There are several reasons why a person cannot fall asleep. It can be due to the fact that there are too many stimuli in the surrounding environment, from the stress not eliminated from the previous day or from the tension felt waiting for something that has yet to happen. Whatever the cause of restlessness and insomnia, difficulty falling asleep often involves serious complications. It follows, in fact, that the sufferer is sleepy, irritable and generally 'dull' for the rest of the day. Fortunately, there are a number of strategies and techniques that can be used to help someone fall asleep.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Create an Environment that Reconciles Sleep
Step 1. Dim the lights
About an hour before bed, dim the lights in the house slightly. When they are strong, they stimulate the brain and, as a result, can hinder sleep. By making them dimmer, those who have difficulty falling asleep will be able to doze off more easily as it gets late.
If it is not possible to dim the lights in the house, you can alternatively turn off all the ceiling lights and leave a few smaller lamps on to reduce the lighting effect
Step 2. Prepare the bedroom
If your home has a thermostat, set a comfortable temperature in the bedroom. If the room is too cold, those with sleep problems will not be able to fall asleep easily, as they will feel cold, but if the room is too hot, they will sweat and get annoyed. The ideal temperature is around 21 ° C. Also, try to isolate the room from sound as much as possible by closing the windows.
If there is no thermostat in the house, try using a fan to cool the air in hot weather or use a few extra blankets to keep the person warm in cold weather
Step 3. Have a relaxing pastime before bed
Instead of going to bed and turning off the lights to fall asleep immediately, encourage the person to choose a pastime that will relax them once they are in bed. It will help you finish your day. By relaxing before bed with the same activity every night, you will be less stimulated and, therefore, more likely to fall asleep.
- For example, try reading for half an hour before going to bed.
- Make sure you don't use your tablet or cell phone. Once in bed, the light from these devices will stimulate the brain and hinder sleep once they are turned off.
Step 4. Do some movement to relax
After engaging in an evening activity, such as reading, suggest that the person relax further by doing some light physical activity. An often recommended exercise is progressive muscle relaxation, which gradually engages all muscle groups, causing them to contract and relax. Another recommended exercise is deep breathing, which also helps prepare the person for bed.
You can also suggest a mental exercise to distract your mind: for example, think about fruits and vegetables that start with the same letter
Method 2 of 3: Encourage Lifestyle Changes
Step 1. Reduce your consumption of coffee and fatty foods
Coffee and other caffeinated beverages, such as sodas, energy drinks, tea, and hot chocolate, are stimulants. They hinder sleep, particularly if they are consumed at the end of the day. If someone you know is having trouble sleeping, it could be because of their caffeine consumption. Encourage him to stop drinking caffeinated drinks around 12 noon and remind him that the effects of caffeine last four to seven hours. Similarly, foods high in fat and sugar are difficult to digest, they can cause heaviness and stomach pains. They can make sleep difficult, so they shouldn't be consumed at the end of the day.
Advise the person to gradually reduce the amount of caffeine they consume each day. For example, if he drinks three cups of coffee, he can reduce them to two and a half for a week and then to two the following week
Step 2. Avoid alcohol consumption before going to bed
When taken before bed, alcohol can increase anxiety which, in turn, hinders sleep. If the person likes to drink in the evening, he should consume his last glass three hours before bedtime. Also, it should be limited to two or three drinks throughout the day.
Step 3. Establish a regular schedule
Suggest that the person wake up at the same time every day, including weekends. More importantly, she should wake up at the same time regardless of when she managed to fall asleep the night before. He should do this even if he has difficulty getting up in the morning. In fact, by always waking up at the same time, the body will begin to adapt to the new times and every evening it will arrive tired at the same time. This program will help you fall asleep.
Step 4. Get him to train throughout the day
Constant exercise has many sleep benefits. First of all, it helps reduce the anxiety that can cause insomnia. Secondly, it helps you get tired. Walking has been shown to be the best physical activity for promoting sleep.
Method 3 of 3: Seeking Medical Treatment
Step 1. See a sleep specialist
If the person continues to have difficulty falling asleep, you may want to recommend that they see a sleep specialist. Those who turn to this category of doctors complain of poor quality and / or quantity of sleep. There are 88 different types of sleep disorders and a specialist can help the person you are caring for to deal with their specific problem.
The primary care physician can recommend a sleep specialist based on the manifestation of symptoms, so they may be the first professional to go to
Step 2. Expect the sleep specialist to perform some tests
He will ask a series of questions to determine if the patient needs further investigation. The test, called polysomnography, records the body's activity during sleep through electrodes placed on the body.
Polysomnography measures heart rate, brain waves, eye movement, muscle tension, airflow to the nose and mouth, and much more
Step 3. Follow the instructions of the specialist
This doctor will likely make a number of recommendations. It is possible that he suggests behavioral therapy, for example to change lifestyle and habits (as mentioned above). It may be that he suggests some medications to help fight insomnia or devices that make breathing easier at night. Whatever his advice, make sure the person you are caring for follows his directions correctly.
Advice
- Avoid stressful conversation topics when it's time to go to bed.
- Make sure the person's sleeping environment is comfortable, with the pillows and blankets of their choice. Some prefer to sleep on a firmer pillow, while others prefer a softer one. Try to find out his preferences.
- It is better that, before falling asleep, the person eliminates all kinds of worries because, instead of making them sleep, it could lead them, for example, to analyze the commitments of the next day a few hours before going to bed.
