How to help your baby fall asleep: the best sleep aids

Difficulty falling asleep is the most common type of sleep disorder. One of the forms of insomnia. This condition is successfully treated in our clinic.

Difficulty falling asleep is characterized by the presence of anxious or obsessive thoughts and is accompanied by a long period of falling asleep. When you still can’t fall asleep, irritability and fatigue appear. More often than not, you still manage to fall asleep, but you don’t stay asleep for long. The next day the person feels tired and overwhelmed. Today, every sixth person on the planet suffers from various types of sleep disorders.

The importance of quality sleep

Sleep is a state in which the body and all body systems receive maximum relaxation; it is in sleep that a person should fully rest. In addition, many processes take place in the body of an individual as a biological being that do not pause even in sleep. Therefore, sleep is also an indispensable component of good health.

So, when we sleep, the hormone somatotropin or “growth” hormone is produced. Only the lazy have not heard the phrase that children grow in their sleep. Thanks to this hormone, these are not just words. But for adults, its benefits are difficult to overestimate, because with its help the following processes occur:

• regulation of muscle mass;
• slowing down the aging process;
• normalization of metabolic processes;
• tissue restoration.

Reference! For those who want to lose weight, night rest plays no less important role than proper nutrition and exercise. Indeed, during this period, leptin is produced - a hormone that affects appetite and, together with somatotropin, regulates fat deposits, promoting the breakdown of fat cells.

When a person sleeps, the amount of the hormone cortisol in the blood decreases, thereby reducing stress. During sleep, the brain assimilates the information accumulated during the day; the immune system is strengthened. The deficiency is fraught with the following consequences:

• absent-minded attention;
• slow reaction;
• poor memory;
• headache;
• decreased brain activity;
• decreased ability to work;
• irritability;
• deterioration in appearance (bruises under the eyes, puffiness, unhealthy complexion, saggy skin), etc.

Recommendations for relaxation before bed

To get the most complete rest, you need to follow some rules:

1. Sleepwear should be comfortable.
2. Bed linen should be made from natural fabrics.
3. It is advisable that the mattress and pillow be orthopedic.
4. It is better to take a warm bath before going to bed. It is worth adding essential oils and medicinal herbs to the water.
5. The attitude should be positive.
6. The space reserved for sleeping should not be used for watching TV or other activities.

If a person takes a long time to fall asleep, he is concerned about what helps him fall asleep. To do this, there are rules for preparing for bed, as well as various techniques that can relax the body.

Rules for healthy sleep

For sleep to have the desired effect, you need to know how to sleep properly. Despite the simplicity of these mandatory rules, most people forget or systematically violate them, for which they subsequently have to pay not only with lack of sleep, but also with health problems.

Bed and accessories

It is important to consider what you sleep on. It is worth understanding that the dimensions of the bed, as well as the mattress, must correspond to the dimensions of the person, and in no case should they restrict his body movements during sleep. Orthopedic mattresses are recognized as the optimal solution, which will prevent curvature of the spine and other back problems.

At the same time, the choice is always individual, and the criterion of rigidity is influenced by both health characteristics and age:

• up to 30 years – hard mattress;
• 30–50 – medium hardness;
• from 50 – the most comfortable option.

Experts advise paying attention to the weight of the sleeper: softer mattresses are recommended for people weighing up to 60 kg; those over 90 kg are recommended for models with increased rigidity.

You should sleep on low orthopedic pillows made of elastic and elastic material (latex, artificial fibers, etc.). Such devices maintain an ideal position and allow the cervical vertebrae to rest and recover at night during sleep.

Ambient conditions

Our body is designed in such a way that sleep should take place in complete darkness. This promotes greater relaxation and eliminates various light stimuli. For those who for some reason cannot plunge into pitch darkness, there are special eye masks. And to make your face look young and fresh the next morning, there are special offers with helium pads.

In addition to darkness, the following conditions must be met:

• absence of noise (earplugs help to distance yourself from sounds);
• air temperature – 16–18 °C, humidity – 50%;
• Every day you need to ventilate the bedroom an hour before bedtime;
• bed linen should be made from natural materials.

