What to do if you can't sleep? New advice from scientists

At least once in a lifetime, each of us has experiencedinsomnia. Lying in bed awake and desperately wondering how to get into dreamland is really difficult. Luckily, scientists say it's quite normal - we all experience a little trouble sleeping from time to time. It is believed that we should just go to bed and sleep for seven to eight hours, however, according to researchers, this simply does not align with how people actually sleep. At least in terms of biology. This is confirmed by the data of numerous scientific studies - today somnologists are gaining a deeper understanding of what happens in the brain during sleep. The knowledge gained, according to scientists, can help to cope with insomnia with the help of certain skills and understanding of sleep, not pills.

We all have difficulty falling asleep from time to time. But why and how to deal with it?

Content

• 1 Why and how do we sleep?
• 2 What are the phases of sleep?
• 3 What to do if you can't sleep?
• 4 Sleep and psychotherapy

Why and how do we sleep?

According to scientists, in the human braincontains as many brain cells (neurons) as there are stars in the Milky Way, that is, about 100 billion. Neurons are constantly interacting with each other, forming the basis of our consciousness and intelligence. But here's what's interesting - the brain is disrupted if we sleep too little. Alas, lack of sleep affects everything from the immune system to memory and mood.

As shown by the results of previousResearch has shown that sleep deprivation is associated with many chronic diseases, including depression, cardiovascular disease, cancer, asthma, and obesity. What's more, sleep deprivation is likely associated with suicidal ideation in people who aren't depressed. But what does the brain do that is so important while we sleep?

We spend a third of our lives sleeping.

More on the topic: One of the longest-running studies has shown what the lack of sleep leads to

The brain, like a smartphone, needs to be recharged:a good night's sleep means we start each day with a fully charged battery, which runs out of power as the night progresses. This is because the human brain has a tool that not only filters out the waste generated during sleep, but also prevents the accumulation of harmful substances. In short, sleep can be thought of as software updates for your brain.

What are the phases of sleep?

Researchers distinguish several phases of sleep.One of them is the rapid eye movement (REM) phase, during which we dream. It is believed that this is where we process emotions and recover from stressful events.

Another phase is called REM sleep,which comes in the late morning hours, shortly before we wake up. For this reason, reducing the time spent in sleep, we have a negative impact on mental health.

Kim Hutchison, Assistant Professor of Neurology andof Sleep Medicine at the Oregon Health and Science University, says that people deprived of REM sleep are more likely to experience PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder.

If you're tired but can't sleep, your circadian rhythm may be out of whack. This may be a sign of delayed sleep phase syndrome.

The next phase of sleep is the deepest andallows the body to restore energy. In addition, during a night's sleep, short-term memories turn into long-term ones, which helps us think rationally and strengthens our ability to learn and be creative.

See also: Why a broken sleep pattern spoils our health and how to restore it

The modern rhythm of life, alas, does not allow us tosleep should be. Work, caring for young children and elderly relatives makes you sacrifice sleep, which, as you know, negatively affects health and quality of life. In addition, we know very little about the most complex organ of the human body, for which sleep is vital. For this reason, scientists and doctors recommend sleeping at least seven hours a night, although many people need a little more.

What to do if you can't sleep?

Falling asleep is a big shift for the brain.Thus, under favorable conditions, lying in bed allows brain activity to slow down and become more ordered, and brain waves are synchronized. This "switch" is partially controlled by environmental factors such as light or temperature.

Hot summer night or street lightcoming through the window can interfere with sleep. However, so are emotions. “In order to sleep, we need to feel both physically and psychologically safe. When there is something you are really worried about, or sleeping next to someone you don't trust, it will be difficult to fall asleep.

When we think a lot about how to fall asleep, it is harder to do it.

This is interesting: What are circadian rhythms? Set up your internal clock.

Anxiety and stress are the mainreasons why people can't sleep. At the same time, it is relaxation that is the most important tool for immersing sleep. According to sleep experts, the key is to limit the amount of time you spend trying to sleep.

If you cannot fall asleep within 20 minutes oraround, or if you feel that your body is getting more tense, the best solution is to get up and sit somewhere in a quiet place with dim lights and just relax, doing something boring, experts advise.

Researchers also advise using thistime for reading, listening to soothing music, drinking chamomile tea, or doing breathing exercises—in short, anything that slows down and calms the body and mind. But snacking, exercise and screens should be avoided.

A huge number of people around the world do not get enough sleep every day.

The main guarantee of good sleep is the lack ofanxiety. It is necessary to learn not to dwell on worries, especially in the middle of the night. Thoughts like these keep you awake because the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that's great at planning and analyzing, doesn't get as much blood at night.

If you are interested in such articles, subscribe to us in Yandex.Zen, so as not to miss new materials!

Sleep and psychotherapy

A new hypothesis suggests that the brain is not veryprocesses information well in the wee hours, and after midnight is less adapted to solving problems and prone to finding them. When basic relaxation techniques and the tips above do not help, you should turn to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the few forms of psychotherapy thathas been found effective in hundreds of clinical trials for a wide variety of disorders. CBT helps to identify and change ineffective habits related to thinking, behavior, relationships with others, and replace them with useful ones. CBT helps in the treatment of anxiety and depression.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is the main treatment for chronic insomnia.

Although somnologists emphasize that periodicsleep problems are normal, they recommend seeing a doctor if insomnia persists and impairs quality of life. This is because problems with falling asleep can indicate the presence of diseases.

However, for problems with falling asleep of any nature, a great solution is to keep the brain busy until sleep occurs naturally.

The researchers also note that even if youif you didn’t manage to get enough sleep, you should avoid the desire to catch up by sleeping the next day - this, alas, can have unpleasant consequences. In order to fall asleep faster the next night and return to normal, it is important for the brain to strive for sleep.