Is it challenging for you to fall asleep at night? Or is it difficult to sleep consistently without waking up in between? Are you searching for ways on how to cure insomnia in 12 minutes?
If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, chances are that you have insomnia.
Insomnia is a sleep disorder that makes falling asleep quickly at night difficult. It can be acute or chronic, depending on the symptoms and duration of the condition.
For example, acute insomnia does not extend beyond a week, while chronic insomnia may continue to haunt you until you seek medical intervention.
Regardless, lack of sleep is a precursor to several long-term ailments like heart problems, mental health disorders, and a delay in reaction time. Insomnia also leads to immediate problems, such as difficulty concentrating and a decrease in overall productivity.
According to the Sleep Foundation, approximately 64% of the population in the United States experience sleep issues and insomnia.
Given the rampant consequences of this ailment, it is important to learn ways to deal with it. Hence, we have curated a list of methods to address the question of ‘how to cure insomnia in 12 minutes?’.
Before delving into the methods, think about this – Why is sleep so important for the human body?
The Science of Sleep – Benefits
Parents, doctors, and even teachers have often reiterated the importance of getting an uninterrupted 8 to 9 hours of sleep. Several research pieces have also classified sleep as a biological necessity that promotes good health and well-being.
But why is sleep rated so highly? Here are some reasons that contribute to its importance:
- Sleep causes a reduction in blood pressure levels and heart rate since the parasympathetic system is in charge of the body. The reliance on the heart decreases during non-rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
- Metabolism is an essential aspect of sleep since your body manages and handles the fats in the liver and muscles according to a specific circadian clock. But when you stay awake for extended periods, you disrupt the circadian clock and trigger the release of hormones that cause hunger.
- Sleep helps trigger specific cells in the immune system responsible for fighting foreign particles responsible for several common ailments.
- Getting adequate sleep is also essential to boost memory and stay focused and attentive to absorb knowledge.
Provided that the benefits of sleep are far too essential to pass up, insomnia can be a severe condition that affects your quality of life. But don’t worry! If you are having trouble sleeping at night, these 7 tips will help you fall asleep in 12 minutes!
How to Treat Insomnia in 12 Minutes?
Contrary to popular belief, acute insomnia has a variety of solutions in the form of lifestyle changes. The 7 best solutions for insomnia are as follows:
i). Reading a Book Before Bed
In a 2019 experiment, researchers established that people who read a book are more likely to enjoy uninterrupted and improved sleep. There are several reasons for this, such as:
- Engaging in a book helps you distract from emotional or mental turbulence that contributes to long hours of overthinking. It acts as a stress relief and makes you fall asleep quicker.
- Getting engrossed in the imaginative world-building of a book assists you in entering an altered consciousness state, de-stimulating your brain, and helping your body relax. The relaxed body winds down easily and allows you to enter non-REM sleep.
However, you should avoid reading from an electronic device like a Kindle or a mobile phone since the blue light emitted from these devices contributes to insomnia.
ii). Making your Bedroom Dark
The human body adapts to a 24-hour sleep-wake cycle, known as a circadian rhythm. It is a valuable indicator that decides your daily sleep schedule and helps you wake up at a specific time. This circadian rhythm also controls the production and release of hormones.
The feeling of sleepiness happens due to a hormone called melatonin. It is released in response to darkness and helps promote a long and uninterrupted bout of sleep.
When you turn off the lights and ensure that your bedroom is as dark as possible, the brain’s pineal gland considers it a sign to release melatonin. Even a nominal amount of light can disrupt the release of melatonin, leading to problems in sleeping.
That's why many experts recommend equipping your room with eco windows treatments such as modern blinds, shutters or drapes. Installing these units, you will get:
- Ultimate light control: High-end slats or fabric allow for accurate control of natural light coming into your space, helping to reduce glare, making the room dark and perfect for sleep.
- Control over privacy: Window blinds or shutters come with a convenient way to control visibility, allowing for both privacy and unobstructed views when preferred.
- Energy efficiency: Even though you might not put this point at the top, modern window treatments are best when it comes to insulating your space, reducing heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter, thus lowering energy bills.
- Aesthetics: Contemporary designs and a wide range of materials, colors, and textures enable blinds, shutters and drapes to complement any interior or home design.
- Improved air quality: New eco blinds are manufactured from hypoallergenic materials, reducing dust accumulation and promoting a healthier indoor environment.
- Noise reduction: If you are a fan of quiet spaces, window blinds can also help absorb sound, reducing noise pollution from the exterior.
iii). Mindfulness Meditation
The primary aim of meditation is to acquire a feeling of calmness, peace, and balance to boost your overall health. Given the benefits of meditation, it is no surprise that this method can also address sleep disturbances and lead to better sleep quality.
