How many hours should I sleep?

Have you experimented insomnia? I have. That nights without end, where the pillow becomes your worst enemy and your only friend. That scary monster that appears at night affects severely our normal activities, our work, our performance, our social life, our health.

If you cannot sleep well in the night, try to recover the lost sleep is not as simple as sleep more hours the next night. Sometimes try to force our body to sleep might provoke more insomnia.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep deprivation is linked to the following problems:

• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• Negative mood and behavior 
• Safety issues
• Decreased productivity

The National Sleep Foundation also recommends the following sleep ranges by age:

No doubt, I'm not sleeping enough. Maybe this the reason I'm cranky in the morning. But, what should I do in order to sleep better? I compiled a list of all the recommendations I could find. I think that maybe some remedies work better for different persons.

• Relaxation exercises
• Implement a bedtime routine 30 minutes before sleep.
• Avoid caffeine
• Avoid heavy food
• Meditation
• Guided imagery
•  Avoid technology devices 30 minutes before sleep.
• Herbal teas
• Hot baths
• Warm milk and honey
• Manage stress during the day
• Do mental math
• Use earplugs and sleep mask.
• Use nose bands 
• Aromatherapy
• Change your old pillow
• Lower the thermostat two grades
• Use a soft pajama
• Massage 

Beginning today I will try some of these remedies...so... Sweet dreams!!!

 References

 National Sleep Foundation. 2014. Insomnia treatment.  Retrieved from https://sleepfoundation.org/media-center/press-release/national-sleep-foundation-position-statement-insomnia-treatment.

National Sleep Foundation. 2015. National Sleep Foundation recommends new sleep times. Retrieved from https://sleepfoundation.org/press-release/national-sleep-foundation-recommends-new-sleep-times