Friday, March 29

Trouble sleeping? We help you fight insomnia


More than four million Spaniards suffer from chronic insomnia

«How to sleep better», «sleep problems», «insomnia pills», «how to end insomnia»… are increasingly searched topics on the Internet. The World Health Organization points out that 40% of the population sleeps poorly. In our country, between 20 and 48% of the adult population suffer from difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep. According to data from the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN), 25-35% of the adult population suffers from transient insomnia and between 10 and 15%, which means more than four million Spanish adults, suffers from chronic insomnia.

The most common solution? Treat it with drugs. In Spain, 1 in 10 people take sleeping pills, something that creates addiction and tolerance. However, less than a third of people with sleep problems seek professional help, the vast majority self-medicate. According to the latest National Health Survey, carried out in 2017, 10.7% of the population consume tranquilizers, relaxants or sleeping pills (13.9% in women and 7.4% in men). Men consumed them less frequently (8.6%) than women (16.1%). The differences by sex were greater at older ages.

However, it has been shown that the therapy that has been most effective for the treatment of insomnia is behavioral-cognitive. This is a technique that helps you identify and replace thoughts and behaviors that cause or worsen sleep problems with habits that promote deep sleep. This is because insomnia is caused by the anxiety and stress that we are subjected to in our daily lives.

Also Read  Bielorrusia aprueba referéndum que revoca su estatus no nuclear y podrían recibir armas atómicas rusas en su territorio

It affects daily performance and produces cognitive and memory deficits as well as anxiety and depression problems, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, among others. Temperature, noise, light or the use of mobile devices, among others, play a significant role in having a good quality of sleep.

Tips to combat insomnia

Leaving electronic devices at least several hours before going to sleep is one of the most effective practices and at the same time the one that seems to cost the population the most. The tendency to use the mobile phone even in bed does not benefit the quality of sleep at all. Moreover, it is advisable to use the bed only to sleep, so the body will associate the moment of falling asleep.

Taking a hot shower or bath and reading a book before bed can also help. Practicing relaxation techniques or doing physical exercise, in addition to eating a healthy diet, will help improve your quality of life and help you fall asleep better at night. Avoid too long naps and exciting drinks.

The use of drugs

The use of drugs is still common despite natural techniques to fall asleep, but it is not convenient to abuse or self-medicate. From the Mayo Clinic they point out that sleeping pills can help you when stress, travel or other interruptions keep you awake. For prolonged insomnia, the best treatment is often to learn behavior changes as part of behavioral therapy.

Daridorexant is a newly approved drug that promises to be very safe with few side effects. It works by activating orexin, a type of hormone that allows sleep to come, and also does not let us wake up in the middle of the night.


www.hoy.es

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *