscle pains, contractures and cramps
Headache
Sleeping Disorders
Cardiac arrhythmia
Hypertension
Digestive difficulties
Anxiety
Depression
Irritability
General fatigue

What can you do concretely to combat stress, when the conditions in which you find yourself do not allow you to avoid it?

Physical activity, especially aerobic, such as brisk walking, swimming and cycling, is undoubtedly one of the best remedies for stress.

Breathing control, like getting used to using the diaphragm and slowing the respiratory rate, is another useful tool against stress.

Other activities may be: yoga, tai chi and meditation. In recent years, mindfulness has become popular. Mindfulness, by increasing the level of personal awareness, carries out an anti-stress action.

Obviously, a good massage that helps you increase the level of oxytocin, a hormone capable of counteracting cortisol, is certainly effective.

As regards food supplement, magnesium is the anti-stress mineral for excellence, also because we are chronically deficient. Remember that a supplement is such because it must be complementary to a healthy diet. Therefore, remember to eat well!

What about you? What are the solutions you adopt to fight your stress?

5 Tips to Help You Sleeping During This Super Hot Summer

If you don’t have air conditioning like me (living in Brussels, I thought it was rare to exceed 30 degrees, while the last few summers are showing the opposite), the high temperatures of this period could prevent you from having a quality sleep. It goes without saying that a good sleep allows you to be in good shape the next day, productive and less stressed.

Here are some tips to help you refresh the atmosphere and sleep better:

choose cotton on your skin. Even though it may seem to you that a light cotton tee-shirt will warm you up during the night, it is actually better because the cotton will absorb sweat;
put a wet bed sheet in front of an open window. It will cool the air down;
don’t take a cold shower before going to bed, otherwise your body will have to raise its temperature to reach its normal one. Take a warm shower and put only your hands and feet into cold water;
pass an aloe vera or a mint stick on the temples and wrists to get a refreshing effect;
drink a hot herbal tea to cause a hot-cold shock to your body also for a refreshing effect.

Are you ready to try them out?

Why Don’t you STUFF?

STUFF (acronym for Stand-up for Fitness) for someone like me, who has been suffering from Restless legs syndrome (RLS) for almost one year, is very helpful.

Did you know that sitting for too long may be considered as smoking for what concerns the risk of chronic health problems? Too much sitting could be the cause of heart diseases, diabetes and some cancers, and also mental health troubles.

For RLS people like me, sitting for too long is just impossible. Generally speaking, I cannot sit longer than one hour! My legs feel the need to move. Therefore, I work standing all day long and I walk long distances every day. It helps me sleeping, even though sometimes is not enough and I spend sleepless nights (but in such cases I think the cause might also be anxiety or stress).

But also if you don’t suffer from RLS interrupting long sitting periods by short breaks, for instance, interrupting sitting every 30-45 min by standing for at least 10-15 minutes, is very healthy.

Even if you are an active person, more than 6 hours sitting per day has negative effects you cannot compensate for. Have a look at this video, read some fact and practise STUFF by, for instance:

have walking meetings,
go for a stroll over lunch,
get a sit-standing desk.

Remember: Don’t just sit there!

Being active is not as hard as you think. There are lots of simple ways to include some physical activity in your day.

So, are you ready to STUFF?

Aromatherapy to Fight Insomnia

Insomnia can have different causes: noisy surrounding environment, excess of light or lack of light, extreme heat or cold, intense rhythm of life that causes stress, anxiety and depression. Good sleep is the cornerstone of a healthy life, while insomnia can cause mental and physical health ailments and weaken the immune system.

Several studies have shown a positive effect of essential oils on sleep disorders. However, if you experience severe sleeping disorders that have a significant impact on any aspect of your well-being, seek professional help.

I have selected five essential oils that I use for myself and my family that I hope will be useful to you too.

Oils that prevent insomnia and calm the spirit by reducing anxiety:

Lavender: relaxes the muscles, has antidepressant, calming and balancing properties. I used it also when my son was little and found difficult to fall asleep.

Roman chamomile: powerful calming oil, helps to manage nervous and anguish crisis.

Bitter orange: calming, balancing, sedative, it allows to fight anxiety, anguish, restless sleep and night time awakenings.

Oils to calm muscle spasms responsible for agitation:

Marjoram: a very powerful anxiolytic, antispasmodic and sedative. In addition to providing a sedative and anti-inflammatory effect, it relieves stiff and painful joints.

Ravensara (Ravintsara): muscle relaxant. Complements and strengthens the marjoram and helps you fall asleep.

This is only a small selection based on my preferences. You can also try mandarin, neroli, hypericum, valerian and lemon scented geranium.

How to use them:

Aroma Diffuser: pour 20 to 25 drops of essential oil into an electric diffuser to avoid combustion and turn it on 5 minutes before going to bed.

Massage: pour 4 to 10 drops of essential oil into a vegetable oil such as argan or hemp. Massage the solar plexus before going to bed. If you have the chance, ask those who live with you to massage your feet, back, legs and belly.

