I read @attn's post on Let's talk about Sleep and it sparked my interest to share my own experience and thoughts on the subject.
I recall the moment I came across the fact that we spend one-third of our lifetime sleeping. It was a revelation for me, considering my history as a light sleeper and growing up in a household where some family members struggled with insomnia. The slightest sounds could easily awaken me and when I did, I would see my parents or older siblings also awake doing one thing or the other. I became worried and did not want to turn out like them. So I would 'will' myself to sleep and it usually worked.
Being a mother of two sons and an adult with so many responsibilities, I understood the reason for insomnia! My parents had so much to think about which kept them awake at the time while I had no worries. It was easy to fall asleep at will.
I have since linked sleeping or the ability to do so easily with the state of the mind. When I had things to worry about, I would stay awake the whole night, sometimes for days without a wink until the matter was resolved. Then I would sleep for eight or nine hours at a stretch, day or night to make up for it. Can I refer to this as a kind of insomnia? I have not studied sleep patterns/insomnia medically and all I write about here are from my experiences.
I experienced full-blown insomnia when I had my two sons. Right from the first trimester, it was one of the signs that informed me I was pregnant. I would toss and turn for most of the night. When it was almost dawn that's when sleep comes and in a few hours, I was up again. In my third trimester, it was worse. Whenever sleep came, that was when my boys were active, making my belly a boxing ring and sleep an impossibility. They made me long for their births so I could get back to my normal sleep patterns.
After I gave birth, my 'normal' sleep pattern did not return, exactly as my mother predicted. She spoke from experience at the time but I did not want to believe her until it became my reality.
Did I find a solution to my intermittent insomnia? Yes! Making my environment conducive is always the first step. As a light sleeper, a creak could wake me up and I wouldn't be able to shut my eyes for the rest of the night. By morning, I become cranky unless I drink coffee or something to keep me alert.
To stay healthy (because when I don't sleep well, I fall ill so easily), I make my environment conducive to induce sleep whenever it's nighttime. This means making sure my house is very quiet by sending my sons to bed early or else there would be no sleep for me.
I also like to retire at night with a cup of herbal tea like chamomile, lemongrass or rooibos tea. Ever since I discovered the power of these teas to induce sleep, it's been super easy to do so.
Photo is mine
I have heard some people say herbal tea doesn't help with their insomnia. I wouldn't know what to say to them. I've learned that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for insomnia. Stress and anxiety are major causes and when it's dealt with, sleep should come easily. But I could be wrong about this.
While I still struggle with sleep from time to time, I've learned to manage it better with age and passed this knowledge to my ageing parents who sleep better now that my siblings and I are grown and out of the house. I think we were the cause of their stress and insomnia then. Haha.
Also, a healthy lifestyle, a good diet and a positive attitude can do wonders in promoting good sleep. I also make an effort to disconnect from my phone screen before bedtime. Social media can be very tempting at that time of the night.
Are there other ways to deal with insomnia? You may share them with me in the comment section. Thanks for reading!
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Leí el post de @attn sobre Hablemos del sueño y despertó mi interés por compartir mi propia experiencia y mis pensamientos sobre el tema.
Recuerdo el momento en que descubrí que pasamos un tercio de nuestra vida durmiendo. Para mí fue una revelación, teniendo en cuenta que tengo el sueño muy ligero y crecí en un hogar donde algunos miembros de la familia sufrían de insomnio. El más mínimo ruido podía despertarme fácilmente y, cuando lo hacía, veía a mis padres o hermanos mayores también despiertos haciendo una cosa u otra. Me preocupaba y no quería acabar como ellos. Así que me obligaba a dormir y normalmente funcionaba.
Al ser madre de dos hijos y adulta con tantas responsabilidades, ¡entendía la razón del insomnio! Mis padres tenían muchas cosas en las que pensar que les mantenían despiertos, mientras que yo no tenía ninguna preocupación. Era fácil dormirse a voluntad.
Desde entonces he relacionado el sueño o la capacidad de dormir fácilmente con el estado de ánimo. Cuando tenía cosas que me preocupaban, me quedaba despierto toda la noche, a veces durante días sin pegar ojo hasta que se resolvía el asunto. Entonces dormía ocho o nueve horas seguidas, de día o de noche, para compensar. ¿Puedo referirme a esto como un tipo de insomnio? No he estudiado los patrones de sueño/insomnio desde un punto de vista médico y todo lo que escribo aquí proviene de mi experiencia.
Experimenté insomnio en toda regla cuando tuve a mis dos hijos. Desde el primer trimestre, fue uno de los signos que me informaron de que estaba embarazada. Daba vueltas en la cama la mayor parte de la noche. Cuando casi amanecía, llegaba el sueño y, a las pocas horas, estaba despierta de nuevo. En el tercer trimestre fue peor. Cuando dormía, era cuando mis hijos estaban activos, convirtiendo mi barriga en un ring de boxeo y el sueño en un imposible. Me hacían desear que hubieran nacido para poder volver a mis patrones normales de sueño.
