Beat Insomnia Tonight

[ { "type": "text", "label": "What is insomnia?", "label_font": "b", "label_size": "h2", "content": "Insomnia is a medical condition where a previously good sleeper suffers from sleeplessness for a period lasting longer than several weeks. What most people suffer from is a lack of refreshing quality sleep, rather than not sleeping at all, leaving them feeling tired but wired." }, { "type": "text", "label": "Common insomnia causes", "label_font": "b", "label_size": "h2", "content": "Your sleep could be disturbed by an external source, like your spouse snoring, but experts say we’re in the middle of a sleep-debt crisis. Long work hours and a 24-hour culture mean we sleep less than at any other time in recent history. This non-stop lifestyle also runs on artificial light, which confuses our circadian rhythms. Our body clock interprets light to mean ‘daylight’ and adapts to the new daytime. Stress and anxiety are also enemies of good quality sleep. Your body metabolises the stress hormone, cortisol, during sleep, but shortened sleep can mean cortisol levels do not drop far enough, so you wake up still feeling stressed." }, { "type": "text", "label": "Learn to sleep better", "label_font": "b", "label_size": "h2", "content": "Our quality of sleep can be improved with better ‘sleep hygiene’ habits:" }, { "type": "list", "label": "Tips for better sleep hygiene", "content": [ "Cut down on tea and coffee. Caffeine is a stimulant that also blocks the effects of adenosine, a compound that promotes sleep. Try herbal teas instead of caffeine-filled drinks.", "Avoid bright lights two hours before bedtime, including TV and computer screens, smartphones, and tablets.", "Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. A room temperature around 18°C is conducive to restful sleep. Invest in blackout curtains to block out bright streetlights, while earplugs can help with noise pollution.", "Avoid weekend lie-ins. Your body can’t store sleep, so lie-ins disrupt your circadian rhythms.", "Invest in a new mattress. After 10 years of use, the structure can deteriorate significantly.", "Set aside 30 minutes before bed to write down your worries and create a ‘To Do’ list. Put them away before you fall asleep." ] }, { "type": "text", "label": "What are the best insomnia cures?", "label_font": "b", "label_size": "h2", "content": "If better sleep hygiene hasn’t helped your insomnia, there are other potential remedies:" }, { "type": "list", "label": "Additional insomnia remedies", "content": [ "Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help you understand how to alter unhelpful thoughts and beliefs, such as ‘I will never get to sleep’. Ask your GP to refer you to a CBT sleep specialist.", "Try taking 5-HTP supplements. Your body converts 5-HTP into serotonin, the ‘happy’ hormone, which may play a role in helping you sleep more soundly.", "Kalms Night can help you drift off to sleep quickly and easily.", "Don’t worry if you’re not getting a full eight hours every night. If you feel refreshed when you wake up, you’ve had enough sleep." ] }, { "type": "text", "content": "This article has been adapted from longer features appearing in Healthy, the Holland & Barrett magazine. Advice is for information only and should not replace medical care. Please check with your GP before trying any remedies.", "label_font": "i", "label_size": "h6" } ]