Search Results for: sleeplessness

Sleeplessness after vacation

12. September 2017 von Redaktion Leave a Comment

Just like healthy sleep, vacation serves for regeneration. Its goal is, to leave hectic and everyday sorrows behind and to completely relax. Afterwards, one should be able to start into working life full of energy. But, this prospect often causes discomfort for those coming home from the holidays.

The post-holiday-syndrome

Coming back to work after vacation often leads to physical and mental complaints. Amongst others, the mental discomfort expresses itself with tiredness, loss of appetite, listlessness, muscular pains and sleeplessness. Furthermore, irritability, anxiousness and sadness might occur. Experts sum up these symptoms under “post-holiday-syndrome”. That this syndrome not arises resp. can be alleviated, it is advisable to consider some hints.

Hints to ease resp. avoid the post-holiday-syndrome

Split your annual holiday: Better try to do some shorter vacations than one long holiday. Like this, your total amount of holidays seems longer.
Take your time to re-adjust: Plan your holiday that you don’t have to return to work immediately after coming home. Cherish in two or three days at home. When placing your first day at work in the middle of the week, you can look forward to the imminent weekend.
Adapt your biorhythm to everyday life at home: During the remaining days off work, adjust your sleep-wake-rhythm to your everyday rhythm. Go to bed earlier and get up at the usual time.
A picture of your vacation at your working place cares for holiday feelings: Bring back a souvenir or a nice picture. These let you indulge in positive holiday-memories.
Integrate a piece of holiday in your everyday life: Just because you are at home, doesn’t mean you can’t feel like on holidays. For example, spend your lunch break in a restaurant with ethnic food. Or plan some comfortable evening in bed with a book you started reading in your vacation.

Imagesource: @istock

Sleepless on holiday

6. July 2017 von Redaktion Leave a Comment

Irrelevant where you are travelling to, most of us have the same desire: rest, relaxation and recovery. We try to reach this at the sea, at a lake or in the mountains. Being sleepless on holiday truly is a no-go. But, stress often starts with the journey, mostly connected with some strains (long drive with the car or train, waiting at the airport, etc.). So, what is the biggest wish when arriving? Having a restful night and a beautiful sleep. But, what to do when sleep just won’t come? You lie in bed awake, unable to fall asleep.

Reasons and causes

Stress and nervousness: After a long arrival our body is exhausted. You feel like sleeping right away. But, unlike our body our mind is wide awake. The nervousness of arrival is further preventing coming to a rest. Also, everyday worries are not easily left behind. Your body as well as your mind have to adapt to the new situation. Try to go for a walk, to relax in a warm bath or to drink a relaxing cup of tea. Balm and valerian are natural sleeping aids.

Jetlag after long distance flights: The further your holiday destination is the higher the probability of sleeplessness. A long distance flight interferes with your biorhythm. Travelling west prolongs your day, travelling east shortens it. Try to sleep when it is night at your destination. This makes an adaption easier.

Climate change: Often, a fast climate change leads to sleeplessness. Especially, when the temperatures at your destination are high. Darken your bedroom during the day, too. Only air early in the morning and late in the evening.

Sumptuous food: The evening buffet is tempting. But, try to resist an opulent meal. Your stomach would be busy with digestion and you wouldn’t find rest.

Strange bed: Many have difficulties sleeping in a strange bed. So, when reserving a hotel room already take a closer look to the furnishing and place your wishes. Ask for a quiet room. If possible, bring your own pillow. More and more hotels learn about the importance of restful sleep and offer special rooms. Find here your perfect hotel for your perfect holidays and enjoy relaxed nights on a SAMINA sleeping system.

Imagesource: @SAMINA

Cool hints for hot nights

1. June 2017 von Redaktion 1 Comment

Summer is just a few weeks away. Just like sweaty temperatures. That means, not only during daytime it is hot but often during the night, too. Hot nights often are a reason why we can’t sleep at night. The more welcome are cool hints for hot nights. The temperatures at night slightly differ from the ones during the day. This makes it difficult for our body to control the temperature balance. Falling asleep becomes harder, during nighttime we wake up several times drenched in sweat. Sleeping healthy and restful seems far away. Here are some hints to escape sleeplessness in hot summer nights.

Cool hints for hot nights

Room climate

The ideal room temperature in the bedroom is from 61° to 64° F. To ban the heat from the bedroom, keep your windows and shutters closed during the day. Correct airing brings fresh air into your bedroom. Best air in the evening, when it’s cooled down. Also, you can leave your windows open in the night. But, beware of draft.

Sleep garments

In summer, prefer light clothing. If you prefer sleeping naked consider that sweat directly goes into your bedding.

Bedding

Instead of eiderdown we recommend sheep wool covers. Sheep wool is a perfect climate fiber. Sheep wool can absorb humidity up to one third of its own weight. This results in a dry-warm bedding climate. Also, there are producers offering covers according to the time of the year. In hot temperatures, a summer nights dream duvet of SAMINA is advisable, for example.

Lukewarm shower

A lukewarm shower before going to bed cares for cooling and relaxation. Don’t shower too cold. This only stimulates your circulation.

Drinking

Drink at least 1.5 to 2 liters of water or unsweetened tea. Don’t drink alcohol as nightcap. Alcohol lets you fall asleep faster but disturbs your deep sleep.

Eating

Not only on hot days it makes sense to do without a lush meal. Better eat light meals.

Exercise

Regular exercise supports falling asleep. But don’t do sports within two hours before going to bed.

