Insomnia

This is something that I'm struggling currently and it can get you down so much. One of the worst things ever is just lying in your bed being unable to sleep even though you know you want to, especially if you are so tired and you simply cannot sleep.

I can really empathise with anyone who suffers from insomnia because I know how sucky it can be. One in three people suffer with some form of insomnia. Symptoms of insomnia can include:

• Finding it hard to fall asleep
• Waking up a lot during the night
• Lying awake for long periods of time
• Not being able to nap during the day
• Not feeling refreshed when you wake up

Insomnia can be caused by a number of different factors such as anxiety, stress, being depressed, a poor sleeping environment and sometimes down to prescription medication.

For me, it's probably one of the worst effects of having anxiety and depression. I have a very over active imagination so most of the time when I'm trying to sleep my brain is so awake, this is because I analyse almost every decision and conversation I have, so I can't always go to sleep easily or fall asleep at all. I really hate the fact that sometimes due to my anxiety I just cannot get to sleep or I wake up a lot during the night. I have wondered for a long time if, when I do actually sleep, that I'm not actually getting good sleep. Last September I got a Fitbit and it measures your sleep, The weirdest thing is that I can sleep for about 8 hours, but only 3/4 of those hours are actual peaceful sleep and not restless, which is probably down to my insomnia. 

There are a few things that you can do to help your insomnia though. Having a good night time routine is so important! You need to be able to wind down before you go to bed and you need to make sure you are actually tired when you try to sleep. Don't have a massive meal or drink alcohol/stimulants before bed as that will only keep you up. Avoid taking over the counter sleeping tablets, they don't always work and because of that it can get you even more frustrated, you also don't want to rely on them to make you fall asleep.

You need to also make your sleeping environment better and more conducive for sleep. Make sure you have thick curtains so that no light can come through and affect your sleep. Ensure that your bed is comfortable and you have pillows, duvet and a mattress that you feel comfortable with. It's so important to feel comfortable and safe in your own room and in your own bed. It will help you sleep so much better.

I hope a few of these little tips and trick I use to make my insomnia better helps some of you guys too. This is something that I'm currently struggling with and I know how awful it can really be. If you've never experienced it, you will have no idea how horrible it truly is. But I hope I can help someone to start to get better. If your insomnia is not getting any better, please do go and see your GP and see what they suggest to help with it all.

Stay awesome.