Bath (for an adult): mix 5 to 10 drops of essential oil with unrefined coarse salt (a medium-sized glass) and add it to your bath water just before plunging in. Rest about 15 minutes in the tub and then go to bed. For children use only 5 drops.

Steam your pillow: spray some oil a few times on your pillow before going to sleep.

General tips to improve your sleep:

Avoid noise and light in your room. Deep darkness is optimal for a deep sleep. Keep the temperature between 18 and 19 degrees C, before going to bed open the window for 5 minutes and eliminate allergens (cat or dog hair, dust, pollen, etc.).

In the evening, eliminate exciting drinks like coffee, tea, carbonated drinks and alcohol. Eat light food and do not go to bed immediately after eating, even if you are very tired. Beware if you miss vitamin B, calcium and magnesium as it may be the cause which can cause sleep disorders.

Avoid spending many hours in front of a screen (both computer and television) before going to sleep. Of course, you should also avoid having a television in the room.

Emotions

Anxiety and adaptation to change are two enemies of sleep. Read, drink a herbal tea, meditate. Plan a 30 minute relaxation time to at least calm your spirit and body before going to bed.

Sleep Cycle

Respect your schedules and habits as much as possible so as not to upset your biological clock. Always try to eat and go to bed at the same time. If you suffer from insomnia do not take an afternoon nap because you risk changing your sleeping pattern.

What about you? Do you think that one of those oils may help you improve your sleep?

5 Effective Ways to Relax Yourself

Do you feel the need to relax but don’t know which relaxation method to choose? Here are some of my favourite ones! You have to just choose the one that inspires you the most.

Method 1: mindful breathing.
Obviously it is not our normal way of breathing, which consists of inhaling and exhaling without even realizing it. It is a conscious breathing, to which you have to pay attention.

How does it work? Sit where you want, on the floor, on a chair, on the sofa. Begin to inhale through your nose by inflating your belly. Slowly breathe out through your mouth, emptying your belly (it’s also a good exercise for your abs). Just focus on the air flow that passes through your body. You will see that your breathing slows down and your body slowly relaxes. The ideal would be to practice this type of breathing at least three times a day. You can do it everywhere, you always breath, you only need to do it mindfully. One minute of deep, conscious breathing will help you to relax.

Method 2: meditation.
I am not referring here to transcendental meditation, but to meditation in full consciousness (mindfulness), accessible and easy to apply. Meditation helps you take care of yourself and your mind, allowing you to be aware of the “here and now”, moving away from stress and problems.

How does it work? Close your eyes and concentrate on the sensation of the air going in and coming out from your nostrils. Try not to be distracted, and every time you notice that your mind is wandering, focus back your attention on the breath. A meditation session can last a few minutes for beginners and hours for the more experienced. If you are a super technological type, you can try apps that guide and follow you during your meditation journey. It would be ideal practising this type of meditation a few minutes several times a day.

Method 3: massage
Massage eliminates tension and provides a feeling of serenity and super pleasant well-being. So if you have the chance, get a massage. Your stress will disappear. If you don’t find anyone among your family or friends that can massage you (in these confinement times you cannot go to a wellness centre), you can take massage devices, which you can use for the neck, feet, back or head. There are also armchairs that do massages and even a mask that gently massages your eyes and makes you look and feel perfectly rested! A simple solution for the feet could be crushing and rolling tennis balls. It is almost like having a reflexology session. Give it a try!

Method 4: Yoga and Pilates
They are two similar disciplines and are both helpful for your physical and mental health. While Yoga focuses on the physical and mental connection, Pilates is more similar to a sport that, however, makes us use deeply the muscles of our body.

Method 5: aromatherapy
Aromatherapy uses the aromatic essence of plants to prevent, cure or relax. In the latter case, you can use an essential oil diffuser that allows the atomization of the oils and their diffusion in the home environment.

What oils can you use to relax? Here are some that I like very much:

Lavender essential oil: it has sedative and calming properties and allows relaxation.
Neroli essential oil: it reduces stress and fights insomnia and tension.
Marjoram essential oil: it regulates emotions and protects you from fears.
Grapefruit essential oil: it combats stress and helps you resolve doubts.
Mandarin essential oil: it is relaxing and sedative.
Scots pine essential oil: it helps you control emotions.

Here are my favourite relaxation methods. Choose the one you like most and, if you like, let me know. You can even choose more than one because taking care of yourself is the best thing you can do!

5 Reasons Why Hiking Is Good for the Body, Soul And Spirit

Hiking means enjoying a revitalizing moment. People increasingly appreciate the benefits of slowness and simplicity. Walking is a wonderful way to discover the natural environment.

Here are 5 reasons why you should start hiking:

1. It is an extremely healthy activity.

Hiking can improve your general physical health that under many aspects is comparable to other sports. Sleep improves, the risk of cardiovascular diseases and chronic diseases is reduced. Indeed, it could also be better than an indoor sport activity: the uneven surface of the paths allows actually to work naturally and effectively on your internal balance and to strengthen it. This does not happen on a treadmill in the gym, whose surface is absolutely equal and you can only change the inclination. The gym doesn’t even offer the combination of pure air and natural light, accompanied by sounds, colours and perfumes of nature.

