Insomnia is the condition of acute sleeplessness, and it takes a heavy toll on your mood, your energy levels, and your ability to concentrate and work during the day. Some of the most common symptoms of the condition are:

You find it difficult to fall asleep even if you are tired
Once you wake up in the middle of the night, you cannot get back to sleep
You cannot work or concentrate on anything during the day
You stay mostly fatigued, or irritated throughout the day
You have to depend on pills or alcohol to fall asleep.
You wake up very early in the morning, no matter how late you sleep

What could be the causes for insomnia?

Insomnia might last just a few days if it is induced by some temporary cause, like stress at your workplace, or any other personal issue you can be facing. However, when the cause is a long rooted one, insomnia might persist for a long time. There can be a mix of many causes for that to happen:

Psychological stress or other emotional discomforts

Common psychological problems like anxiety, depression, chronic work stress, grief, and also bipolar disorder can be the causes for insomnia.

Illness or other medical problems

There can be many medical causes or other illnesses at the root of insomnia like allergies, acute asthma, hyperthyroidism, Parkinson's disease, kidney related diseases and cancer as well.

Medications

There can be many drugs, which might be prescribed by your doctor, but still be responsible for insomnia. These include antidepressants, corticosteroids like thyroid hormone medicines, few blood pressure medications, certain contraceptives and stimulants for ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).

Sleep Disorders

Insomnia, though in itself is a sleep disorder, can also be the symptoms for other sleep disorders like sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and other disorders related to jet lag or if you are working on a late night shift.

In addition to these causes, some daily lifestyle habits might act as triggers to insomnia, which include:

Consumption of large amounts of caffeine on a regular basis
Developing irregular sleep schedules
Taking your smartphone to bed and ending up spending a lot of time with it in the night
Eating late in the evening

Causative Factors Behind Insomnia

It's International Women s Day yet again. A time to celebrate women s accomplishments- both those of legendary creators including Mother Teresa, Kiran Bedi, Anuradha Koirala   the anti-sex-trafficking activist & Mary Kom to name a few and the women in our lives who mentor and inspire us every day. It s a day to celebrate our journey towards gender equality and women empowerment.

This year s International Women s Day theme is  Time is Now: Rural and urban activists transforming women's lives.  It comes on the heels of unprecedented global movement for women s rights, equality, and justice. The theme has taken the global campaigns and marches on issues ranging from sexual harassment and femicide to equal pay and women s political representation.

Women still have a long way to go to attain equality and non-discrimination from her male counterparts. 2018 International Women s day is an 'iron in the fire opportunity' to bring a call to action to entrust women with what they actually deserve, not only in a particular sector but to every woman who resides in urban as well as rural areas. It is a step to respect and appreciate the women who step out every day for the livelihood of their families and kids - a step to stop casual sexism faced by urban women in the workplace.

Women, experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace, not only bear strained relationships with their counterparts but also are at risk of numerous health problems. Let us know about the health effects of sexual harassment:

Depression: Self-doubt and criticism can lead to depression and loss of interest in work or other activities. Women also experience loss of self-confidence and feelings of failure & powerlessness.
Anxiety: Many women feel anxious about going to work, communicating with co-workers or being involved in social situations.
Insomnia: Sexual harassment trauma can cause nightmares and may lessen the woman's ability to sleep properly.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Studies say that sexual harassment meets the Criteria A1 and A2 of PTSD. The stress of sexual harassment may cause a woman to relive the trauma even when it is not happening, or avoid things or people that remind her of the sexual harassment.
The International Women s Day echoes a word for transforming the lives of women with a bold determination not just on papers but in reality to support the women all around the globe. Many working women have sad tales to tell as they are exploited at a very high level, and they actually lead a stressful life in comparison to their male counterparts.

So, the spotlight this year is to fight against the injustice that most women face every day and to bring about a change that will be remembered for years and will outshine the lives of such women who devote themselves for the livelihood of their families.

Join a campaign, embrace your inner activist and empower the women in your life...

The #TimeisNow To-

Raise your voice
Support each other
Share the workload
Get involved
Educate the next generation
Know your rights

#TimeIsNow - This International Women's Day, Empower The Woman In Your Life! 

Insomnia is a disorder where a person has difficulty sleeping. One can have problem falling asleep or staying asleep for long. Some people also have disturbed sleep. This can be a major problem as due to lack of sleep one feels tired and fatigued all day.

Recurring cases of insomnia hamper your daily activities and interfere with the smooth functioning of your life. Therefore, this condition should not be ignored and treated immediately.

Here are the various ways to treat insomnia:
Non-Medical (Cognitive and Behavioral treatment)
Several psychological and behavioral techniques can be used for the treatment of insomnia. Many of these methods can be easily self-taught and others require a therapist to be carried out properly. 