When you meditate, you relax your body and brain, eliminating the chaos accumulated throughout the day. Hence, meditation leads to the following benefits:
- Meditation reduces the production of cortisol, the hormone responsible for causing stress. Decreased stress results in an increased quality of sleep.
- Meditating before bed enhances melatonin levels, which maintain the circadian clock of the human body.
- Meditation combats the feeling of depression and anxiety.
Additionally, it improves the control of the autonomic nervous system, making you less likely to wake up in the midst of a good night’s sleep.
iv). Employing a High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Program
Usually, moderate aerobic exercise works wonders for insomnia. It promotes slow-wave sleep, allowing the brain and body to rejuvenate. However, it can be challenging to make time for moderate exercise, given that it can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.
This brings back the question of how to treat insomnia in 12 minutes.
Fortunately, HIIT has emerged as a viable alternative to traditional forms of exercise. With just 12 to 15 minutes of high-intensity aerobic exercise, you can save time and ensure that your body receives the benefits of a 30 to 45-minute moderate workout.
Not to mention, HIIT and other forms of exercise assist in stabilizing your mood and relaxing your mind. Ultimately, these factors promote a natural tendency to fall asleep.
v). Avoiding Nicotine and Alcohol Before Bedtime
Sleepiness is triggered by melatonin, a hormone that controls the sleep-wake cycle in all mammals, including humans.
But when you consume alcohol or smoke a cigarette close to your natural sleep cycle, it interferes with the action of this hormone, having a disastrous impact on your overall sleep quality.
Nicotine-addled substances, especially cigarettes and vapes, impact the blood vessels and lungs, leading to breathlessness and sleep apnea.
On the other hand, alcohol is believed to assist in helping people fall asleep. However, it may lead to REM sleep and cause chronic sleep disturbance.
Experts reason that consuming these substances at least 4 hours before you plan to sleep is non-disruptive.
vi). Consuming Herbal Tea
If you are craving a beverage before deciding to crash for the day, a few options are as impactful as herbal teas. In fact, most herbal teas promote a sense of relaxation and a natural transition to sleep to fix insomnia.
The preparation of herbal teas is what sets them apart from other beverages. Most of them are prepared using specific herbs that target certain neurotransmitters in the brain, which aids in enhancing sleep quality and reducing stress and anxiety. Partaking in a cup of herbal tea might also assist you in falling asleep faster.
Additionally, specific blends like chamomile tea eliminate digestive congestion and act as triggers for inducing sleep.
vii). Replenishing your Body with Electrolytes
If you are not drinking enough fluids throughout the day, you might experience an electrolyte imbalance in the body. Low levels of electrolytes like potassium, sodium, magnesium, and calcium cause dehydration, eating disorders, and insomnia.
These electrolytes have an important function in regulating the body's sleep cycle. For example, calcium helps produce the sleep hormone melatonin and contributes to REM sleep.
Lack of these compounds results in several problems like muscle spasms, muscle cramps, headaches, and a dry mouth, all of which significantly impact the quality of sleep. Hence, it is essential to consume water or electrolytes in controlled quantities before going to sleep.
Final Thoughts
If your insomnia persists beyond a few weeks despite following these methods, it might be time to visit a medical practitioner. Sometimes, insomnia may point to an underlying health condition such as asthma, Alzheimer’s disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine conveys that chronic insomnia affects 10 percent percent of U.S. adults and 1 in 3 experiences at least mild to moderate insomnia
While chronic insomnia requires medical treatment, most cases of acute insomnia can be handled with a combination of lifestyle changes.
Since temporary insomnia usually results from a traumatic event, stress, or persistent familial problems, it can be helpful to cut down on certain beverages before bed and adopt a more active lifestyle to induce sleep.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1) How do you get rid of insomnia quickly?
Ans: There are several solutions for insomnia, including meditation, physical exercise, and mental de-stimulation by reading a book. You should also avoid certain substances like alcohol and nicotine at least four hours before sleeping to ensure no disruptions in your sleep cycle.
Q2) How can I fall asleep in 10 mins?
Ans: Ditch the electronic devices that emit blue light and switch to a hardcover book to induce sleep. Alternatively, you can also make your room dark to fix insomnia by triggering the release of melatonin, also known as the sleep hormone.
Q3) What is the 15-minute role of insomnia?
Ans: The 15-minute rule states that if you do not fall asleep within 15 minutes of lying in your bed, go to another room and try to unwind. The unwinding methods include reading a book, exercising, or drinking herbal tea.
Q4) How to fall asleep in 2 minutes?
Ans: Increase the darkness of your room and lie down in a comfortable position on your bed. Close your eyes and take deep breaths to enter a sense of relaxation and slowly eject all the stressful and anxious thoughts from your mind. Within a few minutes, you might notice a feeling of sleepiness.
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