2. Walking outdoors makes you happier.

Hiking strengthen your spirit and your body at the same time. You can improve your mood, you can increase your happiness, the symptoms of anxiety and depression can be reduced. Connecting your spirit and your senses to the present moment, an excursion into nature represents the perfect antidote to the stress of modern life. In Japan, a long walk in the natural environment is considered an official therapy to reduce stress. The “shinrin-yoku“, or bath in the forest, simply consists of plunging yourself in the heart of a peaceful forest for a few hours and soaking up its atmosphere.

3. Sport is mixed with discovery

This is one of the main advantages of hiking, because it allows you to associate sport with discovery. Going to the gym can sometimes be difficult while going on an excursion is perceived as a pleasant activity. Hiking is always a new journey. By simply putting one foot in front of the other, you can venture into the diversity of new landscapes: green prairies, relaxing forests, sparkling lakes or cozy villages.

4. It’s a nearly free activity

There is no need to enrol, no classes or expensive equipment are required, hiking is an affordable activity. some nature reserves may ask for a low-cost entry ticket but there are plenty of areas whose access is completely free. The only think really necessary is a pair of good and comfortable shoes and a hat and sunglasses if it is sunny, of course.

5. Hiking is accessible to all, in almost all seasons and in all places

Everyone can enjoy a walk in the nature, regardless of the age and the level of training. Of course, you may have to choose paths that are suitable for your age and physical fitness. You don’t even need to plan or prepare the excursion in advance. Surely there are natural spaces suitable for hiking around or not far from you. If there are no mountains or large trails nearby where you live, there will certainly be a park or a natural space.

Let me know about your experience!

Eating Well for Sleeping Better

It is well-known that what we eat influences the quality of our sleep. It is even more important to eat well in the evening, because we go to sleep afterwards. Eating out a hamburger with friends coming out from work, eating a whole tablet of chocolate in front of the television, or eating too much on coming back late from work, they are not good habits.

Why don’t we sleep well after having eaten late in the evening, or having eaten a lot or to having eaten a fat or sweet meal?
Which are the effects on health and on wellbeing if you sleep badly?
Which are the recommendations in order to sleep well and wake up completely restored?

Let’s see.

Why eating late it’s not good?
The body accumulates more fat. Recent studies have compared people eating late in the evening some food and people eating earlier the same kind of food. The former show more fat in their blood test.

This also represents a cardio-vascular risk for those people who would eat just before going to bed and after 10 p.m..
You may have some cramps or refluxes because of the lying down position in bed and therefore you may not sleep.
A bad digestion may wake you up during the night and therefore it may alter the quality of your sleep.

When you don’t sleep well, the whole body will suffer and you may become nervous, be in a bad mood and may not be able to focus well. Besides, the sleep regulates also our hormonal balance. The hunger hormone (the ghrelin) and the satiety hormone (the leptin) are produced while sleeping. If you don’t sleep well or don’t sleep enough, the two hormones are unbalanced: more ghrelin than leptin is produced. Then, you will be prone to eat more for compensating the lack of sleep or the bad sleep. You will eat more and sleep worse, in short you will find yourself in a vicious circle.
The stress hormone (cortisol) and the sleeping hormone (melatonin) are also regulated by the sleep. If they get unbalanced, the whole quality of your life will suffer.

Finally, the hemoglobin becomes rarer. This antibody protects the organism against bacteria, viruses and some toxins, therefore it is needed for a good immunity. As it is also produced during the sleep, you may become more vulnerable if you don’t sleep well. That’s why fatigue or stress can provoke illnesses.

In the long term, an irregular sleep or lack of sleep will increase the risk of depression, obesity, cardiac illnesses and diabetes. It is therefore fundamental sleeping well and also trying to pay attention to what you eat in the evening.

Try to privilege some foods rich in tryptophan and vitamin B2, because they make sleeping easier. The tryptophan, needed to produce the melatonin (the sleeping hormone) can be found in bananas, tuna, chickpeas, dates and milk. The vitamin B2, that also make sleeping easier, can be found in all dairy products (milk, yoghurt, cheese), green beans, tomatoes, mushrooms and in asparagus.

Recommendations for a healthy evening meal:

eating at least three hours before going to bed;
eating slowly, without stress;
eating up to when you start feeling full, not more;
eating with moderation foods as pasta, potatoes, cheese;
avoiding sauces, excessively salty or excessively sweet food;
avoiding alcoholic and energising drinks and other stimulants like caffeine;
it would be better to avoid smoking too;
sugar gives immediately available energy, therefore avoid also sweet drinks, sweets in general, above all if you would eat them in front of the television.

Do you feel hungry before going to bed?

Someone say that it would be better going to bed being a bit hungry, also your shape would benefit. But if you cannot really make it, then eat a light yoghurt with no sugar, some walnuts, drink some warm milk or an herbal infusion. The good old chamomile is an excellent option.

Ready for this challenge?