What Causes Insomnia?

In order to determine the underlying causes of insomnia one has to examine an individual’s lifestyle. It is important to pinpoint what general patterns you subscribe to that may be causing you to be up at nights. Yes there is indeed a pattern so let’s check:  What time do you generally sleep? What is your wake up time? What activities do you engage in before you sleep? What is your diet like and do you exercise?

An Irregular Sleep Schedule

I am aware that you are more than likely an adult and it is not my place to give you a lecture of how to live your life, but what I can tell you is that one of the major causes of insomnia is not having a consistent sleep pattern or regime. However, since you are intent on ending the grueling task of tossing and turning when you really should be sleeping at night then you should consider retiring at a specific time and you should also have endeavor to get out of bed at a specific time on a daily basis as well.This is really what a regular sleep schedule is and I will hereafter refer to this as “Insomnia-Free 101″ because this sets the framework for good quality sleep and is endorsed by renowned sleep experts.

An Ineffective or Non-Existent Exercise Regime

It is not simply the act of not exercising that results in insomnia ( even though it is also a contributor) but when you choose to exercise and the type of exercise may also affect your sleep pattern. It is recommended that you do light exercises such as going for walks preferably in the morning or about an half an hour or more before bed.

Mental Gymnastics Before Bed

What you do immediately before you sleep is likely to have a direct impact on the quality of your sleep. It is necessary to unwind from all the day’s activities before you climb under those covers. Are you engaged in high energy activities before bed? Do you spend time watching action packed movies? Do you engage online activities? Are you involved in conflicts or activities that are mentally stimulating? Well for some people sleep comes naturally but I’m presuming that if you are reading this,  then chances are you fall outside of the confines and you should really consider making these changes.

Dietary Requirements

Sure there are tons of diets for different things but is there a diet for insomniacs? Some diets are ruthless and are rightly feared but simply what you need in this case is to go for a balance meal. Limit or eliminate caffeine, sodas and chocolate and reduce your sugar, sugar substitutes and sodium intake.

So is your behavioral pattern contributing to your insomnia? It just might be but it can be corrected if you follow a consistent sleep schedule, exercise at an appropriate time and maintain a healthy diet. This may be your ticket to sleep land and it would be wise to consider it. So good luck on your journey and until then good night.