Sleep is necessary for our survival and influences our mental health and our ability to work. During sleep we recover the strength used during the day to return to the routine with energy, that is why in Psychology-Online we want to help you sleep fast and deepto recharge batteries and give your best during the day. In this article you will find 15 techniques, tricks and tips to fall asleep and sleep well.
Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a day to replenish energy and infants more depending on their age. Lack of sleep has physical and psychological consequences. It can also cause the deterioration of social, work and other important areas in our life. Here are some risks of not sleeping well:
- Produces us irritability and bad mood.
- Originates lack of concentration.
- Provokes physical and mental fatigue that will affect us in daily activities.
- Produces hormonal changes that prevent the correct regeneration of the muscles.
- Reduces the effectiveness of our immune system.
- The short term memory is affected and if the lack of sleep is continued it will also affect the long term memory.
- Our skin does not regenerate as it should, so aging increases.
- Increase the risk of heart disease.
- The reflexes decrease, something that can be dangerous for example to drive or carry out dangerous work.
- The performance and even the sexual desire are reduced.
Here you will find more information about How Lack of Sleep Affects Our Brain.
The causes of insomnia they can be medical, the suffering of some diseases can alter our rest due to pain or medication. Also during pregnancy and menopause happen hormonal changes that affect sleep.
The psychological disorders they are also a source of sleep modification. The anxiety disordersDepression or schizophrenia for example, change our sleep habits, some increasing it and others reducing it. Likewise, the medication associated with these disorders influences rest.
The periods of change that affect us on a psychological level (job change, city change, death of a relative, breakup ...) disturb our sleep. Likewise the stress has a great influence on sleep.
Some working hours (rotating or night shifts) or caring for loved ones are other causes of lack of rest.
Eliminating medical and pharmacological causes, the main cause of insomnia is having developed bad sleep habits. Staying up late, using substances, sleeping late, drinking exciting drinks, spending our time on stimulating tasks when bedtime approaches, etc. They are some of these bad habits.
Sleep habits can be modified. We can do it ourselves or with the help of a qualified professional. To establish a new habit, we will practice it daily until we consolidate it and make it part of our routine. The establishment of some guidelines and schedules will be a great help to get started The preparation of the environment and the training in relaxation and / or meditation will also help us.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
Buela-Casal, G; Sierra, J.C. (2009). Psychological evaluation and treatment manual. Madrid: New Library