1. Relaxation training, which is also called progressive muscle relaxation involves the patient to tense and relax his muscles systematically in various parts or regions of the body. Relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises, various forms of meditation, mindfulness and guided imagery are used for treating insomnia people. The use of audio recordings for guidance in these techniques is quite popular.

2. Stimulus control enables building an association between the bedroom and sleep. This is done by limiting several kinds of activities done in a bedroom. This may include going to bed only when very sleepy and leaving bed if you cannot sleep within twenty minutes. A strict bedtime and wake up time schedule has to be maintained.

3. Cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT involves changes in behavior like maintaining a strict sleep time schedule, elimination of afternoon naps and other habits related to sleep. A cognitive component is also added to this method. Unhealthy beliefs and fear regarding sleep are challenged and positive, rational thinking is encouraged. CBT is a very effective procedure for treating insomnia and the track record regarding success is high.

4. Changes in lifestyle are required to treat insomnia and prevent recurrence of insomnia, you should change certain habits and start some new practices. You should limit your intake of caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. Do not consume coffee or tea before going to sleep and avoid smoking. The habits may be stimulating and will keep you awake. Your diet should be balanced. You should avoid having rich and spicy food before going to bed. Avoid late meals and maintain a proper schedule for meals. Regular exercise can improve the symptoms of insomnia and you should try to work out every day.

Medical Treatment
There are many forms of medicines, which can treat insomnia. This includes over-the-counter medicines, as well as prescribed medicines. The type of medicine required completely depends on the severity and symptoms of your insomnia and other factors related to health. Therefore, you must consult a doctor before having any kind of medicine for treating insomnia.

The most common medicines for insomnia, which are usually prescribed by doctors are benzodiazepine hypnotics, non-benzodiazepine hypnotics and melatonin receptor agonists. However, medicines should only be taken after consulting with a specialist. Insomnia not only affects your health but also interferes with all your daily activities. Proper treatment should be taken to treat the same.

Ways to Treat Insomnia

Cure insomnia with natural remedies


Insomnia is the situation where someone is unable to sleep, despite being tired or having had a tough day. It also applies when a person can fall asleep but is unable to stay asleep for long. Sleep apnea, chronic pain, indigestion, stress, medications, hormones, depression, chronic pain and restless leg syndrome are few of the symptoms of insomnia. Insomnia has become quite common and increasing ever so rapidly with our daily stressful lifestyle. There are some simple ways to combat insomnia:

1. Make Sleep a habit : 
There is a general practice to cut the sleep short whenever we go behind the schedule. Be it sitting for an important examination or preparing for a challenging assignment. It is always the sleep whom we sacrifice. This is a very bad practice. We need to remember that adults needs eight to ten hours of sleep for proper mental functioning. So make sleep a habit , try to follow a simple routine. It will help you establishing  regular sleep-wake cycles which will in long run prevent insomnia.

2. Add amino acids to diet: 
Include in your diet, foods that are high in the amino acid called tryptophan because they help calm the nerve. Chicken, tuna and turkey are such types of foods.

3.Drink hot milk: 
It has been an age-old custom to have a glass of warm milk before going to sleep. So, If you are not allergic to dairy products, you can drink a glass of milk before bedtime. It has sedative effect due to presence of tryptophan.

4. Avoid caffeine after noon and Limit alcohol and nicotine intake:
Avoid Coffee, alcohol and food with high fat content and foods which can cause allergies, at least a few hours before your bedtime. Drinking water or coconut water, after drinking alcohol is advisable. This increases the hydration level in the body and helps you sleep. You should also avoid nicotine  which is also a stimulant thus adversely affects normal sleep.

5. Pick magnesium rich foods: 
Foods which are high in magnesium are known to relax our system. Foods like oats, leafy vegetables, sunflower seeds and sesame can be included in your diet for best results against insomnia.

6. Stay away from your phone at bedtime:
It has been postulated that the blue wavelengths produced by your smartphone and other gadgets (and energy-efficient LED light bulbs) significantly suppress the production of melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy, according to University of Basel research. So it is better avoiding surfing the phone at bed. You have enough time with it during the whole day. Is not it? Let her sleep too.

7. Practice yoga:
Practice 15 minutes of simple, yoga-like poses (such as neck rolls, shoulder rolls, and arm and back stretches) to help your muscles unwind before hitting the bed. But you should go slowly. “The goal is to loosen your muscles to prepare your body for a good night’s sleep, not increase your heart rate,” 

8. Try aromatherapy:
Studies have shown that aromatherapy aids in sleep. Lavender oil is most commonly used, It's also an inexpensive, nontoxic way to slip into a peaceful slumber. Find a spray with real lavender and spritz it on your pillow before bedtime and it may help you go asleep better.
 
9. Adopt deep breathing exercises:
Practice deep breathing  and relaxation exercises. They are simple and can be performed lying on bed. This will help you let go stress and worries that are troubling you and will therefore calm your nerves.

