Sleep is one of the main means of recovery. During sleep, the processes of accumulation of energy reserves, regeneration, and plastic metabolism take place.. As a result, energy resources depleted during the day are restored..

• However, not everyone is able to fall asleep at will. Only about half of people can equally easily go to bed early or, conversely, late and wake up at the right time without much difficulty (provided that the total duration of sleep is within the required range).

These people have approximately equal working capacity in the morning, afternoon and evening. They are called " Mostly those who are engaged in physical labor. The so-called "

He and get up late in the morning and have a maximum efficiency in the afternoon. These are usually knowledge workers.. Another group of people - " They get up early, are productive in the morning and go to bed early.. They make up about 20% of the population..

Such a division of people into " Many, especially " In this regard, the West German scientist G.. Hildebrandt proposed a simple objective test: measuring in the morning, immediately after sleep, the heart rate and the number of breaths.. There are three options for their ratio.

The ratio of pulse to breath 4:1 (or about this value) is typical for " An increase in respiratory rate and a decrease in this ratio are characteristic of "

Experts estimate that almost half of people (43%) are not satisfied with the quantity and quality of sleep.. Insomnia is not always a symptom of a serious illness.. Much more often it occurs due to certain unusual situations that disrupt the activity of the nervous system and internal organs..

In this case, it can be called situational insomnia.. When does it occur? Firstly, due to external factors that overexcite the cerebral cortex. These are a variety of nervous stress both at home and at work, as well as light, sound and temperature stimuli..

• Of some importance is the violation of the blood supply to the brain. For example, a long stay in an uncomfortable position in the evenings due to typing or writing an article, report, report. Sleep is an active process. In its certain phases, the activity of the brain is activated, which requires a good blood supply..

The cause of situational insomnia is also excessively strong impulses from the internal organs.. So, if there was a long conversation before going to bed, for example, on sexual topics.

Interference can also serve as solid food, late and excessive consumption of vegetables and fruits that have a diuretic effect (melons, watermelons, cucumbers, grapes, pears, figs, parsley, radish, turnips, beets, currants, asparagus, blackthorn, pumpkin, dill, horseradish.

• With regard to the qualitative composition of the evening meal, the opinions of scientists are divided. Some believe that protein foods (meat, fish) promote sleep, since morphine-like substances are formed from proteins in the small intestine, which promote falling asleep..

Others, on the contrary, recommend light carbohydrate food for dinner, which is quickly digested and does not cause strong intestinal motility and excitation of the nervous system.. In fact, both can be considered right.. Some people fall asleep easily after drinking the next glass of kefir..

Others, after the same yogurt, toss and turn in bed for a long time - their sleep is dispersed by a loud rumbling in the stomach. It is important to follow the diet to which you are accustomed, avoiding evening diet experiments and stress.. Drinking alcohol especially interferes with sleep..

bed requirements.

Affects sleep and the wrong choice of bed. It is generally accepted that you can sleep sweetly on downy featherbeds.. By no means always. With age, when there are pains in the spine, osteochondrosis, sciatica and the so-called deposition of salts, a hard bed gives a more complete sleep..

The width of the bed is no less important, especially if the spouses sleep together.. In this case, the bed must be a double bed.. It's even better when two beds are placed side by side.. Too close location of the spouses is not recommended due to the influence of secretions from the skin and awakening moments (snoring, turning over, etc.)..

And how to hide during sleep - a light sheet or a cotton blanket? It is better to hide as lightly as possible: this contributes to hardening; however, it is clear that if a person is cold, sleep cannot be complete. It is important that the room is ventilated - sleeping in a stuffy, smoky room leads to early wrinkles and neurosis.

There are cases when sleep goes wrong after moving to a new apartment.. A number of experts believe that the reason may lie in the incorrect orientation of the bed perpendicular to the lines of force of the Earth's magnetic field.. It is more rational for magnetically sensitive persons to position during sleep along the magnetic field vector, head to the north.

The quality of the bed on which we sleep plays a role. Best of all, a wooden bed and linen made from natural fabrics that do not electrify during sleep.

A significant cause of insomnia is ignoring the " This is the well-known sitting up late at the TV or at a party, working at night, evening swimming in the river or in the sea, visiting the steam room late, flying by plane through three or four time zones.

This also includes hypokinesia - a sluggish lifestyle that does not allow raising the amplitude of the wakefulness rhythm, and therefore, accordingly, leading to a decrease in the depth of sleep..

It is generally accepted that situational insomnia disappears with the elimination of the situations that cause it.. It's not quite right. If an unfavorable situation is repeated, becomes habitual, a vicious circle of cortical-subcortical circulation of excitation can close, from which it is not so easy to get out. Persistent insomnia occurs.

• To overcome insomnia (as well as to prevent it), you must constantly follow the ritual of falling asleep.

• This means that it is important to go to bed at the same time, in the same bed, in the usual nightgown. Further, it is necessary to use methods of switching attention, distracting from nightly thoughts about the problems of the day..