Después de dar a luz, mi patrón de sueño "normal" no volvió, exactamente como predijo mi madre. Entonces hablaba por experiencia, pero no quise creerlo hasta que se convirtió en mi realidad.
¿Encontré una solución a mi insomnio intermitente? Sí. Hacer que mi entorno sea propicio es siempre el primer paso. Como tengo el sueño ligero, un susurro puede despertarme y no podré cerrar los ojos el resto de la noche. Por la mañana, me pongo de mal humor a menos que tome café o algo que me mantenga alerta.
Para mantenerme sano (porque cuando no duermo bien, me pongo enfermo con mucha facilidad), siempre que es de noche hago que mi entorno sea propicio para inducir el sueño. Esto significa que me aseguro de que mi casa esté muy silenciosa y mando a mis hijos a la cama temprano, de lo contrario no podría dormir.
También me gusta retirarme por la noche con una taza de té de hierbas, como manzanilla, hierba limón o té rooibos. Desde que descubrí el poder de estas infusiones para inducir el sueño, me resulta súper fácil hacerlo.
La foto es mía
He oído a algunas personas decir que el té de hierbas no ayuda con el insomnio. No sabría qué decirles. He aprendido que no existe una solución única para el insomnio. La tensión y la ansiedad son las principales causas y, cuando se tratan, el sueño debería llegar fácilmente. Pero podría equivocarme.
Aunque sigo teniendo problemas de sueño de vez en cuando, he aprendido a controlarlo mejor con la edad y he transmitido este conocimiento a mis padres, que son mayores y duermen mejor ahora que mis hermanos y yo somos mayores y estamos fuera de casa. Creo que entonces éramos la causa de su estrés e insomnio. Jaja.
Además, un estilo de vida saludable, una buena alimentación y una actitud positiva pueden hacer maravillas para dormir. También hago un esfuerzo por desconectarme de la pantalla de mi teléfono antes de acostarme. Las redes sociales pueden ser muy tentadoras a esa hora de la noche.
¿Hay otras formas de combatir el insomnio? Puedes compartirlas conmigo en la sección de comentarios. Gracias por leerme.
I appreciate your personal experiences and insights on sleep patterns and insomnia. It is always helpful to hear from others and learn about different coping methods. I also believe that creating a peaceful and comfortable sleep environment, practicing a healthy lifestyle, and disconnecting from screens before bedtime can all make a significant impact on sleep quality. Thanks for sharing!
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Hi there, @esther-emmanuel. 😃 You are so right. We learn from each other to grow and be better. It's great to know that my experiences and insights were helpful to you. Thank you very much for the curation. 😊😊🤗
Yes, I think stress and anxiety play important roles indeed, but as you say, the idea is to find a balance with a healthy diet and then... After reading a lot of articles already, I've realized that many more people than I would have thought don't have such good sleep! And I think that mobile phones and the internet are partly responsible for this. Because yes, as you rightly say, things change when you have children, but I have the impression that the networks, however beneficial and useful they may be in other respects, add an extra tension that we don't necessarily realize!
For herbal teas, I also use chamomile, sometimes with star anise and lime blossom, and then above all I meditate in the position in which I am going to fall asleep, concentrating on a gentle rhythm of breathing. The idea is not to stop the thoughts, but to let them flow :)
Thank you for your participation and your precious testimony dear @ladytitan !
I wish you a pleasant weekend, take good care of you 🌟
I discovered this a few years back through my own and my family's experiences. Insomnia is often caused by factors such as stress, anxiety, and others. In my country, the challenging economic situation is a major contributor, as parents and guardians worry about providing for their children, which often results in a decline in their health. Sleep is a vital component of our daily routine and should be given the necessary attention and care.
Your approach of utilizing herbal teas, meditation, and breathing techniques is great. I think it's important to find what works best for each individual and keep experimenting until we find the right balance.
Thank you so much for this topic and for sharing your ideas. Have a wonderful weekend! 😊
I'm sure this has a really big impact... Here in Europe, some people have too much and are not sleeping well too... Too much or too less, as in everything, this is the balance which is to seek !
Thanks you again for your appreciated contribution ✌️😘
Take good care, I wish you a nice week !
Lo bueno de este tema del sueño, es que reflexionamos sobre nuestros hábitos y estos pueden ayudar a nuestros seres queridos. Más importante aún, es que nunca es tarde para mejorar nuestra forma de descansar. Así como le distes tips que han ayudado a tus padres, seguro varias de las cosas que has compartido, podemos poner en práctica en nuestro día a día.
Muchas gracias por compartir
Hola, @flquin. Tiene toda la razón. La práctica continua de algunas de las cosas que he mencionado siempre ayuda. Me gustaría saber más formas de inducir el sueño fácilmente para superar el insomnio. Le agradezco su comentario. Saludos. 😊😊
Tal vez entre los post de otros compañeros, encuentres otros métodos que te puedan ayudar.
Fue todo un gusto 😀
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