10. Re-organise your bedroom:
Bedroom should be quiet and dark to have proper sleep. You can use dark window curtains which will cut the lights from outside. You can try using sleep mask. Try not to watch television for at least half an hour before bed. Make your bed comfortable with extra mattress, pillows that are not too soft or too hard. Doing these simple things will make a lot of difference in your sleep habit.
 
 



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Fight insomnia naturally. #SleepWell 

Sleep is known to most as a period of rest and relaxation, but there are multiple disorders which are associated with sleep too. Hypersomnolence or hypersomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders. This is characterised by excessive daytime sleepiness and prolonged periods of sleep at night. They wake up fresh in the morning, but can easily go back to sleep any time of the day without feeling strained or tired. There is again no freshness associated upon waking up. Funny as it may sound, they can doze off even during a meal or in the middle of a conversation.

Causes: This condition is most common in men and in the early adolescent days.

There is no underlying cause that has been identified, though there is a genetic predisposition.
People with history of head trauma are more affected
People with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorders, epilepsy, and other mental disorders are also more likely to be affected
People with sleep apnea often are hypersomnolence
Restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy
Neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson s and Alzheimer s tend to sleep more.
Symptoms:

Sleeping for longer hours at night time
Excessively sleepy during daytime
Able to doze off anytime during the day
Inappropriate and involuntary sleeping pattern
Having difficulty getting out of bed after waking up, even after prolonged sleep
Feeling of disorientation
Feeling agitated, anxious, lethargic, and irritated
Impaired cognition and memory
All these lead to extreme state of drowsiness
Increased tendency for hallucinations
Reduced appetite and even weight loss in some people
There is restlessness, reduced pace of thinking and speaking
Overall reduced energy levels
Social interactions are affected including work life, social functions, etc.
Diagnostic criteria:

If a person happens to sleep more at night or falls asleep during the day easily for more than 3 times a week, it is usually concerning.
The added feature of no tiring physical activity can also lead to suspicion
In acute cases, these symptoms are present for at least a month and in chronic cases, it could be seen for up to 3 months
It cannot be explained by lack of sleep on a regular basis
One or more of the above conditions could be present, which can help in making the diagnosis
Treatment:
Most cases of hypersomnia would need treatment only to improve their energy levels and improve the quality of life. Very often, treating the underlying condition can lead to improvement of hypersomnia. The tired, lethargic, restless feeling affects the overall performance of a person, leaving them with a lowered self-esteem. Brain stimulating drugs like amphetamines are used to improve daytime alertness and also reduce sleepy feeling during the day.


Hypersomnolence - How It Can Be Managed?

Blessed are the people who can effortlessly fall asleep, especially at night. For some people, sleep appears like a distant dream that haunts them for days. Medically known as Insomnia, the disorder can take a toll on the physical and mental health of the individual affecting their personal as well as professional life to a great extent. The sleeping disorder may be temporary (Transient Insomnia) or long-lasting (Chronic that may persist for months). 

Some individuals may suffer from insomnia on and off (Intermittent Insomnia). Short-term insomnia may last for a few days or weeks and often improves on its own. Chronic insomnia needs medical attention at the earliest to avoid further aggravation and discomfort. On an average, a person needs 6-8 hours of sleep daily. In case of insomnia, a person may experience difficulties in falling asleep in spite of being tired and exhausted. Some may also not be able to enjoy a sound sleep (interrupted sleep).

Homeopathy and Insomnia
Homeopathic treatment has been a revelation in dealing with insomnia. With a holistic approach and the use of natural products and herbs, homoeopathy believes that evaluating and eliminating the underlying trigger can bring about drastic improvements in the case of insomnia. Insomnia may be an outcome of health conditions (secondary insomnia) such as diabetes, asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, Alzheimer's disease over-functioning of the thyroid. However, the trigger can be stress, anxiety, following an unhealthy sleep cycle, having the dinner late at night and retiring to bed immediately after (often termed as Primary Insomnia). The Homeopathic approach in treating insomnia involves a right mix of the homoeopathic medicines and bringing about the necessary changes in the lifestyle habits. Understanding the pattern and type is important to treat insomnia.

In the case of primary insomnia, in addition to the intake of medicines, the homoeopathic approach also emphasizes upon eliminating the lifestyle habits that triggered the sleeping disorder.

Time and again, homeopathy has stressed that there should at least be a 3 hours gap between dinner and sleep to ensure there is a better digestion of food without any incidences of acid reflux or heartburn. Avoid heavy or spicy foods for dinner. Keep the dinner light and simple.
Try to live a stress-free life. Meditation, yoga, exercise, listening to soft and light music, can play an instrumental role to keep the mind and the body calm and relaxed.
A healthy sleep cycle (sleep early, wake up early) can go a long way to reduce the incidences of insomnia, especially Transient and Intermittent.

Insomnia - Why Homeopathy Is The Best Form Of Treatment?

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