• A common mistake is to use one method. For example, many take it aloud to count to a thousand, get confused and start to get nervous. In this case, it is more expedient to start influencing another analyzer: visual, speech-motor or temperature.. An integrated approach ensures greater efficiency of methods.

Even if, after using all the means known to you, you do not fall asleep for a long time, then the restoration of working capacity will still go almost like in the drowsiness stage..

It has been established: during periods of self-influence, our brain not only works without tension, but also actively rests, gains strength.

• The simplest way to influence the auditory (sound) analyzer is to count in the mind. Another option is to listen to a tape recording of the measured sound of the sea.; forest, rain or soothing music.

• The sound of the pulsation of the superficial temporal artery helps many people fall asleep well. To do this, you need to grope for it with your index and middle fingers, putting them on the cheek at the tragus of the ear. If the beating of the artery is not felt, you should press down and release it several times.

Feeling the pulse, with the same fingers you need to simultaneously close the ear. You will hear the beat of the pulse. Start their measured count to yourself. This method is much more effective than counting in the mind, because a certain rhythm is imposed on us, driving away disturbing thoughts and concentrating consciousness.. It is no coincidence that Indian yogis sometimes use it when they want to quickly focus..

• And now we will give a way that can help you fall asleep in the absence of silence. Press both palms to your ears, listen to the silence. Then raise your palms and listen to the noise. Repeat these movements rhythmically, opening and closing your ears for 1-3 seconds.. Rhythm noise appears - silence.

• In conclusion, we give another way, perhaps the easiest. Tap the pillow with your fingers, then increasing, then decreasing the force of impact and listening to the sounds. Find a rhythm that will put you to sleep.

Not all people, these methods relieve insomnia, they are more effective for people with auditory memory. But there are other means.

If you have a well-developed visual memory and the ability to perceive images, try using methods that cause inner vision fatigue to speed up falling asleep..

• The easiest way is to fixate your eyes for a long time on a shiny object, for example, on a ball, a watch, etc..

• The second way is to focus on the usual soothing plants, the flowers of which are painted in cold tones (blue, blue, green).

• The third is reading a book before going to bed (however, a detective story, especially an action-packed one, is excluded here).

• The fourth way - exposure to light bulbs in a gradually decreasing rhythm with the help of special devices.

• Finally, the fifth way is to repeatedly mentally write out the number 3 or another figure with paint on a white background..

For self-influence on the motor analyzer, exercises that relax the muscles are used.. In particular (and especially), it can be a fragment of isometric gymnastics.

• For example, while lying down with tension, squeeze your hands in your hands and count to six. Then put your hands down. Feel how pleasant peace has become? Now bend your knees and pull them with tension to the body, hold your breath and count to six again..

Inhale, relax your muscles and stretch your legs. The dream will get closer. Next, do both exercises at the same time, trying to contract the muscle as much as possible, and then relax it.. You will feel: the body becomes light, as if floating in the air, and the eyes close on their own.

Moscow scientist R. Demeter proposed a number of static exercises that affect the motor analyzer and cause. first slight fatigue, and then inhibition in the cerebral cortex.

They consist in alternately holding the limbs on weight. When exercising, direct your thoughts to the expectation of a feeling of muscle fatigue.. It will distract you from worrying thoughts about insomnia.. After a few minutes, fatigue and drowsiness occur. The nature of the exercises depends on the position in which you are accustomed to falling asleep or resting..

Those who are accustomed to sleeping lying on their side.

Use the following exercises.

Raise the leg, holding it until fatigued for about 2 minutes. To accelerate this sensation, you can bend the leg at the ankle joint..

This is followed by relaxation for a few seconds, and then the repetition of both exercises in any sequence one or two times..

For those who are used to falling asleep or resting face down.

Raise the foot by 10-15 cm, while the knee should touch the bed. Keep the foot on weight for about 1 min.. Do the same with the other leg.

Short (for a few seconds) relaxation, and then repeat this exercise once or twice, depending on the condition.

Exercises for those accustomed to rest or fall asleep lying on their back.

Raise one arm or both and hold in this position for 2 minutes.

Lying spread legs apart, close socks, open heels and leave them in this position until tired (about 2 minutes.

Relax for a few seconds and repeat the exercises if you can't fall asleep.

These exercises are more suitable for mental workers. Finger exercises are recommended for people engaged in heavy physical labor and very tired..

Finger exercises.

Place your hands on your torso or along the bed. Alternately raise your fingers and hold them in this position for up to 5 s. It distracts from disturbing sleep thoughts..

Raise each finger and hold successively for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 s. At the same time, mentally pronounce: “Raise your thumb - once; drop - two. Raise index finger - one, lower - two "

Finger holding pattern serves as an additional distraction. Then you also need to work with all fingers in reverse order.. Other variants of this method: alternating flexion and extension of the fingers with holding from 1 to 5 s, holding one or both hands in the same pattern.

Dalasyuk R. , Kampat L. , Shevchuk T.

medbe. en.