Insomnia: how to help yourself fall asleep

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The need for sleep is so important that it will outweigh even the need for food. Sleep resets the body's systems, allows you to feel energetic and be productive.

Normal sleep is regulated by neurotransmitters: melatonin and serotonin, designed to help cope with stress.

Insomnia is a condition when there are difficulties falling asleep or maintaining a long sleep lasting from several days.

In a state of stress, a high level of adrenaline leads to the fact that even during sleep, the body does not rest, but continues to work actively. From this, a person wakes up even more tired. A “closed circle” occurs: stress causes insomnia, and insomnia increases stress.

Long-term stress, high levels of anxiety, tragic events can cause chronic insomnia. The situation is complicated by the use of coffee, tea, drinks with caffeine, nicotine, alcohol…

The most common are the following signs of insomnia:

• a person has difficulty falling asleep, even if he feels very tired during the day;
• wakes up several times a night, inability to sleep at night, feels tired after waking up;
• difficulties with concentration, feeling sleepy during the day .
• lack of sleep causes fatigue, somatic diseases, and hallucinations may occur.

If you are at least in a relatively safe place to establish a sleep pattern, you can use the following methods:

• Try to go to bed and get up at the same time, even if you are awake. It is worth choosing the time when you feel the most sleepy. Remember that the first 3 hours of sleep allow the body to recover by 70%.
• Try to fall asleep before midnight for maximum melatonin production
• Do not read the news at least half an hour before bedtime

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• If there is a need to follow the air alarm signals, it is better to set shifts among themselves, so that others have the opportunity to sleep for at least 3 hours without interruptions
• 20 minutes of sleep during the day can also significantly improve well-being and restore strength
• Apply breathing techniques: listen to your own breathing, try to inhale and hold your breath, slowly exhale
• Use a mini-screening of body sensations before bed : listen carefully to your own breathing, focus on the sensations in your fingers, gradually raising the inner gaze of attention higher to the elbows, shoulders… In the same way, “scan” the rest of the body with the inner gaze.
• If you cannot fall asleep, try to get up and do things that usually bring relaxation: reading a book, knitting… but NOT watching the news. As soon as the slightest desire to fall asleep appears, go to bed.
• Light physical activity during the day and at least a minimum amount of exposure to fresh air between air alarms will increase the probability of falling asleep on time.
• Restore as much as possible it is possible, a pre-war life schedule. Routine tasks allow you to distract yourself from stress and maintain the usual rhythm of life.