Pose

Few people think about the correct position to go to bed in. But in vain, because the position of the body can both have a beneficial effect on the condition and worsen it. Thus, the position on the back is considered optimal: all muscles and systems of the body relax. Sleeping on your side is no less beneficial.

Doctors believe that the “embryo” position on the left side helps improve digestion, since the intestines and stomach are in a natural position, and nothing interferes with their normal functioning, activates blood circulation, since pressure on the vena cava is minimized, reduces the load on the spinal column and reduction of lumbar pain.

But sleeping on the right side is useful for stress and gallstone disease, but it puts a strain on the liver. It is not recommended to sleep on your stomach, as the chest is compressed, which makes breathing difficult. The arteries in the cervical spine are also compressed, blood flow is disrupted, pressure on the pelvic organs is aggravated, and body weight puts stress on the internal organs.

Period and duration

“To get enough sleep, you need to go to bed on time,” everyone heard from their parents. But what does this mean and when does this “on time” occur? Scientists have proven that the most favorable period, when the body rests as much as possible and the peak production of all hormones is noted, is the period from 22:00 to 2:00.

If a person is used to going to bed no earlier than 3 am and thinks to compensate for lost rest with morning sleep, which often flows into the afternoon, the attempt will be in vain. After 6:00–7:00 am, sleep is no longer beneficial. Depending on a person’s individual needs, somnologists advise sleeping 8–9 hours and going to bed at 10:00–11:00 pm in order to be in the deep sleep phase at 2 am.

Causes of difficulty falling asleep

Alcohol poisoning, drug addiction, alcoholism are the second reason for difficulty going to bed. In such a situation, disturbances begin with physiology. The body constantly receives a psychoactive substance that is addictive. The absence of a drug or alcohol does not allow a person to feel comfortable without a new dose. Drug addiction and alcoholism are severe psychopathologies that require complex treatment under the supervision of a clinical physician.

Self-medication for difficulty falling asleep

Sedatives, sleeping pills and drops are often the cause of poor sleep. Thanks to active advertising in the media, people take some medications without permission. Today, every tenth Russian takes sedatives and sleeping pills independently, without consulting a doctor. As a result, addiction develops, which is difficult to get rid of and cure. But still, it is possible. First, the person goes to a hospital, where the body is detoxified and the chemicals that caused the addiction are removed. After this, medications are prescribed to facilitate the withdrawal process. Then the disease that caused the excessive use is treated and psychotherapy and correction are carried out. This is necessary to return a person to normal mental and physical well-being.

If you have difficulty falling asleep

Many people themselves make it difficult to fall asleep by eating foods that stimulate the nervous system before bed.

If sleeping pills relax, then biostimulants and antidepressants excite. For this reason, they should not be consumed in the evening and, especially, before bedtime. Otherwise, you will have difficulty falling asleep and, at best, your sleep will be restless. Foods that stimulate brain activity include:

• coffee Tea;
• cocoa, chocolate;
• spicy food and drinks.

All these products can be consumed only in the morning or at lunch. And for people who cannot sleep at night for a long time, it is better to exclude them from the diet altogether.

Rest for pregnant women

In the first 12 weeks, pregnant women are allowed to sleep in any position, but after crossing this line, they will have to think about organizing proper rest. For expectant mothers, the choice of position is modest and limited to the right and left sides. Doctors recommend paying attention to the second option.

This way, the baby receives the optimal amount of nutrients and oxygen, and the heart works well.

Attention! Sleeping on the right side is undesirable due to the fact that the fetus puts pressure on the liver, causing the organ to work in emergency mode. In the future, this may affect the woman’s health.

From 28 weeks you should not sleep on your back:

• blood flow to all organs is disrupted;
• lower back pain;
• limbs go numb;
• the baby's oxygen supply deteriorates.

Pregnant women need at least 10 hours of regular sleep. If you feel unwell, an additional 2-3 hours of sleep during the day will improve the situation. If the expectant mother is bothered by something in her sleep or has problems falling asleep, the following will help fix it:

• charger;
• healthy eating;
• water aerobics;
• aromatic baths before bed;
• herbal teas;
• yoga;
• relaxation;
• gymnastics for pregnant women.

