Insomnia treatment

Insomnia is a condition in which night sleep is disturbed. At the same time, a person cannot sleep, often wakes up during the night, does not feel rested in the morning, he is tormented by nightmares. People who have a similar problem are preoccupied with the question "how to treat insomnia."

This condition may be temporary, for example, when falling asleep in an unusual place, with excessive emotional excitement, as a result of taking certain medications. A stimulating effect on the body that interferes with night rest is provided by drinks such as strong coffee or tea, as well as spicy foods. If such disorders are observed at least three times a week for a month, they are diagnosed with insomnia. The causes and treatment of such an ailment will help determine the doctor.

A disease lasting for years exhausts a person. The main causes of this condition are stress, nervous and physical overload.

Chronic insomnia can be accompanied by impaired heart function, gnashing of teeth, trembling hands and feet. There may be walking in a dream. A long-existing disease affects the general state of health. A person feels tired in the daytime, irritability, his concentration of attention decreases, memory worsens. The problem is often observed in older people. This is manifested by early awakenings, after which a person is no longer able to fall asleep.

Insomnia. Reasons and treatment

Among the most common reasons, experts distinguish the following:

• psychological - anxiety, depression, a state of excessive agitation,
• physical - this may be a pathology of the respiratory apparatus, apnea, snoring, overwork, digestive problems, the presence of certain diseases,
• circumstantial - these include noises, sharp sounds, bright lights, sleep rhythm disturbances during shift work, etc.

Insomnia with menopause

This phenomenon is quite common. Lack of sleep leads to problems with the nervous system, increased pressure, irritability, heart disease may appear. In the daytime, a woman feels the urge to lie down, but at night she cannot close her eyes. How is insomnia treated in this case? This problem is solved with the help of sedatives and sleeping pills. If this condition lasts a long time, you need to contact a gynecologist-endocrinologist.

Insomnia in the elderly

People aged love to relax in the daytime, and then do not close their eyes at night. This is not insomnia. Elderly should not get involved in watching television in the evening, milk and honey will help calm down, a warm bath. If a person has a strong nervous system, there should not be problems with falling asleep. But after a nervous shock, a hearty dinner, a lot of drunk liquid, strong tea or coffee, insomnia can be observed. Diseases of some internal organs also often interfere with normal night's rest.

Insomnia in children

In children under two years of age, the nervous system is only forming, which can manifest itself in disturbances in sleep and wakefulness. Colic, wet diapers, hunger, overheating, hypothermia, fears most often prevent babies from falling asleep.

Conflicts, moving to a new place of residence can also cause such violations in children of any age. Teething, ear pain, extraneous odors can interfere with normal rest. Another cause of insomnia in children is the presence of parasites, while itching causes discomfort in the anus. A child who does not have a normal full night's rest slowly grows and develops worse.

Effect of alcohol

A person who drinks regularly regularly falls asleep quickly and easily. Then the body becomes addictive, and insomnia occurs. The disease in people who suffer from alcohol dependence is not treated at home.

First of all, it is necessary to eliminate the cause that caused insomnia. A healthy person can get rid of the problem without the use of drugs. How is insomnia treated if the reason lies in the excessive excitability of the nervous system? In this case, rest, long walks in the fresh air, herbal baths will help. Before going to bed, it is better to refuse food, tea and coffee.

A soothing massage has a positive effect. If the problem is associated with a specific pathology, it is necessary to treat the underlying disease.

Traditional treatment

What do doctors treat insomnia with? Therapy consists in the use of sleeping pills and sedatives, tranquilizers-benzodiazepines, 3-drugs, melatonin.

With the help of such medicines, you can alleviate the condition, but the problem does not disappear. In this regard, the reception of such funds should not last more than two weeks. If you regularly take such drugs, then over time without them it will be impossible to fall asleep at all.

Tranquilizers are taken in order to improve sleep, reduce anxiety, achieve relaxation, and get rid of obsessive states. Such drugs have many side effects, the list of which even includes a split personality, so they are prescribed only by a doctor. Z-drugs are the same tranquilizers, only with a different composition.

Synthetic sleep hormone melatonin helps get rid of a chronic disease, helps regulate the sleep cycle. Drugs with melatonin are recommended for older people. The course of treatment is no more than three weeks. Side effects - constipation, stomach pain, dizziness, weight gain, irritability, migraine.