Imagesource: @Leidinger

Green smoothies fight sleep disturbances

24. April 2017 von Redaktion Leave a Comment

Especially in spring many suffer under tiredness, fatigue, exhaustion and listlessness. Our body has to get used again to warmer days and longer sunshine. The conversion of the hormones serotonin and melatonin might lead to sleep disturbances and sleeplessness. Additionally, the limited intake of vitamins and minerals during winter supports lack of power. This has to be balanced. Our hint: Green smoothies fight sleep disturbances.

Green smoothies fight sleep disturbances

Seasonal fruits and vegetables provide a diet rich in vitamins. And this counteracts signs of exhaustion. Green smoothies clearly are a trendy alternative. Especially people who scarcely eat salads or fruits swear by green smoothies. They are prepared quickly and taste good!

Green smoothies deliver a lot of vitamins, minerals, micronutrients, amino acids and anti-oxidants. They are not only supporting healthy sleep but also positively influence regulation of your body weight.

Delicious smoothies

Sleep-improvement-smoothie: This smoothie is full of anti-oxidants and sleep supporting nutrients. Take 1 carrot, 5 spinach leaves and water. Mix the ingredients in your smoothie maker.
Relaxation-smoothie: This smoothie helps to escape everyday stress and to relax. Falling asleep becomes easier. Take 4 chamomile blossoms, 90 grams romaine lettuce, 1 small banana and juice of half a lemon. First make a chamomile tea. Then put the tea and the other ingredients into your mixer and mix it a couple of minutes.
Healthy-sleep-fruit-smoothie: take 3 peaches, 1 apple and a handful of mint. Wash and cut the fruits, then put them into the mixer. After mixing it for a couple of minutes, enjoy your fresh smoothie.

These three smoothies have the best effect right before going to bed. Therefore, best drink them half an hour before going to bed.

Imagesource: @deathtothestockphotos

Effects of stress trigger on our mental balance

13. April 2017 von Redaktion Leave a Comment

All humans have different stress triggers and different ways to cope with stress. The most common stress triggers are performance pressure, financial worries or the double burden job and family. Furthermore, deadline pressure, leisure obligations and high expectations of oneself are typical stress triggers.

Effects of stress triggers

Some effects of stress are irritability, exhaustion, and lack of resilience as well as sleep disturbances. Too much stress unbalances the mental balance. But, it is not necessary to use sedatives. A good amount of healthy sleep and several effective natural remedies have a calming effect on your nerves, too.

Natural remedies

Oat: Oat is nervine and the anti-stress-plant, per se. Furthermore, it improves sleep and amongst others, it contains a lot of iron and B-vitamins (hence nervine). Enjoy oat in your breakfast cereal, eat good old porridge, drink a cup of oat-tea, take a relaxing bath in a bath with added oat, make a poultice with oat, take herbal or homeopathic drops; there are countless ways to take advantage of the youngest of all types of grain.
Coffee: Coffee is component of several homeopathic combination medicines. Here, the coffee plant is used for symptoms caused by consummation of caffeine containing beverages like sleeplessness, unrest, dizziness and nervousness.
Rose root: Rose root originates from the arctic heights of Siberia. Like oat, rose root is adaptogenic, too. Rose root has a nerve-strengthening effect and cares for serenity. Furthermore, it increases the physical and mental performance and alleviates exhaustion and tiredness.
Valerian: Valerian probably is the most well-known “tranquilizer”. It is helpful when suffering under sleeplessness, unrest, irritability and anxiety. Furthermore, valerian is used with cramps and pain. Its fast relaxing and calming effect also cares for a physical and mental balance. Stress releasers are naturally prevented.

Imagesource: @deathtothestockphoto

Sleep disturbances due to medication

7. April 2017 von Redaktion Leave a Comment

Sleep disturbances have many triggers. On the one hand, mental strains light stress, anxiety or sorrows on the other hand physical problems like pain or breathing disturbances might lead to tossing and turning instead to restful sleeping. Most of the time, it is forgotten that medication might lead to sleep disturbances, too. Learn more about sleep disturbances due to medication:

Sleep disturbances due to medication not uncommon

Especially elder people often suffer under sleep disturbances caused by medication. The quantity of medication taken by people 65+ often is reason for this; on an average, more than five medicines per day! Some people even have to take up to 20 pills. The combination of different medications often lead to side effects.

Side effects of medication

The effects often are fatal. Concentration disturbances arise, performance decreases. The intake of different medications affects reaction and leads to an increased daytime sleepiness due to a diminished sleeping quality. And this might have severe consequences in traffic or at the working place. Almost every 10^th traffic accident is affected by medication. If you assume that your medication is responsible for your sleep disturbances always and in any case consult your doctor before stop using it! Maybe there is some alternative medicine. Sometimes you only have to change the time of the intake or the dose.

Medications that might lead to sleep disturbances

Some medications have a significant influence on our sleep-wake-rhythm; they may lead to sleep disturbances. Therefore, exact reading of the package insert is advisable. For example, it is not advisable to take stimulating antihypertensives that inhibit the sleeping hormone melatonin in the evening before going to bed. That would only lead to lying in bed awake without being able to fall asleep.

Further sleep depriving medications:

Asthma-medication: This medication contains theophylline which keeps the bronchi clean but it might lead to sleeplessness.
Cholesterol reducer: The intake of statins in the evening might lead to disturbances to fall asleep and to sleep through.
Antidepressants: Antidepressants might lead to sleep disturbances and to night mares.
Sleeping pills: In long term, the intake of, for example, benzodiazepines also might lead to sleep disturbances.
Analgesics: Do painkillers contain caffeine the stimulating effect might cause disturbances to fall asleep.

Imagesource: @