Coping with Sleeplessness

 Addressing Sleep Disorders

All of us will go through a bout of sleeplessness once in a while and we recover from it the next night. Problems arise when the “occasional” bout becomes a string of nights with no sleep or interrupted sleep - a troubled sleep pattern can actually affect our physical and mental health. 

Sleep plays a vital role in numerous physiological processes, including the regulation of metabolic, hormonal, and immune function, all of which are essential for cardiometabolic health. Numerous studies have linked disorders and disturbances of sleep to cardiometabolic outcomes, including obesity, hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Disturbances in sleep also contribute to other adverse outcomes such as falls, disability, and chronic pain.  Adverse mental outcomes can include chronic fatigue, depression, and cognitive decline. So what can we yoga practitioners do when we encounter prolonged sleeplessness in ourselves or in a loved one?

As with any problem, approach this puzzle methodically to find a solution. 

First, we build up the awareness of why our sleep is compromised.  Observe yourself and your environment - the most common causes of sleeplessness are noisy environment, poor air quality, sleeping during the day, too much stimulation before bedtime (bad news on TV, upsetting movies or phone calls), stress/depression/anxiety (hello COVID), lack of exposure to sunlight, consuming too much caffeine, sleep apnea, or maybe even the restless leg syndrome. 

Once we identify  the root cause of our sleep disturbance, we set out to remove it one by one. 

Noisy environment? If you can’t remove the noise, get a white-noise machine, they really work.

Poor air quality? Consider placing an air-purifier in your bedroom.

Healthy eating habits - eat the physician-recommended mediterranean diet, limit your caffeine to 2 cups per day, don’t eat dinner past 7-8 pm at night to give your digestive system a good rest.  

Napping during the day?  Stop; take a relaxing walk in a park instead.

Too much screen time right before bedtime with noisy shows or upsetting news? Read a calming book instead.

Stress, depression, anxiety? 

Meditate before bedtime (if your don’t know how, plenty of meditation apps are available, such as  Insight Timer or Calm).

Engage in 10-15 minutes of pranayama (breath control) techniques before sleep: box breath and dirgha pranayama (3-part breath) are recommended since they are simple and highly effective and can be used while in a supine position.  

Reflect on your day - consider keeping a gratitude journal. 

Move - spend at least 20 minutes in a simple yoga practice daily, with the basic stretches being the cornerstone of your daily routine. 

Evaluate your  light needs  -  are you are spending enough time outdoors? Like all living organisms, we need sunlight to support our vital functions. A prolonged light deprivation will affect both our physical and mental health adversely.

If your mental anguish does not respond to these simple techniques, consider finding a mental health provider for professional help. Maintaining our mind health is just as important  as maintaining our physical health. Consider them intertwined an in constant need of your attention.

Other causes - some sleep disruptors such as sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome require a doctor’s visit.