11 Ways to Overcome Sleeplessness

Several ways to deal with insomnia, from reducing caffeine to drinking milk, can be applied to make sleeping easy and restful. If left untreated, insomnia can interfere with daily activities to trigger various health problems.

Difficulty sleeping or insomnia that occurs continuously can cause the body to tire easily, it is difficult for the brain to concentrate, thus triggering various health problems, such as depression, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

Prolonged insomnia needs to be addressed, especially if the condition interferes with activities. To overcome this, there are several ways to overcome insomnia that you can apply.

Different Ways to Overcome Insomnia

Here are various ways to overcome insomnia:

1. Do regular exercise

Routine exercising for at least 30 minutes every day can be one way to overcome insomnia. Some of the sports you can do are walking, cycling, and yoga.

Not only maintaining general body health, exercise can also make the body more relaxed, and reduce stress and anxiety. This effect will make your sleep more restful.

However, it is not recommended that you exercise at least 2 hours before going to bed. This is because the body will release endorphins which can actually keep you awake and make it more difficult to sleep

2. Limit nap time

Napping to make the body fresher is not prohibited, but you should pay attention to the duration of the afternoon nap. This is because naps that are too long can actually make it more difficult for you to sleep at night.

If you feel very tired and want to take a nap, it is recommended that you just sleep for 10–20 minutes before 3pm.

3. Do box breathing

Box breathing is a deep breathing technique that can help calm the body's nervous system. This method is useful for dealing with stress and insomnia. You can do this breathing technique before going to bed so that your body is more relaxed

Here's how to do box breathing:

• Position the body as comfortable as possible, such as sitting on the floor or sofa, or in a lying position when going to sleep.
• Close your eyes and take a deep breath for 4 seconds, feel the air entering your nose and lungs.
• Hold in for 4 seconds, then exhale slowly for 4 seconds.
• Repeat the 4–4–4 breathing technique several times until the body feels more relaxed.

If you are new to this breathing technique, try starting with inhaling, holding, and exhaling for 2 or 3 seconds each. If you get used to it, you can increase the duration of time.

4. Doing massage therapy

Massage therapy is not only useful as an alternative to treat health problems, but can also be used as a way to overcome insomnia.

In addition to relaxing tense muscles, massaging the body, for example in the back area, can reduce the release of stress hormones and reduce symptoms of anxiety. This can make the body more relaxed, so sleep will be more restful

5. Take a warm shower

The way to deal with insomnia that you can try next is a warm bath. This is because warm water can produce the hormone melatonin which causes drowsiness

Not only makes you sleep better, research shows that taking a warm bath at least 90 minutes before going to bed can help you fall asleep earlier than usual.

6. Restrict the use of gadgets

The use of gadgets at night can cause the brain to continue to be stimulated, thus keeping you awake for hours. In addition, the blue light emitted by gadgets can also suppress the production of the hormone melatonin and make it more difficult for the body to sleep.

In order for you to fall asleep faster, try not to use your device for at least 1 hour before going to bed.

7. Limit consumption of caffeine

Caffeine has been shown to interfere with sleep quality, especially if consumed in excess. Caffeine is not only found in coffee, but also in tea, soft drinks and energy drinks.

To avoid sleep problems, you are advised not to consume more than 2 cups of caffeine per day and avoid consuming caffeine at least 4 hours before going to bed.

8. Drink milk

Drinking warm milk before going to bed is widely used as a way to overcome insomnia naturally. Milk contains the amino acid tryptophan which produces the hormone serotonin, which is a hormone that plays a role in increasing drowsiness. Therefore, drinking milk can make you sleep faster

Although the benefits of milk still require further research, there's nothing wrong with getting used to drinking a glass of warm milk before going to bed to make the body relax and fall asleep quickly.

9. Drink chamomile

tea

Besides drinking milk, you can also drink chamomile tea as a way to overcome insomnia. This herbal tea made from Chamomile flowers is useful for helping to reduce muscle tension and anxiety, so that it can improve sleep quality.

To get these benefits, you can drink a cup of warm chamomile tea after dinner. However, avoid drinking this tea too close to bedtime as it can make you urinate more frequently and disturb your night's sleep.

10. Using lavender oil

Lavender is a well-known flower used as an essential oil or aromatherapy to treat insomnia. This is because the scent of lavender flowers can make the body more calm and relaxed, so it can make you sleep faster

The way to deal with insomnia using lavender is to pour a few drops of lavender oil onto the pillow. Apart from that, you can also drop lavender oil on a diffuser that has been filled with water.

11. Apply sleep hygiene

Sleep hygiene is a practice carried out to build healthy sleep habits. This sleep practice can be a way to overcome insomnia and improve sleep quality.

Here's how to applysleep hygiene:

• Wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day.
• Avoid consuming foods that contain high fat before going to bed.
• Create a relaxing routine before going to bed, for example using skincare.
• Create a comfortable sleeping environment, such as turning off the lights and keeping the room temperature cool.
• Manage stress wisely.

Some people may get around complaints of insomnia by taking sleeping pills. However, the use of sleeping pills should be done on the advice of a doctor so that drug abuse or drug dependence does not occur

If the way to deal with insomnia above doesn't make your insomnia complaint better or lasts more than a week, consult your doctor immediately to get the appropriate treatment.

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