Homeopathic remedies

Homeopathic medicines are also used to treat such disorders. For example, "Aconit" is used when there are problems with sleep and fever. "Koffea" contains coffee in its composition, which contributes to falling asleep in contrast to the usual aromatic drink. Chilibuha pharmacy treats irritability, and Arsenicum Album relieves anxiety. The state of melancholy, anxiety is treated with "Ignorance."

Causes and symptoms of the disease in men and women

Insomnia can affect both women and men.

This disorder can occur for the following reasons:

Among the reasons specific only to the female sex, pregnancy or dieting can be noted, and for the male sex there is an increased interest in gadgets (games in the console and on the computer) and visits to gambling establishments.

In accordance with the causes, the following symptoms appear:

Is it possible to cure insomnia completely: prognosis

Insomnia must be treated. You can completely get rid of the disease, but for this you need the correct and long-term treatment.

Efficiency will depend on correctly established causes of the disease and their complete elimination. It is difficult to predict the course of the disease, as factors affecting the cure rate may vary.

There are two types of forecast:

1. Favorable. Such factors are inherent in it:
   • male. This is due to the fact that women are more prone to insomnia due to greater emotionality,
   • setting the patient to defeat the disease. Having motivation plays a big role on the path to recovery,
   • insomnia as a clinical syndrome. When the disorder is just beginning to develop, treatment goes much easier.

Which doctor should I contact, how to treat

The disease is treated by a somnologist. It is also advisable to consult other specialists, depending on the causes of insomnia.

Diagnosis is a comprehensive examination of the patient and diagnosis. To prescribe an effective treatment, the diagnosis of insomnia takes place in several stages:

1. Anamnesis. It is the primary diagnosis using methods of conversation and tests to collect information about the patient and his lifestyle, bad habits.
2. Hardware Diagnostics. It is carried out by two methods:
   • with the help of an actor. Mounted on the wrist and fixes the patient's condition around the clock. In some cases, night video surveillance is used, for example, with sleepwalking,
   • somnography method. The patient is in the clinic, where sensors are attached to his body. During the night, data is recorded with special instruments, then checked using equipment.

What helps, what you need to drink to quickly fall asleep: the best and most effective drugs

What can I drink from insomnia, what should I take? Drug therapy includes several groups of drugs with varying degrees of action.

For insomnia, apply:

1. Sleeping pills. Drugs that promote the onset of sleep, for example, Nitrazepam, Triazolam.
2. Soothing. There are either universal, or separately for women and men, for example, Valocordin, Barboval.
3. Antidepressants. Psychotropic drugs that increase emotional activity.
4. Tranquilizers. These are psychotropic drugs that calm the central nervous system.
5. Over-the-counter and addictive drugs. They include plant components that do not have adverse reactions, for example, Novo-Passit, Persen, and valerian tablets.

How to fight without drugs: folk recipes

Alternative medicine uses such methods to combat bad falling asleep:

Is it possible to overcome unconventional methods

There are various methods without taking medication:

Massage. The impact occurs with fingers or needles on biologically active points of a person.

After a series of procedures, sleep is normalized, the emotional background is restored. They also recommend a head massage with a Lyapko roll.

How to overcome ailment and learn how to fall asleep easily: help in healing

The use of sleeping pills in the fight against insomnia is not the best way to solve the problem, as addiction and addiction can occur.

Healthy sleep can be restored without resorting to drugs.

How to quickly get rid of insomnia without drugs at night? To do this, you must follow simple rules:

1. Correct mode. All people are different. Each has its own individual time, which is enough for a full sleep. Some sleep for 8-10 hours, while others are half as much, and do not suffer from it at all. To get enough sleep and feel good, you need to fall asleep and wake up at the same time. You can not sleep less than 6 hours and fall asleep after 23 hours.
2. Sleep in a comfortable bed. The mattress should be flat, medium hard to avoid problems with the spine. The pillow should not be higher than 15 cm. And too soft. It is better to choose an orthopedic pillow that repeats the bends of the head, supports the neck and prevents the occurrence of pain during sleep.
3. Sleep on your side. Sleep in the fetal position reduces stress on the back and does not cause snoring. You can also sleep on your back. The position on the abdomen is not suitable, since it complicates the work of all organs and systems of the body.
4. The mode of evening loads. When a person has worked hard, he falls asleep perfectly. But physical or mental overwork does not contribute to healthy sleep.

