If you are tired of tossing and turning expecting to fall into Morpheus's arms, you are one of the millions of people in the world with ...
If you are tired of tossing and turning expecting to fall into Morpheus's arms, you are one of the millions of people in the world with this disorder, which is despairing and discouraging. Besides affecting us to a great extent, insomnia is considered a public health problem in several countries of Latin America and the United States.And the consequences are not only your discomfort, stress, and lack of performance at work but also that it leads to serious work or traffic accidents, as well as serious health consequences, which are aggravated by sedentary life and obesity.
The problem of insomnia
According to the Sleep Loss Map that is shared and updated via Twitter by users around the world in real-time, the countries whose inhabitants report not being able to sleep more frequently are the United States, Argentina, and Mexico.
These data are confirmed by a publication of the Mexican newspaper El Universal, where they record that 40 million Mexicans suffer from sleep disorders.
This situation is so urgent to remedy, that according to studies on the subject, it can be affirmed that the quality of life of the human being is, to a large extent, dependent on the direct relationship between the quality of sleep and the number of hours that falls asleep.
How bad are you sleeping?
The hours of sleep recommended to perform in our life and work, range from 18 or 16 hours that a newborn sleeps, to 11 to 13 hours that a child needs from 1 year to 11.
For pre-adolescents and adolescents, it is suggested that they sleep for 8.5 to 9.5 hours; while adults are recommended to sleep a minimum of 7 hours and a maximum of 9.
Sleep occupies a third of people's lives, and not meeting this physiological need has serious consequences, which can alter the functioning of genes, and reduce life expectancy, among other serious consequences.
The Mayo Clinic highlights as negative consequences weight gain, a decrease in the immune system, and the difficulty of recovering in normal time from diseases.
A simple and proven solution
The successful American Olympic coach Lloyd C. Winter, also known as Bud, explains in his book Relax and Win: Championship Performance, several techniques to achieve the effectiveness of athletes, among which he has included some of those used in World War II, which were designed to enhance the work done by soldiers.
The infallible technique that we will talk about here will help you relax and fall asleep in two minutes, and according to the author guarantees, during its use in the army, it was found to be effective in over 90% of the people who used it. applied over six weeks. Do you dare to meet her?
Step 1: Relax the body in parts
For this first step, the author suggests relaxing the body in phases, starting with the head: the eye sockets, the chin, the teeth, and any facial muscles. Once this is achieved, it is necessary to lower the shoulders, trying to release the stress that we have accumulated during the day in this part of the body.
Later, he suggests working with your arms. We are invited to concentrate first on one of them, which we will have to relax from the shoulder to the tips of the fingers, that is, from the top (the shoulders) down.
Step 2: Work your breath
Finishing relaxing the shoulders, it is time to concentrate on our breathing, trying to breathe gently, concentrating on the entry and exit of air from our lungs.
Once the trunk is relaxed, it is time for our legs, with which we will use the same method as in our arms, releasing one by one from the trunk to the tips of the toes.
Step 3: Also relax your mind
To achieve this, the author asks us to think of two images and a phrase, which can help us to block all external distractions to achieve a calm mind and be ready to rest.
One of them is to imagine ourselves in a canoe in the middle of calm waters; If this image does not help, the author also suggests thinking that you are resting in a black velvet hammock in a dark room, where you are comfortably lying down.
Another option is to repeat the phrase "don't think anything" for about 10 seconds and thereby discard any other disturbing thoughts.
This technique involves regular use, which will help us improve our quality of life.
Other tips to improve your sleep
The Mayo Clinic suggests some tips to further improve your quality of sleep:
1 Regularity in sleeping and waking hours
2 Avoid going to bed with a heavy or hungry stomach
3 Take care of the environment by trying to rest (avoid the use of screens, darken the room)
4 If your daily dynamics allow it, avoid naps or limit them to less than 30 minutes
5 Try to lead an active life, exercise regularly
6 Find a way to manage the stress you suffer, do not "ruminate" on worries at night
When to call the doctor?
If none of these tips is useful, and your situation goes beyond work stress, and your sleepless nights increase, or you also have sleep apnea or another situation not mentioned, remember to see a doctor who specializes in these disorders.
Remember, the quality of your life is at stake.
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