2023-06-25 03:20:00
To circumvent insomnia, Charles Dickens decided to put into practice the remedies that another insomniac of the time, Benjamin Franklin, had advised him and he carried out successfully. This is how David Jiménez Torres writes in his bad sleep book (Asteroid Books): “The advice consisted of getting out of bed, turning the pillow over, shaking the sheets at least 20 times, walking around the room without dressing and, when the cold became unbearable, getting back into bed”. By doing this several times a night, Franklin managed to exhaust himself and sleep. But Dickens only managed to reveal himself even more.
Nowadays, in hospitals they give each patient suffering from sleep problems a list with much more useful and scientific indications. It is very convenient to follow them to the letter in order to achieve profitable sleep hygiene. It is more or less this:
– Keep a fixed time to go to bed and get up, including weekends. The thing regarding Saturdays and Sundays is crucial so as not to confuse the brain.
– If you lie down and can’t sleep for half an hour, get up. Do not stay in bed tossing and turning. “But don’t even think of turning on the TV or reading something you like,” explains Dr. Esmeralda Rocío-Martín, who adds: “It’s regarding getting bored. So do nothing or, if you want, start reading a newspaper story that is already known. If necessary, during this time use a warm, dim light. If you wake up and can’t conceive of the dream, do the same. The operation must be repeated as many times as necessary.
– If you are insomniac or have sleep problems, avoid naps and situations that encourage them.
– Avoid distracting elements in the room: television, light alarm clocks, radio, mobile phones, etc.
– It is advisable to exercise – not necessarily hard, just walk – in the open air for an hour a day. If you can, do it in the morning and in any case avoid doing it during the three hours before sleeping.
– It is important that the organism receives natural light outdoors for one or two hours a day. It doesn’t have to be direct sunlight (it doesn’t matter if it’s cloudy). Light, especially in the morning, is a powerful synchronizer of sleep-wake rhythms and also behaves like an antidepressant. It also helps a lot to forget regarding mobile and tablet screens at least an hour before going to bed. The blue light from these devices inhibits the secretion of the hormone melatonin, necessary to call sleep.
– Keep the bedroom in the dark and avoid light pollution from outside. If necessary, use a sleep mask. Again: darkness is the necessary condition for melatonin to be released.
– Caffeinated drinks, such as coffee and cola, disturb sleep, even in people who do not perceive it. Tobacco and alcohol are also harmful to sleep.
– Have dinner at least two hours before your bedtime. Copious meals disturb sleep. A light ingestion, on the contrary, favors it.
– If you are suffering from insomnia, do not look at the clock. Forget the time. Seeing how many hours you have left will only make you more anxious.
– At dusk, illuminate the room where you are with warm lights. They will serve to induce your brain to settle down to sleep.
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