Household chores and sports training should end two hours before bedtime. It’s useful to do something that makes you sleepy, like taking a walk in the fresh air or reading a book.

Now you know what and how to do to get rid of insomnia at night, including without medication, and to fall asleep calmly.

Thus, insomnia is considered a very serious and fairly common problem among patients, especially those who are affected by this disorder.

You can get rid of it, adhering to the correct treatment regimen and monitoring your condition. With a running form, it is not recommended to pull with a trip to a specialist.

General recommendations for normalizing your sleep / wake balance

Often, in order to effectively treat insomnia and normalize the functioning of your internal clock, it is enough to take elementary measures. What to do with insomnia:

1. Sleeping room, bed should be used only for relaxation and sex life. Thus, a person, getting into the bedroom, unconsciously turns on the “it's time to relax” reflex, adjusts to a productive dream,
2. Must be observed tight schedule going to bed and lifting,
3. You need to develop the right power system. Ideally, all products should be healthy, and the dishes properly prepared (especially in the case of the elderly, pregnant, minors, patients). But the necessary minimum is not to eat, drink nothing but water before bedtime. The use of caffeinated, energy drinks after five in the evening, and alcohol later than two hours before bedtime, is strictly contraindicated.
4. Properly organize your sleeping place - priority is silence or light, barely audible music, darkness, coolness (but not cold), a good orthopedic or the most comfortable mattress - everything should help to fall asleep,
5. Actively move throughout the day, as much as you can. A visit to the gym is not necessary, but climbing stairs, walking, jogging, swimming, charging - in turn or in the complex are simply necessary. Thus, stress hormones are “burned” instantly, hormones of pleasure accumulate, which then turn into melatonin (sleep hormone), pleasant muscle fatigue appears, blood circulation and oxygen supply to the brain improve. It is necessary to be in the air more often. Однако, помните, что физические нагрузки необходимо прекратить как минимум за три часа до отхода ко сну,
6. Старайтесь избегать дневного или вечернего сна, которые существенно нарушают правильный ритм жизни. If you want to sleep unbearably, allow yourself 20-30 minutes of nap, but no more and not in the evening. The good news is that once you work out the correct sleep / wake schedule, the need for daytime sleep will disappear, and nightly sleep will become strong and lasting,
7. Try different physiological methods to relax or cause fatigue in the body. If possible, you need to take a vacation and visit a sanatorium or resort, where there will be a full-fledged establishment of a daily schedule without stress, worries,
8. Try a physiotherapy course designed to help you relax - massage, warm baths, acupuncture, electrosleep, magnetotherapy, galvanotherapy, electrophoresis, treatment with Darsonval apparatus. Listen to pleasant music during procedures.

If, despite all the measures taken, the symptoms of insomnia persist, you should contact somnologist. He will conduct the necessary examinations, tell you how to deal with insomnia and how much time it can take.

What helps with insomnia - medications

Most people diagnosed with insomnia do not need medication, but 4% of all patients still need to take pills, some of which can cause addictive.

Drugs for insomnia are classified depending on their composition and method of acquisition by the patient:

Barbiturates, benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepine compounds

To treat insomnia with medications of the second group (barbiturates "Barbital"," Hexobarbital ","Phenobarbital”,“ Reladorm ”) is difficult for several reasons. A prolonged struggle with insomnia through the use of potent synthetic sleeping pills leads to the body getting used to them, the effectiveness of drugs is reduced. And if the reception is stopped, the person may feel the effect of "cancellation", suffer even more from sleep disturbances. Also, almost all potent sleeping pills change the structure of sleep, this phenomenon has not yet been fully investigated by scientists, its consequences have not been studied. Benzodiazepines ("Brotizolam", "Estazolam", "Flunitrazepam", "Flurazepam", "Loprazolam", "Lormetrazepam", "Midazolam", "Nimetazepam", "Nitrazepam", "Temazepam", "Triazepam", can cause cognitive impairment, and also exacerbate snoring. However, these drugs give a quick effect.

New Generation Medicines - Z Preparations and Synthetic Sleep Hormone Melanin

What to take from insomnia - effective, but safe? Z-preparations ("Zolpidem», «Zopiclone», «Zalepnon") - analogues of benzodiazepines, but with minimal side effects and consequences.