How much sleep do you need

The amount of time we need to sleep changes throughout our lives. Babies need to sleep a lot and often, and older people need 7 hours. Of course, even within the same age group everything is very individual. But the latest research from an expert group of the US National Sleep Foundation gave the following results:

• newborns (0-3 months) should sleep 14-17 hours every day,
• infants (4-11 months) – 12-15 hours,
• kids (1-2 years) – 11-14 h,
• preschoolers (3-5 years old) – 10-13 h,
• school age children (6-13 years old) – 9-11 hours,
• teenagers (14–17 years old) – 8-10 hours,
• new age category “younger adults (18-25 years old) – 7-9 hours,
• adults (26-64 years old) – 7-9 hours,
• elderly people (65+) – 7-8 hours.

Can't sleep? Follow the advice of a somnologist

Putting the baby to bed

Children's sleep is very sensitive, so first of all it is worth protecting the child from any extraneous noise and bright light. In young children, sleep is cyclical, and it is common for the child to wake up several times during the night. This can be facilitated by hunger, colic, full diapers, teething, etc.

As your baby gets older, his sleep becomes more sound and interrupted less often. If the child wakes up too often (up to every hour) and the awakening is accompanied by crying and hysterics, you need to show the child to the pediatrician. Often the causes are various diseases: enuresis, anemia, apnea, allergies, infections.

The baby should be put to bed at the same time, excluding all active games 2-3 hours before falling asleep. Feed no later than half an hour before going to bed. Soothing baths with the addition of valerian, lemon balm, calendula, and oregano help.

A certain “ritual” that the child associates with sleep also works well. This could be reading a bedtime story, a massage, bathing, a toy, a kiss from a parent, etc.

The child must be provided with active leisure and regular walks in the fresh air. This also has a beneficial effect on quickly falling asleep without hysterics and tears.

Autotraining

This is an effective exercise from the series on how to fall asleep in 5 minutes. It is not necessary to complete it; you can stop as soon as you feel sufficiently sleepy. True, it doesn’t work the first time because it requires certain skills and training.

To perform this, you need to lie in bed and cover your entire body with a blanket except your head. Next, we straighten our legs and arms and mentally transport ourselves to a warm beach with snow-white sand and a warm turquoise sea. A light, warm and pleasant breeze caresses your body. You feel how with light warm gusts it first blows on your feet, slowly moving to your lower legs, then to your thighs and finally covers your whole body. You feel a slight tickling on the most convex places of your body. You feel good and pleased and all this repeats.

Dream according to Feng Shui

Eastern sages insist that the main role for a healthy and comfortable sleep is played by the position of the body relative to the cardinal points, as well as a certain arrangement of objects in the bedroom. Chinese philosophers have an interesting view on the position of the body in a dream in relation to the door.

Any passage is a boundary between energy spheres. Everything that is behind the door is considered a “dead” zone, and everything in front is considered a “live” zone. Therefore, you should not lie down with your head or feet towards the exit. This will not lead to death, but it threatens lethargy and loss of strength due to weakening vital energy.

According to Taoist practice, the sleep ritual must comply with the following rules:

• You shouldn't sleep on the floor. This is the place of maximum accumulation of negative energy.
• Do not place household appliances near the sleeping area. Otherwise, a headache the next morning is inevitable.
• Don't sleep on a bed that has already had owners. Any energy is stored for a long time on used things, but you can resort to a ritual of cleansing the energy.
• The bedroom should be spacious, so you should not clutter it with furniture. It is especially bad if the sharp corners of the cabinets or tables are in the direction of the bed.
• The sleeping person should not be reflected in mirrors. This also threatens the outflow of positive energy and a high risk of disease. Therefore, there is no need to hang mirrors opposite the bed, or make mirrored ceilings.

Attention! Doctors recommend that people with heart disease sleep on their right side, which will reduce the load on the heart by lowering blood pressure and the frequency of contraction of the heart muscles.

Well-being and other quality characteristics of life depend on which side the head of the bed is directed to:

• north – characterized by stability and peace, so those who are tired of worries and stress, lying with their heads to the north side, will return life to a calm, measured course;
• East - sleeping with your head to the east is useful for tired people with a catastrophically reduced vitality. This will give you energy and new strength to accomplish all things and tasks;
• West – those who need variety, creativity, creative ideas and simply new sensations should sleep with their head facing west. After a few weeks of such a dream, a person’s life will sparkle with new colors, and his usual life will be supplemented with new interesting events;
• south - a way to increase material well-being with the help of strong southern energy involves falling asleep alone, it is contraindicated for people who are impressionable and in difficult stressful situations.

