melatonin – Crisbie Coach

The Silent Struggle of Insomnia

We all know someone who struggles with sleepless nights or complains about restless sleep. Perhaps you’re one of them. In Europe, nearly one-third of adults grapple with difficulties falling asleep, and between 10% and 15% suffer from chronic insomnia. Personally, I’ve been battling insomnia for what feels like an eternity. It’s a complex issue, rooted in various causes, ranging from the pervasive use of digital devices emitting blue light (computers, tablets, and TVs) to deeper biological factors. But have you ever considered that the obsession with achieving perfect sleep could be part of the problem?

The Pursuit of Perfect Sleep: When the Quest Becomes the Problem

This obsession is known as orthosomnia—a term derived from the Greek word ortho (meaning “perfect”) and the Latin somnia (meaning “rest”). While not officially classified as a disorder, orthosomnia is increasingly recognized by experts as a growing phenomenon. It’s characterized by what I refer to as “circular thoughts”—those relentless, recurring thoughts that spin in a vicious cycle. The primary culprits? Stress and anxiety. When you can’t sleep, your mind fixates on the same worries, over and over again, creating a loop that’s hard to break.

My Journey Through Insomnia: The Role of Circular Thoughts

A thorough sleep study (known as polysomnography) might be worth considering for anyone dealing with insomnia, even if it’s mild. I took this step myself. Spending a night in a sleep clinic, hooked up to electrodes monitoring my brain activity, I discovered that Alpha waves—typically associated with wakefulness—were disrupting my sleep.

It became clear that reducing stress was crucial to improving my sleep quality. But, as anyone who has tried can attest, that’s easier said than done. Through trial and error, I’ve found a few strategies that have made a difference in my own life. If you’re struggling with sleeplessness, these tips might help you too.

Five Practical Tips to Ease Insomnia and Circular Thoughts

Practice Deep Breathing and Mindful Disciplines: Techniques like Yoga, Pilates, or meditation can help you breathe deeply and relax your mind, creating a foundation for better sleep.
Create a Calm Environment: Your bedroom should be a sanctuary of peace. Keep it clean, clutter-free, and organized to foster a more restful atmosphere. A tidy space can lead to a tidier mind.
Use Sleep-Inducing Essential Oils: Lavender and chamomile are particularly effective for promoting sleep. Incorporate them into your nighttime routine to help soothe your mind.
Relaxing Playlists: Music can be a powerful tool for relaxation. Curate a playlist of calming tunes that ease you into sleep.
Try Bach Flowers and Melatonin: White Chestnut is excellent for quieting circular thoughts, while Rescue Sleep can help in falling asleep. I used these remedies for several months and experienced significant improvement. Now, I rely on melatonin alone, and my sleep has improved remarkably.

Reflecting on Your Sleep: Are You Ready to Try Something New?

So, do you find yourself overwhelmed by sleepless nights and circular thoughts? If so, perhaps it’s time to try some of these tips. Remember, the journey to better sleep is personal, and what works for one person might not work for another. But with patience and persistence, you can find the strategies that help you rest more peacefully.

Have you tried any of these methods? What has worked for you in your quest for better sleep? Share your experience here below! You could help some other insomniac people!

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A Vegetable-based Diet for a Good Night’s Sleep

sliced tomato and avocado on white plate

Eating well to sleep better, it seems like a dream. What if I tell you that you could do it?

Studies show that a diet low in fibre and high in sugars and saturated fat makes sleep lighter, and less restful.

Incorporating vegetables into your weekly menu will be a game-changer.

Here are some tips on how to get more energy during the day and sleep better at night.

While we all know that having an espresso after dinner will not help us fall asleep and that it is better to drink water rather than wine before going to bed, studies show that our diet plays a role. Diets high in fibre and low in saturated fat can promote deeper, more restful sleep. The main reason why it is better to go for a vegetable-based diet is the presence of serotonin, tryptophan and melatonin in many vegan foods, essential elements for good sleep.

To boost your production of melatonin, known as the sleep hormone, eat fruits and vegetables like kiwis, spinach, tomatoes, lettuce, avocados, bananas, sour cherries, and red grapes. This hormone helps your body regulate its circadian rhythm and promotes healthy sleep. Researchers believe that fatty fish can help you fall asleep by providing a healthy dose of vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids, which play a key role in the body’s regulation of serotonin. Serotonin is an essential hormone that works to stabilize mood, provide a feeling of well-being, promote happiness and improve sleep.

This hormone influences your whole body. It allows brain cells and the nervous system to communicate with each other.

In addition, consuming nuts, rice, and oily fish will help you rest. So eat almonds, walnuts, pistachios and cashews. These good treats contain melatonin, as well as essential minerals like magnesium and zinc that support the body in many essential functions, including sleep.

Eat protein to get energy during the day and complex carbohydrates at dinner to have a good sleep.

Did you strain a little last night and feel lazy now? Instead of going for a sugary snack, choose a snack that is high in protein. Experts say that, contrary to popular belief, they are more energizing than sugar. Protein will give you energy by making you alert and active.

Eating complex carbohydrates at night will keep you fuller for longer. In addition, they have the advantage of stimulating the sleep hormone.
Thus, a dinner consisting of food such as pasta, beans, quinoa, rice or potatoes will help for a good night’s sleep.

Last tips. At the supermarket, head straight for soybeans. One cup of soybeans contains 28 grams of protein, roughly the same amount as 150 grams of chicken. Also, stock up on lentils, cheese, sunflower seeds and Greek yogurt.

Are you ready to go for a vegetable-based diet? It would help also our planet!

planet earth — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

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?