Drugs that regulate the production and normalization of sleep hormone in the body ("Agomelatine / Melitor», «Valdoxan», «Melaxen») - the best remedy for insomnia. They are almost completely safe, not addictive and are prescribed if long-term use is necessary, treatment of chronic insomnia with them is most effective. However, these medications can be expensive.

Any drugs can be dangerous and harm the body, and therefore should be prescribed for the treatment of sleep disorders only by a doctor. It is necessary to clearly follow its recommendations and instructions for the drug.

TOP 5 effective folk recipe:

1. Tincture dream grass. Ten fresh flowers are crushed, filled with half a liter of vodka. Insist ten days, take a few teaspoons before bedtime,
2. Infusion valerian. In a glass of boiling water, brew a teaspoon of herbs for sleep. Adults drink half a glass before bedtime,
3. The sutra is poured with boiling water over a mixture of herbs - valerian, mint, chicory root, hop cones and a little honey. Insist during the day, drink immediately before bedtime,
4. A soothing infusion for the night can be prepared from thyme, motherwort, calendula. A teaspoon of the collection is poured with a glass of hot water, boiled for ten minutes. A little honey is added to the warm infusion,
5. Two tablespoons of crushed berries hawthorn pour half a liter of hot water. Take the infusion thirty minutes before meals in three divided doses.

You can buy in the pharmacy a special soothing set of herbs or prepare a collection for the infusion yourself. For the preparation of sedative teas, you can use the following sleeping pills herbs - chamomile, mint, oregano, cyanosis, hawthorn, hop cones, motherwort, bluehead, lemon balm, meadowsweet. And still better do not appoint yourself what to drink from insomnia. Ask your doctor for advice on the popular use of herbs and fruits, some of which are not at all as harmless as they seem.

Products such as honey, milk, onions, also popular folk remedies for insomnia, are often used by healers.

Chronic insomnia, what to do for elderly, pregnant and small children

Treatment of such a vulnerable category of people should be as easy as possible safe and gentle. It should be prescribed exclusively by a specialist after a thorough examination of the body, identifying the causes of insomnia.

Transient insomnia in the elderly does not require medical treatment, you can start therapy with the use of sedative, sedative natural drugs. If the effect is negligible - the doctor prescribes Z-drugs or other safe drugs for sleep. Also, an elderly person needs to organize optimal living conditions - comfortable living, proper diet, physiotherapy, persuade to do physical exercises, protect from stressful situations, advise safe ways to fall asleep.

Treatment of insomnia in pregnant women is usually associated with the elimination of the causes of poor sleep - heartburn, uncomfortable or cramped clothes, uncomfortable bed, stressful situations, normalization of daily routine, physical activity and diet. The doctor may prescribe mild sedative drugs of plant origin, over-the-counter insomnia drugs or homeopathic tablets, dietary supplements. Chemical or synthetic drugs during pregnancy are strictly contraindicated.

Treatment of insomnia in children

When treating insomnia in young children, it is very difficult to determine the causes of its occurrence; it is rarely possible to quickly fix sleep disorders. It is difficult for parents and a doctor to understand what is happening with a child who still cannot speak. In infancy, it is enough to eliminate such problems - colic, gaziki, hungeruncomfortable sleeping position, wet diaper, cold or heat. Also, it may be necessary to block pain in the case of cutting clove or otitis media. It is necessary to organize a healthy calm environment, the correct strict regime of the day, and take walks in nature.

Older children can react to sleep disturbances - quarrels in the family, smoking around, stress in kindergarten, worms that cause gnashing of teeth in a dream - eliminate these causes, if any, and the child's sleep should normalize.

If insomnia persists, a more thorough examination by a doctor is necessary.

Insomnia Myths

Here are some common opinions about insomnia that in practice turn out to be untrue:

1. Sleep will be better if you sleep on your right side. It doesn't matter which side to sleep on, all individually,
2. Drinking alcohol before bedtime helps to sleep. It helps at first, but then alcoholism and alcoholic insomnia develop. You will no longer know how you can fall asleep without alcohol at night,
3. Snoring is a sign of good health. It’s not true because snoring is a symptom of an illness,
4. You can choose sleeping pills yourself. It’s possible, but it’s not known how effective and safe it will be in your case,
5. If thoughts interfere, you don’t know how to fall asleep quickly for several nights in a row - this is insomnia. Do not rush to diagnose yourself and take medications; every person has bad nights periodically.