To decorate a bedroom, it is good to use the color type of the yin sign (green, purple, blue) or light pastel colors

How to fall asleep quickly

The technique of falling asleep quickly will help you get rid of the problems of immersion in the kingdom of Morpheus. The desired sleep does not always come as quickly as we would like: stress, depression, fears, and worries “add fuel to the fire.” Therefore, there are several methods for immediately falling asleep:

• “Ten”: counting the number of inhalations and exhalations in 10 seconds, 4–5 approaches are required. At the same time, the body is completely relaxed, breathing is even and deep. The person is focused on arithmetic manipulation, chest contractions and air movement.
• “4–7–8”: after lying down in bed, place the tip of your tongue against the upper palate and close your mouth. On the count of 4, inhale through your nose, on the count of 7, hold your breath, and on 8, exhale. Repeat 8 times.
• Suvorov's method: taking a supine position, place your hands at the seams, palms up. Even out your breathing, close your eyelids and roll your eyes upward without effort. This position of the eyeballs is considered physiologically normal during sleep, so the onset of sleep will be faster.

In order to sleep not only comfortably, but also with health benefits, you need to know what to do before bed and what to avoid. Somnologists advise:

• fall asleep only in a clean, dark and quiet room;
• in 5–10 minutes. before bed, use white noise or quiet, calm classical music to relax;
• in 15 minutes before bed, meditate or take the advice of yogis;
• in 30 min. Before going to bed, it is mandatory to take relaxing baths with herbal extracts, sea salt or aromatic oils;
• an hour before bedtime, distance yourself from multimedia devices and work;
• During the day, the body needs physical and mental stress, which will allow you to fall asleep faster in the evening;
• organize a stable regime.

It is forbidden to consume unhealthy and heavy food before bedtime, the same applies to alcohol, coffee and nicotine, to use a sleeping place for other purposes (for reading, computer games, eating food, etc.), the bed should be associated with sleep, long “oversleeps” during the day, any psycho-emotional stimuli before bedtime (horror films, loud music, games).

The benefits of quality sleep on the body can be felt by each of the body systems. And he will tell you about it even faster if any process is disrupted due to lack of sleep.

Failure to take sleep rules seriously can result in irritability, depression, decreased concentration, and even illness. Therefore, if you are still experiencing problems with your well-being after waking up, it is worth reviewing your daily routine and making adjustments to improve the quality of your sleep.

Effective ways to treat difficulty falling asleep

Before prescribing treatment, specialists conduct a comprehensive diagnosis. This makes it possible to find out the true cause of the disease and completely cure the disease.

If the neurologist and therapist have not found the cause of the sleep disorder, then a diagnosis is carried out using polysomnography - sleep monitoring in a hospital under the supervision of a somnologist.

After diagnosis and diagnosis, treatment and correction are prescribed. For this purpose, medications with a sedative and hypnotic effect are most often used. The maximum period for taking them is up to two weeks. If at the end of this period sleep is not restored, additional diagnostics are carried out, after which other complex medications are prescribed.

When the cause of difficulty falling asleep is anxiety or increased irritability, it is very important to use psychotherapy methods. As a result, a person works through issues that cause psychological discomfort and the general state of mind is corrected. For this purpose, they use: auto-training, hypnosis, body therapy, aromatherapy, psychodrama, positive psychotherapy, music therapy, aromatherapy and other methods.

Get rid of difficulties falling asleep in the clinic

The Transfiguration clinic has everything you need to restore normal sleep: specialists, equipment, laboratories, medications. Thanks to a wide range of techniques used in the clinic, you can regain healthy sleep and get rid of difficulties falling asleep.

Treatment can be carried out in a hospital or on an outpatient basis, but under the constant supervision of attentive doctors. Come, call, seek advice: psychologists, psychotherapists, somnologists, psychiatrists and neurologists at the Preobrazhenie clinic will help you get back good sleep and joy in life.