What is insomnia?
Insomnia is the alteration of sleep quality and/or duration. In chronic cases, it is accompanied by daytime disturbances (fatigue, sleepiness, concentration and mood disorders, etc.).
It is one of the main sleep disorders, including parasomnia (sleepwalking, night terrors), hypersomnia (long sleep times and/or excessive daytime sleepiness) and circadian rhythm disorders (sleep-wake rhythms out of sync with light).
According to the Swiss Health Observatory, around 1/3 of adults suffer from sleep disorders, and 10% of adults resort to taking medication (occasionally or daily).
Insomnia can be primary or secondary:
- Primary: insomnia is the disease (not the effect of a disease)
- Secondary: insomnia is a symptom of a pathology
Many causes can disrupt sleep: stress, acute or chronic illness, chemicals, night-time working hours, diet, connected lifestyles...
Insomnia can be occasional or chronic.
Occasional insomnia
It is temporary and can be due to a number of factors which, once identified and optimized, will help you get back to sleep.
Chronic insomnia
It's a long-lasting condition, often the result of a vicious circle linked to bedtime anxiety (the fear of not being able to sleep and not recovering the energy to face the next day).
Why does sleep affect our general condition?
Sleep is a modified state of consciousness that conditions the body's physical and mental recovery. It is therefore essential for good health. It enables us to replenish our energy stores, produce growth hormones, regulate our blood sugar levels, eliminate waste from our bodies, stimulate our immune defenses, regulate our stress and mood and optimize our memory.
When our rhythm is disturbed, our body is weakened. Beyond the feeling of fatigue, we can note :
- reduced psychomotor performance
- reduced judgment
- concentration difficulties
- memory problems
- reduced creativity
- greater irritability
- anxiety
- weight gain
- vision problems
Not to mention that sleep deprivation can also lead to drowsiness, which is responsible for many accidents on the road and at work.
If sleep deprivation persists over the long term, the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and even depression increases.
When should you see a doctor?
If insomnia is accompanied byother symptoms suggesting a secondary cause (weight loss/appetite suppression, pain, palpitations), or if theimpact on daily life becomes significant (sleepiness, irritability, depression, difficulty at work), it's important to consult your doctor.
Lifestyle and nutrition: impact on sleep
A few changes in our daily routine can sometimes help us get back to restful sleep.
Nutritional tips to improve sleep quality
Eating habits can affect our clock and our physiological needs.
The composition and timing of meals can influence sleep. Some foods induce sleep and should be eaten at the end of the day and in the evening, while others are stimulating and should be eaten at the beginning of the day.
A few dietary recommendations for a good night's sleep:
- Eating slow sugars in the evening facilitates the production of serotonin, essential for the secretion of melatonin, the hormone that informs the body that it's night-time and time to sleep.
- Incorporate tryptophan-rich foods into your menu, as this amino acid helps synthesize serotonin and melatonin. Foods rich in tryptophan that you can eat at the end of the day and in the evening are: eggs, walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts, dairy products, certain cereals and starches: oats, soya, corn, rye, sesame, rice, quinoa, pulses: lentils, chickpeas, dried beans, fish, bananas, chocolate.
- Focus on starchy foods in the evening for their tryptophan content and to avoid night-time hunger pangs.
- It's advisablé to eat dinner 2 to 3 hours before bedtime, avoiding meals too rich in protein. Indeed, digestion leads to an increase in body temperature (especially the digestion of meats), yet lowering internal temperature is an indispensable condition for sleep.
- Limit intake of stimulants such as coffee, tea, alcohol and nicotine.
For personalized support, you can consult a nutritionist who will help you put together your meal plan.
More information on nutrition coaching here.
Healthy living
There are a few rules to follow:
- Listen to your biological rhythm
- Adapting your bedding
- Avoid screens before going to bed
- Regular physical activity
Sophrology and emotional balance: in-depth work on sleep
Through its breathing exercises and dynamic relaxation, the practice of sophrology acts directly on the parasympathetic nervous system, inducing a state of physical and mental relaxation. Sophronisations, on the other hand, will help you to achieve a genuine sense of well-being and facilitate your progress towards a more peaceful night's sleep.
With the help of simple exercises, the regular practice of sophrology will enable you to approach your nights with calm and confidence, for a restful and invigorating effect.
How does the protocol work?
It is always tailor-made. Its aim is to provide you with personalized tools to help you get rid of fatigue and limiting beliefs about sleep, and to facilitate your return to inner calm and well-being.
Then we'll work on creating a positive state of detachment from sleep disorders. Then we'll focus on activating your vitality so you can feel the benefits.
We'll also stimulate your ability to sleep peacefully and free yourself from insomnia. And finally, we'll prepare you to experience a gentle night's sleep and affirm your ability to sleep easily and through the night in your new everyday life.
Sophrology is an effective practice with immediate benefits, which requires regular training, known as sophro-training, outside the sessions with the therapist, for deep, lasting effects.
More explanations/information on sophrology here.
Acupuncture and pharmacopoeia treatments for insomnia
Among the causes listed by Chinese medicine for insomnia are emotional imbalances, inadequate diet, intellectual overwork and weakness due to illness.
Chinese medicine takes the patient's psyche into account, and explains that the relationship between body and mind is mediated by Qi or vital energy. When there is an accumulation of emotions such as stress or anxiety, the Qi of the Heart is disturbed and disordered, preventing consciousness (Shen) from returning to its residence in the Heart and causing insomnia.
Chinese doctors pay particular attention to the energy of the Stomach to treat insomnia. After a heavy or rich meal, you feel much more restless when you sleep.
Another factor causing poor sleep quality is the lack of blood supply to the heart muscle, which is common in the elderly or convalescing.
By re-establishing harmony in energy circulation with acupuncture and good heart muscle irrigation with Chinese pharmacopoeia, sleep becomes deeper and more restorative.
More information on acupuncture here.
More information on pharmacopoeia here.
Insomnia, osteopathic support
Osteopathy can help provide a lasting and effective solution to sleep disorders by rebalancing the nervous system, in order to act on the tensions and blockages that may be the cause.
These disorders may be linked to a disturbance of the autonomic nervous system (problems with digestion, breathing, arterial or venous circulation, etc.).
In this case, the therapist performs a global treatment on the whole body, paying particular attention to areas linked to the nervous system (cranium and cranio-sacral axis).
Find out more about osteopathy here.
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Thank you for reading.