Before accepting any fact about insomnia on faith, think carefully, use logic, or better, ask a somnologist.

How easy it is to fall asleep

• Turn off all electrical appliances in the bedroom, turn off the sound of the phone, close the windows, the door to the room, close the curtain tightly,
• Before going to bed, take a warm bath with aroma oil,
• Cool indoor air to 18 degrees,
• If thoughts get into your head - repeat a soothing mantra - some short phrase, this will contribute to a quick fall asleep - “everything is fine, I sleep”,
• Sleeping music for insomnia is a good quick method to smoothly go into a nap. Only it should be calm, without words, quiet and automatically turn off after a while.

In general, if you lead a correct lifestyle, follow a regimen, adhere to sleep hygiene, be physically active, and avoid stress, you will not encounter sleep disturbances and even more so with chronic insomnia.

Sanatorium treatment

This method helps to restore strength and normalize sleep. After the cause of violations is established, sanatorium treatment is prescribed. It is necessary to abandon bad habits, adhere to sleep and rest. Therapy is prescribed by herbal teas, massage baths, massage, physiotherapy. Physical therapy classes, walks in the fresh air are recommended.

Dill seeds

This folk remedy is harmless, provides a deep and sound sleep. To prepare the medicine you need half a liter of cahors or port. Dill seeds (50 g) are poured into the wine and boiled for about 20 minutes over low heat, then wrapped and insisted for an hour. Then the tool must be filtered. Take 50 ml before bedtime.

Hemp seeds

I use with periodic insomnia. Two tablespoons of hemp seeds need to be crushed, sieved. Then fill them with hot boiled water (200 ml), wrap and insist for half an hour. Two hours before bedtime, they drink half a glass, another hour later - what is left. The drink should be warm. The course of treatment is two weeks.

Hop cones

Cones (2 tsp) pour a glass of boiling water. Wrapped, insist for four hours, filter. 200 ml of the drug is drunk before bedtime.

You can make alcohol tincture. To do this, hop cones are poured with vodka or alcohol (1: 4). The tool is insisted for 14 days in a dark place, after which it is filtered and squeezed. Tincture is used in the morning and in the evening before meals, five drops diluted in a tablespoon of water.

The crushed hop cones in powder form are taken overnight as a sedative and sleeping pill.

You can stuff a small pillowcase with fresh hop cones, sleep on it when insomnia occurs. It helps even in the most severe cases.

Valerian officinalis

Use a decoction, infusion or alcohol tincture of valerian. To prepare the infusion, Valerian root (1 tbsp.) Is poured with boiled cold water (1 tbsp.). You need to insist for six to eight hours, strain. Adults take 1 tbsp. l., children - 1 tsp each. thrice a day.

To prepare the broth, the crushed root (1 tbsp. L.) Is poured with a glass of boiling water, boiled over low heat for a quarter of an hour. The broth is filtered, taken three times a day. Adults one tablespoon, children - one teaspoon.

Alcohol tincture is purchased at the pharmacy. Accepted according to the instructions.

Honey is the most harmless sleeping pill. Before going to bed, you need to drink a glass of warm water or milk with a tablespoon of honey dissolved in it. This remedy calms, promotes sound sleep, positively affects the work of the intestines.

Herbal bath

Herbal baths have a calming effect and help to normalize sleep. Take them at bedtime for 15-20 minutes.

Recipe 1. To prepare such a bath take motherwort (5 tsp), mint (4 tsp), chamomile flowers. Herbs are crushed, mixed and poured with boiling water (2.5 liters). Insist at least six hours. Before going to bed, fill the bath with warm water, add the infusion.

Recipe 2. You will need herbs - oregano, mint, motherwort in half a glass, 5-6 hop cones. Herbs must be mixed, pour 4 liters of boiling water, wrap and insist for an hour. Strained infusion is added to the bath water. The course of treatment is 14 days.

Music therapy

Scientists have studied the effect of music on the physical and psycho-emotional state of a person. It can help increase or decrease pressure, relieve muscle tension, and activate memory and thinking processes. Specially selected melodies can relieve neurosis, help calm down and have a good rest at night.

Light music from insomnia calms and prepares the body for sleep. If you use music therapy daily, the body will develop a conditioned reflex “music - falling asleep”.