Insomnia

 

Tossing and turning in bed. Counting sheep to fall asleep. We’ve all experienced trouble drifting off into dreamland, but if you’re struggling to sleep three or more days a week, you’re likely suffering from insomnia. You’re also far from the only one; it’s the most common sleeping disorder in the world. 

 

Simple lifestyle choices can easily affect your ability to fall asleep, from drinking a cup of coffee too close to bedtime or leaving your favourite show playing on the TV for white noise. There are also a few contributing factors to insomnia that many may not be aware of. Did you know that age and gender play a role? Women and adults over the age of 60 are more likely to have trouble hitting the hay compared to men and younger adults. The list goes on and on; anxiety disorders, depression, chronic pain and even hormone fluctuations are also attributed to the development of insomnia. So if you’re not sleeping a wink, just sleep on it – metaphorically speaking – to figure out which may be the overwhelming cause.

 

Snoring

 

We’ve all heard it before, so we know that snoring comes in different forms. Whether you subconsciously let out soft, gentle whistles or sound like a bulldozer on full blast in your sleep, it’s a common occurrence. According to data from John Hopkins Medicine, 45% of adults snore occasionally while 25% snore regularly. So if you think you’re a perfectly quiet sleeper, there’s a relatively large possibility that you’re simply in denial.

Scientifically, snoring is explained by the rattling and vibrating of tissues near the airway of your throat, which causes sounds when you inhale and exhale. To some, it’s an unconcerning habit that sometimes affects those who share a bed with you or can hear you through the walls. In this case, just apologise to your partners or neighbours and call it a night. In severe cases, however, it can lead to a slew of health risks such as sleep apnea, high blood pressure, headaches and mood swings. To keep the dangers of snoring at bay, doctors may recommend anything from nasal strips to surgical treatments to keep the irritating noise to a minimum.

 

Sleep Paralysis

 

Ever woken up in the middle of the night, unable to move or speak for what feels like forever? Maybe you thought it was a dream, a weird imagining or a paranormal occurrence. In actuality, the explanation for it is a bit of a snooze-fest. Ironic, since this experience usually disturbs a good night’s sleep. What you experienced is called sleep paralysis, which is a mixed state of consciousness; you’re in a state of wakefulness and REM sleep at once, leading to a brief loss of muscle control known as atonia. To put it simply, your mind is suddenly wide awake while your body is still sleeping in. 

 

 

According to various studies, an estimated 7% of the world’s population experience sleep paralysis at some point in their lives, with 75% of sleep paralysis instances even including hallucinations. This explains the trippy, out-of-body experience generally associated with the occurrence, so there’s no reason to be afraid of catching some z’s. If you wake up feeling frozen in place, be patient and you’ll be drifting off to sleep again in no time. 

 

Ironically, these episodes occur more frequently to those who have inadequate sleep or suffer from other sleeping conditions. It’s true what they say, sleep really is the best medicine.

 

Go-to tricks to snoozing

 

Regardless of which sleeping disorder keeps you up at night, a few simple solutions often do the trick for non-chronic cases. Keep your environment comfortable, leave your stresses at the bedroom door and soon enough, you won’t be feeling like you woke up on the wrong side of the bed. 

 

Generally i think its quite grammatical and well written, though i feel like it needs a bit more personality, and the personal touch. Kinda sounds a bit like a report based on some links and articles online on sleep. Feels like I am reading a technical paper from a school textbook. Should be something a bit more enjoyable to read, and that sparks interest. Refer to blogs from popular sites, instead of research papers.