What is Sleep Insomnia
Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder in Singapore. Individuals with insomnia struggle with initiating sleep and maintaining sleep. Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy shared a recent survey result which indicate that Singapore was the third most sleep deprived city amongst 43 cities.
Individuals might experience insomnia frequently or sporadically. The diagnostic criteria of chronic insomnia are having episodes of insomnia occurring three or more times a week for a period of a month, acute if it takes place once or twice a week and occasional if it happens less frequently.
Causes of Insomnia
Multiple factors can lead to sleep insomnia and it is difficult to pinpoint a singular reason. The below can contribute to the condition:
- Regular Stress, is known to by most to cause short-term sleeping difficulties
- External factors (i.e. Temperature, Noise levels and brightness in the room)
- An uncomfortable mattress
- Excessive caffeine consumption
- Inadequate movement/exercise
- Screen time right before sleeping
- Inconsistent sleep schedule
- Long work hours
Treatments for Insomnia
If you are diagnosed with acute insomnia, doctors may recommend better sleep habits or short-term prescription sleep medication. It is best to work with your doctor to use it effectively and for as short a time as possible.
For chronic insomnia, a doctor will often look for underlying conditions or health problems that are causing the problem. They may suggest behavioural therapy, which can include reconditioning, sleep restriction therapy, and relaxation exercises.
Tips to beat Insomnia
You can relieve your insomnia and get restful nights of sleep without medication. It will take time, consistency, and lifestyle changes. Once you have committed to the goal, here is what you can do. These healthy habits will prepare your body mentally and physically for rest.
1. Pay attention to stress levels and engage in a wind down routine
- Take a warm bath / brush your teeth
- Meditate, guided imagery or progressive muscle relaxation
- Stay away from digital screens like a phone or TV and opt to read a book, journal or listen to an audiobook.
2. Put yourself on a sleep schedule
- Sleep and wake up at around the same time every day, including the weekends.
- A study by calm.com (a mindfulness and meditation app) found that people have the most restless sleep on Sunday nights. “The main reason is that people get off their normal sleep routine over the weekend,” says insomnia specialist Dr Steve Orma.
3.Keep a sleep friendly zone
- Block out loud noises by closing the windows if your room faces a main road or you live on a low floor.
- Switch on the air conditioning or fan as required to reach an ideal room temperature.
- Make sure the bed is the right size and comfort for your sleeping style
- Keep the room clean and free of dust and clutter.
4.Cut out food and drinks that disrupt sleep
- Most common sleep disrupters are caffeine, alcohol, high sugar and spicy food. Try to avoid them at least 4 hours before bedtime.
- It is important to realise that caffeine is not just found in coffee and tea but also in chocolate, energy drinks, some protein bars and soft drinks. It stimulates the body which makes it tougher to fall asleep.
- Alcohol, on the other hand, is a relaxant so many people think a drink can help them get to sleep. Drinking alcohol can shorten the time it times to fall asleep but during the second half of the night, when most of the alcohol in the blood has metabolised, the body can shift to light sleep and cause you to wake up repeatedly, or to have restless sleep.
- High sugar foods can result in a blood sugar crash that causes you to get up in the night, while spicy foods can cause acid reflux which makes it uncomfortable to fall asleep.
5. Exercise Regularly
- The Singapore Physical Activity Guidelines recommends a healthy adult to engage in at least 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity in a week.
- If going to the gym or playing sports does not suit your schedule, you can make small changes to incorporate movement in your everyday routine. You can opt to walk instead of taking the bus to your nearest MRT station when traveling to and from work. You can take the stairs instead of the lift where possible. It is the small changes that can result in having better sleep.
6.Check for any Spine misalignments
- Be aware of your posture and how your body is positioned when you are asleep. It is critical that our body is positioned well when we are asleep as we spend a great deal of time on our beds.
- When it is not well aligned, you may feel pain and challenges getting comfortable which leads to tossing and turning throughout the night.
- You should also consider the quality of your mattress to determine if it is providing you with the proper support. It is not unusual for people to sleep on a mattress past its good days or to have a low-quality mattress to begin with.
- This can have negative impacts on your posture and sleep quality, so look for a mattress manufacturer with technology that focuses on orthopaedically correct support.
Beat Insomnia and have a restful night's sleep
It can be extremely challenging to give our best during the day when we are struggling with insomnia night after night. However, by implementing these tips that support a good night’s sleep, you can help yourself to get more rest. A crucial part of beating insomnia, in many cases, is building better habits that make sleep a priority. It is worth the investment to commit to a couple of changes that will pay dividends with good health and energy.
