Sleep is one of the most important processes that are carried out in our body to maintain balance and ensure its proper functioning. Basically, sleep is the wellness team. The amount of sleep each human needs depends on biological, behavioral and environmental factors, there are people who sleep a lot (more than 8 hours) and people who sleep little (less than 8 hours).
So, just as people don’t need to sleep for so many hours, the quality of sleep isn’t the same either, so there are the “good sleepers,” the “bad sleepers,” the owls of day and night. Etc. ?
- Therefore.
- Ideally.
- Everyone has the necessary hours to recover physically and mentally from the tasks performed during the day.
- However.
- Being sleep one of the most important biological processes.
- It is one of the most affected by our mental state.
- It’s common.
- For example.
- That we can’t fall asleep if we’re worried about something.
In these moments of desperation for difficulty falling asleep it is a good idea to use certain techniques such as counting sheep, breathing gently, listening to relaxing music or the 4-7-8 technique that we will introduce you below.
Dr. Andrew Weil has published a technique that seems to be very well accepted by the general population, that is, by people whose sleep problems are a daily problem, so the technique 4-7-8 is applied in a very simple way and allows us to concentrate our efforts on proper breathing and be able to relax.
Technique 4-7-8 involves silently repeating these steps several times until you fall asleep:
Opinions on this technique are very positive and the results of the method seem satisfactory even when performed before physical activity, before speaking in public, during a flight, when receiving bad news or to calm down from discomfort.
We believe that the effectiveness of this technique is because its objective is to minimize distractions and passively ignore thoughts that may arise when we pay attention to what concerns us, in which case the repetition of the process must be resumed. , transcendental prayer or meditation.
Difficulty sleeping may persist. Therefore, in addition to using these types of techniques, it may be good to maintain certain habits taking into account the advice of experts in the field:
? Do not take caffeine at least 6 hours before bedtime
? Do not smoke or drink alcohol at least 2 to 3 hours before bedtime.
? Do not exercise excessively before bedtime.
? Do not eat large amounts of food and/or liquids before bedtime
? Don’t eat if you wake up at night.
? Keep a pleasant temperature (no more than 23o) and reduce luminosity and noise in the room you will sleep in.
? Don’t go to bed hungry
? Avoid sleeping on a very hard mattress.
? Remove the alarm clock from the room to reduce anxiety.
? Don’t go to bed until you’re sleepy
? If you don’t sleep in 15 to 20 minutes, it’s best to get up and do a quiet activity to return when you feel drowsy.
? Keep schedules regular and go to bed just for sleep or sex.
If your difficulty falling asleep and getting a good night’s sleep persists, it’s very important to see a specialist psychologist who will help you solve your sleep problems.
Image courtesy of Valentina Photos